THE WTA. SHE LISTENS. I’M SHELDON INGRAM THIS MORNING. WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE SIT DOWN INTERVIEW WITH PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY. WE’VE HEARD FROM THE MAYOR A LOT IN RECENT WEEKS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT VIOLENCE. THAT’S ONE OF SEVERAL PROBLEMS. THIS CITY IS CURRENTLY FACING. VALENTINE DAY 2023. MAYOR ED GAINEY SPOKE TO THE MEDIA FOLLOWING A SHOOTING OUTSIDE WESTINGHOUSE ACADEMY. IT HURTS. I MEAN, LET’S BE HONEST. THIS IS OUR KIDS. IT’S ALL WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL THE TIME. KIDS AND GUNS AND GUNS AND KIDS. AND THIS IS THE REACTION THAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT HAPPENS. THAT’S WHY YOU’VE HEARD ME TALK SO MUCH ABOUT HOW WE GET THESE GUNS OFF OUR STREETS. IF WE CAN’T KEEP THE GUNS OUT OF OUR KIDS HANDS, THAT’S A PROBLEM. BUT ADDRESSING VIOLENCE IN THE CITY IS NOT EASY, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT A NEW POLICE CHIEF. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT THE MAYOR IS GOING TO MAKE. AND IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET IT RIGHT AND NOT NECESSARILY DO IT FAST. BUT THE MAYOR IS STILL WORKING ON OUR INITIAL TIMELINE OF HAVING SOMEONE IN PLACE BY BY APRIL. ANOTHER PRESSING MATTER IN PITTSBURGH, HOMELESSNESS. IT’S SOMETHING WE HAVEN’T HEARD THE MAYOR PUBLICLY TALK ABOUT SINCE LAST FALL WHEN WE CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR THE UNHOUSED, WE ALSO CREATE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE INTERESTING INTEREST STRUCTURE. ALSO, TOP OF THE MIND, GAINEY BEGAN HIS ROLE WHEN FERN HOLLOW FELL. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BRIDGES ARE TOGETHER. A LIST OF ISSUES FOR THE MAYOR TO TACKLE. TODAY WE TALKED TO GAINEY ABOUT WHAT HE CALLS THE SOLUTIONS. TODAY, INSTEAD OF CATCHING UP WITH THE MAYOR AT PRESS CONFERENCES OR COMMUNITY EVENTS, WE SIT DOWN WITH HIM ONE ON ONE IN HIS OFFICE. THIS WIDE RANGING CONVERSATION COVERS SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES IN PITTSBURGH RIGHT NOW. VIOLENCE, POLICING, BRIDGES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. MAYOR ED GAINEY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON WTAE. LISTEN. HEY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JIM, FOR HAVING ME TODAY. ABSOLUTELY. YOUR FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT AN ASSESSMENT OF YOUR FIRST DAY IN OFFICE. BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, YOU WALKED INTO A DOOZY. STARTING WITH THAT STUNNING EVENT OF THE FERN HOLLOW BRIDGE COLLAPSE. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION IN YOUR FIRST DAYS OF OFFICE HAVING TO DEAL WITH A CRISIS? YOU KNOW, THEY TOLD ME WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, THEY SAID, LISTEN, THE GOOD THING IS YOU HAVE A SIX MONTH HONEYMOON. THEN THE PROBLEMS COME AND THE MEDIA COME. SO ENJOY YOUR FIRST SIX MONTHS. SIX MONTHS, LESS THAN 48 HOURS. WE HAD OUR FIRST MASSIVE SNOWSTORM WHERE WE FOUND OUT WE WERE 21% DOWN AND PERSONNEL OR SNOW OR SNOW TRUCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WERE OUT. THEY DIDN’T WORK. WE FOUND OUT IT WOULD TAKE BETWEEN 11, 15 YEARS OLD. WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY MONEY. IT WASN’T OUR BUDGET. AND TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE NEW SNOW, SNOW TRUCKS TO HOLD MY SECOND WEEK IN OFFICE, THAT’S WHEN THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN GOT SHOT AT. OLIVER OLIVER ACADEMY AND THEN THE FERN HOLLOW BRIDGE. AND WHEN I SEEN WHAT HAPPENED, I WAS AMAZED. THE BRIDGE DIDN’T JUST. IT DIDN’T COLLAPSED. I THAT IN THE MOVIES, IT JUST COLLAPSED LIKE THIS. THE REALITY IS IT WAS A BLESSING BECAUSE THAT DATA WAS A TWO HOUR DELAY