Advocacy
Why Your Membership Matters: We believe that your NAIOP Pittsburgh membership is an investment that pays dividends. Our goal is that our advocacy work will directly impact your bottom line by removing regulatory barriers, reducing project costs, and accelerating timelines. When we push for permitting reforms that save months of delay, or when we advocate for funding reforms or extensions, that is real money back in your pocket and your projects.
We deliver results that make doing business in Western Pennsylvania more profitable and predictable. From defeating burdensome city regulations to reforming state programs to influencing federal infrastructure and tax policy, NAIOP Pittsburgh is your voice at every level of government. Join us, and see your advocacy dollars work for you.
NAIOP Pittsburgh, through our partnership with NAIOP National, advocates for federal policies that support commercial real estate development and economic growth.
Transportation & Infrastructure:
Timely Reauthorization: Support passage of a multiyear surface transportation reauthorization early in 2026, before programs expire on September 30, to give states and localities certainty for planning and executing infrastructure projects.
Maintain Funding Levels: At minimum, maintain current federal funding levels to offset inflation-driven increases in materials, labor, and land costs that have significantly raised project expenses.
Streamlined Permitting: Modernize and streamline regulatory review processes with reasonable, specific timelines and adequate agency staffing to reduce costs and accelerate project delivery.
Energy & Electrification Policy:
Grid Expansion & Modernization: Support federal investment to expand and modernize the electrical grid, enabling power generators to connect new facilities more quickly and supporting an "all-of-the-above" energy policy including renewable sources.
Permitting Reform: Reform federal energy permitting to shorten timelines, increase transparency in decision-making, and eliminate unnecessary litigation delays that can extend projects for years.
Regional Coordination: Promote federal policies that incentivize regional coordination on major transmission projects spanning multiple states and jurisdictions, which currently take up to seven times longer to build than generation facilities.
Strategic Cost Allocation: Develop policies enabling utilities to pursue major transmission projects of strategic national importance, addressing the challenge that costs and benefits are often not shared equally among ratepayers across different states.
Adaptive Reuse & Housing Affordability:
Tax Incentives for Conversions: Pass the bipartisan Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act (H.R. 2410), which would create a 20% tax credit for eligible conversion costs of adaptive reuse projects converting vacant commercial buildings to residential use.
Address Supply Shortage: Support tools to help address the severe housing shortage—an additional 4.3 million rental housing units are needed by 2035 to meet projected demand.
Repurpose Vacant Office Space: Provide incentives to convert older Class B and C commercial structures with high vacancy rates into productive residential use, increasing housing supply while revitalizing downtowns and main streets.
At the state level, NAIOP Pittsburgh works directly with Pennsylvania legislators and agencies to create a more competitive business environment for commercial real estate development. We are optimistic about the Governor's budget proposal recently released.
NPDES Permitting Reform:
Competitive Timelines: Pennsylvania's current NPDES permitting timelines significantly lag behind Ohio. Faster approvals are vital to our region’s competitiveness, and we are actively pursuing a revised framework and timelines to NPDES permitting.
Reduce Regulatory Burden: Remove burdensome new requirements, including excessive forms, pre-site characterization, multiple PCSM recordings, erosion potential analysis forms requiring easements, annual reports for general permits, and post-construction infiltration testing which exceed national Army Corps of Engineers standards and add significant time and cost.
Increase DEP Capacity: Invest in adequate DEP resources to enable timely project reviews and create legislative oversight committees including stakeholders to review proposed regulatory changes before implementation.
SPEED Program Enhancement:
Support Third-Party Review: While we welcome Governor Shapiro's SPEED Program to accelerate DEP permits, we are working to address implementation concerns that could limit participation by Western PA's most experienced civil engineering firms. We are working with our members to receive feedback on the successes and shortcomings of the program and will continually inform our elected officials of our feedback. Other ideas on reform include:
Reform of the "One Strike" Policy.
Address the District inconsistency across the State's DEP offices.
Refine conflict-of-interest rules to encourage more participation while maintaining the program’s integrity.
Energy Legislation: Microgrids & Energy Districts:
For the first time in our chapter's history, NAIOP Pittsburgh is actively working on state energy legislation to address Pennsylvania's "last mile" transmission challenges and industrial site readiness. We seek to accomplish this by allowing microgrids to serve multiple end users and also through the creation of "Energy Districts."
PA SITES Program Investment:
NAIOP Pittsburgh advocates for renewal and expanded funding of the Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program (PA SITES Program), a critical tool for preparing shovel-ready development sites that attract business investment and job creation throughout the Commonwealth.
Tracking Commercial Real Estate Legislation:
We are currently monitoring 10+ bills in the PA House and Senate that are directly related to Commercial Real Estate. We are a proactive advocacy force that is ready to support or oppose any legislation that positively or negatively impacts Commercial Real Estate Development.
In Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, NAIOP Pittsburgh actively engages with elected officials and agencies to shape policies that support responsible development and encourage economic growth.
Major Win: In October 2025, Pittsburgh City Council voted 5-4 to approve Councilwoman Erika Strassburger's amendments transforming Mayor Gainey's mandatory inclusionary zoning proposal into a voluntary Affordable Housing Program. This represents a significant victory for market-driven housing policy.
The Result: This balanced approach encourages affordable housing creation without the punitive mandates that would have stifled housing production. NAIOP Pittsburgh's sustained advocacy, testimony, and collaboration with stakeholders were instrumental in achieving this outcome, and we applaud the Pittsburgh City Council for its tireless effort on the issue.
Permitting Streamlining Support:
Progress in Motion: On his first full day in office (January 6, 2026), Mayor Corey O'Connor signed Executive Order 2026-01 directing city departments to "revamp" Pittsburgh's permitting process within 60 days. This executive order acknowledges that the city's permitting regimen is outdated, inefficient, and insufficient.
NAIOP's Position: We strongly support Mayor O'Connor's commitment to accelerating permitting timelines and stand ready to assist in the review and reform process. Our position:
Professional -certification for smaller, less intensive projects with annual audits, allowing for faster permits.
A singular housing zoning district for single-family homes to triplexes to streamline zoning efficiency.
Simple variance requests (height, setback, FAR) to be administrative exceptions, to allow for faster zoning approvals with fewer Zoning Board of Adjustments hearings, which are costly and time-prohibitive.
An overhaul of the RIV Bonus Point framework to a more attainable and realistic program.
Our Commitment: NAIOP Pittsburgh is prepared to provide technical expertise, share member experiences with the current system, and work collaboratively with city departments to identify specific bottlenecks and implement practical solutions. We have been meeting with Mayor O'Connor's team to offer our industry's perspective on what reforms would have the greatest impact on accelerating responsible development.
Get Involved:
NAIOP Pittsburgh's advocacy success depends on engaged members. Here's how you can amplify our impact:
Donate to our NAIOP Pittsburgh PAC: Established in 2025, our PAC strengthens our advocacy efforts and enables direct engagement with elected officials.
Share Your Story: Help us illustrate the real-world impact of policies by sharing how regulations affect your projects and costs.
Stay Informed: Follow our advocacy updates and respond to calls for action when we need member voices on critical issues.
Contact: Tom Frank, Executive Director
NAIOP Pittsburgh: The leading industry resource to foster business relationships, promote responsible development, and support growth of the region through education, leadership, and advocacy.