Residential Zoning by Race - Zoning District Factors

by Carolyn Ristau

In reviewing the current pattern of multi-family zoning districts in Pittsburgh, we laid out four factors that are commonly discussed as reasons for designating a particular zoning district in a particular location. We also proposed two additional factors that seemed to align with the patterns found in Pittsburgh. These six factors are:

• Existing built environment

• Proximity to other uses

• Transportation options

• Future land use goals

• Home Owner’s Loan Corporation’s Residential Security grading (aka “Redlining”)

• Race

The Homewood and Point Breeze neighborhoods of Pittsburgh are separated by railroad tracks as shown in the map above. When applying the factors above to these neighborhoods, race and redlining appear to be the strongest explanation for why Homewood is predominantly multi-unit zoning and Point Breeze is predominantly single-unit zoning.

Factor 1: Existing Built Environment

This factor doesn’t explain the situation in Homewood and Point Breeze as the preexisting housing stock in each neighborhood is the opposite of the current zoning districts. Homewood’s pre-1950 housing is primarily single-family, but the zoning is multi-unit. Point Breeze has a significant number of pre-1950 apartment buildings and duplexes, but the zoning is single-unit.

Factor 2: Proximity to Other Uses

This factor doesn’t explain the situation in Homewood and Point Breeze as they are within similar distances of commercial and industrial districts. Also, as Point Breeze is on the main road that runs through the commercial districts, it ought to be the neighborhood with the multi-unit zoning based on the theories of proximity to other uses.

Factor 3: Transportation Options

Once again, this factor doesn’t explain the situation in Homewood and Point Breeze. The transportation options are similar in both neighborhoods: both have access to a major busway and several other bus routes service each neighborhood.

Factor 4: Future Land Use Goals

This may possibly be the reason for the current zoning districts in Homewood and Point Breeze, but Pittsburgh does not have a comprehensive plan to provide officially stated future land use goals.

Factor 5: Redlining

The grades of the 1937 Home Owner’s Loan Corporation’s Residential Security Map — aka “redlining” map — align better with the current zoning districts than the factors outlined above. Homewood received negative grades in 1937 and there is a perceived negativity to multi-unit housing. Point Breeze received positive grades in 1937 and there is a perceived positivity to single-unit housing. Therefore, locating multi-unit zoning in an already negatively perceived area and single-unit zoning in a positively perceived area aligns.

Factor 6: Race

Similarly the racial demographics of these neighborhoods align with their current zoning districts through the lens of zoning’s morals. Homewood has a majority of Black residents while Point Breeze has a majority of white residents. As zoning was developed in the US to preserve “good” housing for “good” people, it follows that single-unit zoning districts would be located in predominately White neighborhoods and multi-unit zoning districts would be located in predominantly Black or other minority neighborhoods. The pattern in these Pittsburgh neighborhoods supports this.

More graphics further illustrating these factors are available on the main project page.