FROM PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THERE WAS NO SCHOOL BUSSES ON THE BRIDGE AND THE AREA WAS HEAVILY JOGGED. IT WAS NOBODY UNDER THERE. SO I THINK MY PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL ALL DAY LONG, THEY DID A TERRIFIC JOB. BUT AND IT WAS ONLY BY AN ACT OF GOD THERE WAS THAT THERE WAS NO FATALITIES MOVING FORWARD TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. LET’S START WITH YOUR ASSESS MENT OF YOUR FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE AS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. GO AHEAD AND SHARE WITH US HOW YOU RATE YOUR OWN PERFORMANCE THIS FIRST YEAR. IF I HAD TO RATE MY OWN PERFORMANCE, I WOULD GIVE NOT ME, BUT MY TEAM WOULD BE. WE CAME INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT STRUGGLES, A LOT OF STRUGGLES THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST ADMINISTRATIONS AND I WORKED FOR TO NEVER HAD TO EXPERIENCE. WE YOU NEVER HAD TO EXPERIENCE THE COLLAPSE OF A BRIDGE. YOU NEVER HAD TO EXPERIENCE A HOMELESS POPULATION, WHICH WE DIDN’T HAVE A PLAN OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THE HOMES. WE ALSO HAD TO DO DEAL WITH YOUTH VIOLENCE. AND THE REALITY IS THAT WE GOT MORE GUNS IN OUR STREETS THAN WE GOT CHILDREN. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE’VE HAD TO DEAL WITH, I WOULD GIVE OURSELVES A B. YOU RECEIVE A LOT OF THE HARSH CRITICISM FROM THE POST-GAZETTE LAST WEEK ABOUT YOUR FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. SPECIFICALLY BEING ABSENT AS SOME OF THESE SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE OR COMMISSION MEETINGS. COMMISSION MEETINGS, YEAH. WHO OVERSEE OR AT LEAST LOBBY FOR FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE HERE. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO SOME OF THAT CRITICISM? YEAH, I WAS I WAS KIND OF TAKEN BACK BY THAT BECAUSE MY TEAM IS THERE EVERY MONTH. MY TEAM IS THERE EVERY SINGLE MONTH. THEY SAY YOU WERE NOT THERE, BUT YOU’RE SAYING YOU HAVE REPRESENTATION, REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATION AND GOALS EVERY SINGLE MONTH. WE LIE. WE WENT MEAN. SBC WENT TO HARRISBURG LAST YEAR AND LOBBY FOR FUNDING FOR THE WEST. WE’VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT GOING BACK THIS YEAR. SO I’VE BEEN I’VE BEEN CONSTANT IN THAT. I MET WITH MAYORS ALL THROUGHOUT THIS REGION TO TALK ABOUT THAT EXACT SAME ISSUE. WE HAVE THE CHARLES ANDERSON BRIDGE THAT SHUT DOWN THAT SHUT DOWN UNTIL WHEN? JUNE OR LONGER WILL HOPEFULLY JUNE, BUT, WELL, BASED ON THE ASSESSMENTS, WE’RE SAYING DO NOW. BUT IF THINGS GO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE LONGER, WE’LL DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE. SO SOME OF THE CRITICISM IS THAT. WHAT IS CALLED YOUR ABSENCE AT THE SOUTHWEST AND COMMISSION MEETINGS, THAT FUNDING SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOBBYING FOR FOR THIS. CHARLES ANDERSON BRIDGE SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT COME TO THIS. THE REALITY IS THIS THE FIRST BRIDGE THAT WE HAD TO GO LOBBY FOR MONEY IS THE FIRST HOLLOW BRIDGE. THEN WE DID A REPORT, THEN WE DID AN ASSESSMENT AND INSPECTION OF ALL OUR BRIDGES. WE SAID WE WOULD DO THAT. WE CAME OUT THE DAY THAT THE FIRST HOLLOW BRIDGE WE HAD TO FUNDRAISE. I MEAN, THE PRESS WENT WHEN WE WEREN’T OPEN FOR AN THE BRIDGE. WE WE GAVE THE REPORT OUT. WE SAID, HERE’S HERE’S WHERE WE’RE AT. WE’RE INSPECTING THE BRIDGES. ANY OTHER ONES THAT WE GOT TO CLOSE DOWN? WE WILL CLOSE DOWN. SO I HAVEN’T BEEN ABSENT FROM SBC. I HAVE A REPRESENTATION. I HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THERE EVERY MONTH. SO I’M NOT SURE ABOUT WHERE THAT CAME FROM. SO IT WAS THINGS THAT WE DID THAT REALLY HELP. WE DIDN’T EVER HAD A BRIDGE ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. WE HAVE ONE NOW. WE TOLD PEOPLE WE WOULD NEVER LET ANOTHER BRIDGE, ANOTHER BRIDGE COLLAPSE OR FALL APART. IF WE GOT TO CLOSE THE BRIDGE, WE’LL DO IT. AND WE’VE DONE THAT. