Kelly Prokop Testifies before Pittsburgh City Council.

Mayor O'Connor presented a $727 million operating budget and a $145 million capital budget on November 9, 2026, which proposes eliminating dedicated funding transfers to the Housing Opportunity Fund and the Stop the Violence Fund over the next five years. 

The Housing Opportunity Fund and Stop the Violence funds protect the most vulnerable communities in the City of Pittsburgh. The funds are sued for eviction prevention, rental assistance, community violence interrupters and more.  Through these programs, thousands of residents have been able to stay in and maintain their homes. Also, thanks to the Stop the Violence Fund, the murder rate in Pittsburgh has been cut in half from 2022 to 2025.

RHLS Supervising Attorney Kelly Prokop spoke before City Council, urging them to maintain funding for the Housing Opportunity Fund and the Stop the Violence Fund.

Her remarks are below. 

My name is Kelly Prokop. I’m a resident of Etna and a Supervising Attorney in Regional Housing Legal Services' Pittsburgh office, which is located downtown. RHLS is a statewide legal nonprofit that advances affordable housing, community development, and neighborhood revitalization for low-income communities.

We envision a future where everyone—regardless of income, race, identity, or background—has a safe, affordable home in a place they want to live. Through free legal services, technical assistance, and policy analysis and advocacy, RHLS supports the nonprofit developers like ACTION-Housing, community land trusts like City of Bridges Community Land Trust, neighborhood organizations, and other community-based institutions that create and preserve affordable housing across the Commonwealth. We have assisted in the creation of nearly three billion dollars’ worth of affordable housing developments across Pennsylvania.

We appreciate the Council’s continued work to advance a thoughtful, equity-driven budget and the opportunity to share comments. RHLS opposes the elimination of the Housing Opportunity Fund and the Stop the Violence Fund.

When Council adopted the Housing Opportunity Fund, it also enacted a revenue increase to pay for it, an additional 1% realty transfer tax. To eliminate the program but keep the revenue that was raised to pay for it would be a bait and switch on taxpayers. Council should not consent to such a tactic. Next year, that additional 1% tax is expected to generate $16 million in revenue, enough to pay for the Housing Opportunity Fund, the Stop the Violence community grants, and the Stop the Violence eviction prevention funding combined.

The proposed cuts are being characterized as necessary austerity measures to plug a hole in the budget, but the budget the Mayor has proposed would significantly increase funding for several other items, including an additional $8.5 million for police operations and $1.5 million for a police training center. Council should reject cutting funding that our most vulnerable neighbors need in favor of increased funding for law enforcement.

The Housing Opportunity Fund and Stop the Violence both prevent homelessness and the Stop the Violence community grants prevent violent crime. By adopting the Mayor’s budget, Council would divert funding away from prevention and toward law enforcement to deal with increased homelessness and violent crime after the fact. This is not a wise use of taxpayer funds, and we urge to reject this values judgment. Thank you.