Innamorato Announces Appointments to Housing Advisory Committee

Published on December 13, 2024

PITTSBURGH – County Executive Sara Innamorato today announced the appointment of 13 members to the Board of Health’s inaugural Housing Advisory Committee. The members come from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and will work together toward the common mission of advocating for safe and healthy housing across the county.

"These 13 experts from across the housing, legal, and public health fields will provide critical leadership in our collaborative work to ensure that all Allegheny County residents have access to healthy and safe homes, "said County Executive Sara Innamorato.

The appointees are:

  • Bob Damewood, Senior Staff Attorney, Regional Housing Legal Services
  • Charlise Smith, Founder and Executive Director, Willissae's Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE)
  • David Onufer, President, Realtors Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh
  • Devon Goetz, Director of Housing, Auberle
  • Dwight Boddorf, Borough Manager, Tarentum Borough
  • Gale Schwartz, Director of Programs and Outreach, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
  • Jala Rucker, Co-Chair, Pittsburgh Housing Justice Table; Board Member, Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh
  • John Katz, Chairman and President, Brandywine Communities
  • Megan Hammond, Executive Director, Fair Housing Partnership
  • Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, County Councilperson; Executive Director, Women for a Healthy Environment
  • Dr. Noble Maseru, Director, Social Justice, Racial Equity, and Faculty Engagement - University of Pittsburgh School of Health Sciences
  • Sofia Bermeo, Director of Operations, Latina Community Center
  • Sonya Tilghman, Executive Director, Hazelwood Initiative

“Safe, affordable, and equitable housing is essential to building a healthy and thriving community. The establishment of the Housing Advisory Committee marks a significant step forward in addressing the housing challenges facing Allegheny County,” said Dr. Iulia Vann, Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. “We are excited to welcome the inaugural members of this Committee, whose diverse expertise and passion will help guide our efforts to create healthy housing solutions for all residents.”

“The ACHD Housing and Community Environment program is excited to begin working with our soon to be formed Housing Advisory Committee, which will help advance our mission of reducing community public health risks and ensure safe housing for all County residents,” said Tim Murphy, environmental health administrator at the Allegheny County Health Department. “This set of Housing Advisory Committee members will help us by increasing community engagement and creating a path for direct feedback on matters related to housing and neighborhood complaints, lead exposure, and pest and vector control.”

The creation of the Housing Advisory Committee was approved by County Council on September 10, 2024.

 

Media inquiries may be directed to the Communications Office.
For contact information, including email addresses and telephone numbers, visit the office website.

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