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT IS A HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW IN MONTHS AND WEEKS LEADING UP TO NOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A STALEMATE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE. WHERE DO WE STAND WITH THAT RIGHT NOW? HAVING GREAT CONFIDENCE, PATIENCE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE. AND I HAVE GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FBI AS FAR AS THE POLICE ARE CONCERNED. THE FBI SAYS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE OF PITTSBURGH POLICE BY AS MUCH AS 100 OFFICERS. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT? WE’RE DEFINITELY HAVE A SORT OF THE NUMBER, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU WON’T GET A DIFFERENT NUMBER. BUT HERE’S WHAT I KNOW. WE HAVEN’T HAD A CLASS FOR TWO YEARS. WHEN WE CAME IN OFFICE, WE DID AN ASSESSMENT. I WENT AROUND TO EVERY ZONE. I ASKED THE POLICE OFFICERS, WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT? WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE BETTER POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CITY? SO I WENT TO ZONE ONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH ZONE SIX. I EVEN WENT OVER THE MAJOR CRIMES AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU DON’T TALK TO THE OFFICERS, THE FRONT LINE OFFICERS, AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING FOR WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT, YOU CAN’T SERVE THEM CORRECTLY. SO THAT WAS MY NUMBER ONE. THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I CAME IN WAS GO AROUND TO THE ZONES TO FIND OUT. SO DO WE HAVE A SHORTAGE? ABSOLUTE ONLY. SO WE WENT TO WE DECIDED TO PUT ON TWO CLASSES. ONE WAS A VETERAN CLASS, AND THEN WE PUT ON A NEW RECRUIT CLASS. WE’RE GOING TO DO ALL WE NEED TO DO TO CATCH UP IN TIME IN TERMS OF THE OFFICERS THAT WE NEED. WE GOT A STAFFING STUDY OUT THERE THAT WILL BE COMING BACK THAT WE WILL SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC. BUT WE’RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CATCH UP. WE’RE COMING OFF A TWO YEAR HIATUS WHERE WE DIDN’T HIRE ANY OFFICERS. THAT’S WHAT WE INHERITED. WE NEVER LOOK BACK. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAKE SILVERDOME WHAT’S NECESSARY TO KEEP THIS CITY SAFE. STILL AHEAD ON WTAE, LISTEN, OUR CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR ED GAINEY CONTINUES. I MEAN, IF YOU DIDN’T TAKE THE WATCH, WHAT YOU THINK THE RESULT IS GOING TO BE TODAY. AND THAT’S WHY I ALWAYS SAY YOU CAN’T BLAME THE YOUTH. WHAT HE SAYS NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK TO LISTENERS. WE GET BACK TO OUR ONE ON ONE CONVERSATION WITH PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY, WHICH INCLUDES EFFORTS TO TACKLE YOUTH VIOLENCE AND BRING IN A NEW POLICE CHIEF. OKAY, MAYOR, SO WE ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS. ABSOLUTELY. HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO ADDRESS THAT SHORTAGE AGAINST THE RECRUITING EFFORTS OF SUBURBAN POLICE DEPARTMENTS? BECAUSE THEY’RE OFFERING MORE MONEY AND THE COMPETITIVE SALARIES COMPARED TO WHAT THE CITY IS. HOW DO YOU COMPETE WITH THAT? YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE’RE CLOSING THE GAP ON THAT IN REGARDS TO PAY. BUT AGAIN, I DON’T WANT TO GET INTO THE CONTRACT AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. BUT WE’RE WORKING ON IT. WE’RE WORKING ON IT TO BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE. BUT THE SUBURBS WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO PAY MORE. I MEAN, THEY HAVE LESS OFFICERS. THEY CAN OFFER MORE MORE OF A FINANCIAL PACKAGE THAT THAT THAT THAT IS THAT IS REAL BIG. I MEAN, IT IS EXTREMELY BIG. BUT WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BE COMPETITIVE. THERE’S ONE ALARMING NUMBER THAT GETS MY ATTENTION WHEN SPEAKING WITH THE FOP. THEY SAY TRADITIONALLY YOU COULD SEE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 50 RECRUIT IN THE ACADEMY. RIGHT NOW, THEY SAY THEY ARE ONLY THREE. THAT’S WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE VETERANS. SO THE VETERANS ONES, I THINK THERE IS ONLY THREE. AS WE TALK ABOUT NEW RECRUITS, THAT NUMBER WILL BE HIGHER. AND, YOU KNOW, WE’RE FACING WHAT EVERY OTHER MAJOR METROPOLITAN CITY IS FACING, AND THAT’S THE RECRUITMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS AND PEOPLE WANTING TO BE POLICE OFFICERS. THAT’S THE REALITY. THAT FOP IS CORRECT. IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT HERE AND RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS. NOW, WHEN YOU SEE THIS, WHEN YOU SEE THE NEW NEW RECRUITING CLASS, YOU’LL SEE A HIGHER NUMBER. BUT AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING, BUT IT’S A CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE TO FACE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE’VE GOT TO TURN THAT PROBLEM INTO A PROBLEM. WE’VE GOT TO LOOK AT IT. FIND OUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE POLICING ATTRACTIVE AND GET THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES. SO AT THOSE RECRUITING NUMBERS, YOU SAYING THERE VETERAN OFFICERS AND THE NEW ACADEMY, BUT FOR NEW RECRUITS, PEOPLE WHO WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU EXPECT THE NUMBERS TO BE HIGH. THEY WILL BE ARE AS FAR AS THE POLICE CHIEF IS CONCERNED. WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TO NAME A NEW POLICE CHIEF? WHEN IN APRIL. YOU HAVE ONE IN APRIL. TALK US THROUGH. WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS. RIGHT NOW. THIS HAS BEEN A WHILE. WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL TO DETERMINE AND HOW YOU SELECT YOUR NEW POLICE CHIEF. WELL, WE HIRED A FIRM ONCE WE HAD THE FIRM, THEY DID THE INTERVIEWS, ONE TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING THE BEST CANDIDATES. THEY JUST TURNED IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CANDIDATES. RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE REVIEWING THEM AS WE AS WE AS YOU AND I TALKED. AND THEN THEY’LL GIVE ME THE LAST THREE HOUR INTERVIEW, THE LAST THREE. AND A DECISION WILL BE MADE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN YOUR NEW POLICE CHIEF AND WHO WOULD BODY IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS CONDUCTING THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS? WELL, WE HAD A WE HAVE AN OUTSIDE FIRM. THEY’RE DOING IT. SO WE’RE WE’RE LOOKING FOR WE WANT THE ONE THAT IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT IS REAL BIG IN A COMMUNITY ORIENTED TO POLICING. WE ALSO WANT ONE THAT UNDERSTANDS DIVERSITY. WE WANT WE WANT ONE THAT UNDERSTANDS CULTURE SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP, ONE THAT UNDERSTAND THAT JUST BECAUSE THEIR DESK IS ON WESTERN AVENUE, THE WORKERS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS GETTING OUT HERE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY SEES THEM IN A POSITIVE LIGHT, AND CONTINUING TO WORK WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE CREATING THE RIGHT TYPE OF POLICING THAT IS GOOD FOR THE CITY. IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOUR NEW POLICE CHIEF TO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN DEALING WITH RACE AND POLICING? ABSOLUTELY. TO