Historic Homestead Borough achieves Gold Sustainable Certification

Homestead Borough has achieved Gold in the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification a program managed jointly by the Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh.  Rich in history, the Steel Valley community on the Monongahela River has embraced sustainability and is reinventing itself through hard work and dedication.  Local trails and pathways provide a healthier alternative for residents while reducing emissions, and entrepreneurs in the central business district are hoping to improve trail connections for increased economic prosperity.  The focused mitigation of blight has increased home ownership and property values in the Borough.  The combination of these factors and others is leading Homestead Borough towards a more sustainable future.

The community is actively working towards building a more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly infrastructure to enhance quality of life.  The Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rail-trail from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh, runs along the Waterfront in Homestead and the Borough aims to connect trail users to their historic central business district.  The recreational trail encourages a natural progression of people from Munhall, Homestead, and West Homestead to utilize it for safe regional travel via foot or bicycle.  Voodoo Brewery, a sustainable small business, claims they may see 200 cyclists on a single Saturday.

Another sustainablility-contributing initiative is found in the work of local entrepreneurs to adopt innovations for solar energy systems, recycling of waste cooking grease, indoor gardens, and more. All in Homestead Borough’s quest to create jobs that supports people, planet, and prosperity.