WHAT? ABSOLUTELY. WE WANT THAT. WE WANT TO LISTEN. THAT’S PART OF HEALING. THAT’S PART OF REBUILDING THE FABRIC OF TRUST THAT WE NEED. THAT’S WHAT WE WANT. THAT’S GOING WELL. THAT’S WHAT’S GOING TO MAKE POLICE ATTRACT MORE ATTRACTIVE. THE BETTER RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE POLICE AND COMMUNITY, THE STRONGER WE ARE AS A CITY. WE KNOW THAT. AND THAT’S THE ROAD WE’RE GOING DOWN. THE VIOLENCE DOWNTOWN THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BUSINESSES AND PRACTICES, DENTAL PRACTICES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING OUT OF DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE WAVE OF CRIME DOWN HERE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON’T HAVE THE OFFICES THAT WE NEED IN NUMBERS. HOW DO YOU ASSURE THE PUBLIC OF SAFETY DOWNTOWN WHEN THE NUMBERS DON’T MEET THE REQUIREMENT IN TERMS OF POLICE OFFICERS? KNOW ONE THING. THE NEW PLAN THAT WE PUT FORTH HAS TO DO WITH WE’RE GOING TO BEEF UP OUR NUMBERS DOWNTOWN AND WE’LL HAVE THREE SHIFTS GOING ON. THEY’LL BE ROTATING. WE MET WITH THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS, DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS. WE TALKED ABOUT IT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE’VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK BECAUSE AS A PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN, THE SAFER IT’S GOING TO BE. BUT THESE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY POSITIVE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF RESTAURANTS, RESTAURANT SALES ARE DOING BETTER NOW. COFFEE SHOPS ARE DOING BETTER NOW. SO WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK IT. WE’LL MAKE DOWNTOWN SAFE. WE’LL GET IT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. THE BIGGER QUESTION IS HOW WE DEAL WITH YOUTH AND HOW WE DEAL WITH YOUTH AND GUNS. THAT’S A MAJOR QUESTION. WHEN YOU BEEF UP THE NUMBERS DOWNTOWN WITH POLICE OFFICERS, ARE YOU TAKING THEM FROM OTHER ZONES? WHEN WE’RE LEARNING THE DATA PUTS IT, THE DATA IS GOING TO PUSH IT BASED ON WHERE SOME OF THE ZONES DON’T. AS YOU KNOW, HIGHWAYS AND CRIME. CAN WE UTILIZE SOME OF THOSE OFFICERS RIGHT HERE DOWNTOWN SO THAT WE CAN BE FIT? SO THE VIOLENCE THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU, THAT’S THAT’S A BIG TASK TO TAKE ON AND TRYING TO KEEP THE GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUR TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS. AND THERE’S REALLY NO ONE SET SOLUTION TO DOING THIS. WE RESPONDED TO LIKE TEN YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE KILLERS ARE 18 TO 30. THAT IF WE DON’T DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE GUN LAWS, THE KILLERS WILL GET YOUNGER. NOW, THE KILLERS OF 14 AT 30, AND IF WE DON’T DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE GUN LAWS, GUN CULTURE, THE KILLERS WILL GET YOUNGER. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? YOU HAD A SIX YEAR OLD AND VIRGINIA TAKE A GUN TO SCHOOL WITH THE INTENT TO KILL A TEACHER. SO YOU FOCUS ON THE GUN CULTURE AND TRYING TO CREATE TOUGHER OR STRONGER GUN LAWS. THAT’S WHAT I THINK, TOO. WE GOT TO CREATE ALTERNATIVES. BUT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, OPENING UP OUR REC CENTERS. I’M SORRY. GO A LIFESTYLE CULTURE CHANGES THERE. AND SO WE TALKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHERE A LOT OF THESE KIDS ARE RAISED OR WHERE THEY ARE NOT RAISED. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BLAME THE YOUTH? SO THEY TOO YOUNG TO CREATE A CULTURE. THEY CAN ONLY INHERIT THE CULTURE. WE LEFT. OUR CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR ED GAINEY. IT NOW SHIFTS TO THE GLARING HOMELESS CRISIS. WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN BEFORE IT BECOMES TOO BIG OF A CRISIS. RIGHT NOW IS STILL MANAGE, BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UNITS. UP NEXT, MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME. HOW THE MAYORS ADMINISTRATION IS BUILDING A HOUSING PLAN FROM THE GROUND UP. WELCOME BACK TO WTAE LISTENERS. HERE NOW IS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR ONE ON ONE CONVERSATION WITH PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY AND HIS THOUGHTS ON THE CURRENT STATE OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY. THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH IS DEALING WITH A MAJOR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS. HOW DO YOU SEE IT IN TERMS OF A SOLUTION AND ADDRESSING THIS CRISIS? WELL, ONE, NOBODY WANTS TO BE ANNOUNCED. NO ONE, YOU KNOW. AND THAT’S WHY YOU HEARD ME SAY AND I’LL SAY IT AGAIN, I DON’T THINK YOU CAN JUST PUT THAT ON HOUSING. IT’S NOT MY POSITION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. OUR JOB IS TO BUILD MORE HOUSING. AND IN BUILDING MORE HOUSING CREATES SPACE WHERE WE CAN PUT SOME OF OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING IN EVERY ASPECT OF HOUSING TO ASSURE THAT WE HAVE SPACES TO PUT THAT. NOW, SOMEONE THAT IS GOING TO BE AFFORDABILITY, SOMEONE THAT’S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO BUILD MORE UNITS. WE REALLY NEED A NEW COMMONS, THE COMMONS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WE FILLED IN ONE DAY. THAT’S HOW BIG THE SITUATION IS. AND SO COMING INTO OFFICE, WE DIDN’T HAVE A PLAN. WE HAD TO CREATE THE PLAN AND WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO DO IT, BECAUSE THEN I CAN CREATE THE PLAN. BUT WE DON’T CONTROL WE DON’T CONTROL ON THE HOUSING MONEY. DON, HOW IS MONEY IS CONTROL FROM THE COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. AND THEY’VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS IN WORKING WITH US TO ENSURE THAT WE’RE EXECUTING IN A WAY WHERE WE’RE TRYING TO GET MORE UNITS ON LAND. WE’RE MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE TRYING TO LIKE THE COMMON IS MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THEM OVER THERE. WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN BEFORE IT BECOMES TOO BIG OF A CRISIS RIGHT NOW. IT’S STILL MANAGEABLE, BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UNITS. LASTLY, AS YOU MOVE FORWARD NOW INTO YOUR SECOND YEAR, WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH? SO I WANT TO REDUCE YOUTH VIOLENCE. I DO. I MEAN. THESE KIDS OUT HERE SOON EACH OTHER. IT’S AN IMPACT EVERYBODY ELSE’S. IT’S NOT ED GAINEY OR GOVERNMENT OR ME AS MAYOR. THIS WOULD BE A CITY INITIATIVE. SO NUMBER ONE IS YOUTH VIOLENCE. NUMBER TWO IS AFFORDABILITY. WE WANT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE WANT TO BUILD IT AT SCALE. THAT’S NUMBER TWO. AND NUMBER THREE, AS WE SAID BEFORE, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LIVE A SITUATION WHERE WE’RE CREATING A EQUITY THROUGHOUT THIS CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE LOOK AT, WE DO WHAT EQUITABLE ENDS. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT’S HOW WE MAKE THE CITY MORE WELCOMING. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE’RE FOCUSED ON. YOU’RE WATCHING BEAUTY LISTENS. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. AND WELCOME BACK TO WTAE LISTENERS. WHETHER YOU LIVE IN ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S NEIGHBORHOOD, IT’S ALLEGHENY WESTMORELAND. WHY SHOULD IT? BEAVER BUTLER, FAYETTE COUNTY OR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES? TELL US WHAT’S WRONG AND WHAT’S RIGHT. YOUR AREA SO WE CAN LISTEN. YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL WTAE LISTENERS AT HEARSE DOT COM. THANKS FOR JOINING US AND HAVE.