On Tuesday, September 23rd, residents and partners gathered for the ninth Neighborhood Power Building Project (NPP) workshop at Steel City Squash in Larimer. Building on last month’s discussion of trees and their connection to public health and well-being, this session deepened the conversation by focusing on tree equity, neighborhood greening, and opportunities for residents to shape how and where trees are planted in their community.
Trees in Larimer: Benefits and Concerns
The evening opened with an introduction and review by Chris Belasco, Chief Data Officer with the City of Pittsburgh, centering a short discussion of the many ways trees improve life in the neighborhood – by providing shade, beauty, and habitat for animals. Residents also noted the role of trees in improving air quality, mental health, property value, and overall quality of life.
In addition to all of these benefits, participants also acknowledged that neighborhood trees can present some challenges as well, including damage to property or power lines. Michael Kelley, Utility Arborist for the City of Pittsburgh, explained that the City now follows a “right tree in the right place” approach to avoid these risks. He also emphasized that tree requests are prioritized by urgency – with highest attention given to trees threatening safety, like those near playgrounds or power lines – and noted that requests are most successful when multiple residents advocate together.
Looking ahead, Kelley outlined upcoming plantings in Homewood, along Larimer Avenue, and in the shaded corridor leading toward Highland Park. Each site, he explained, is chosen with a bigger picture in mind: reducing heat islands, boosting pedestrian safety, and improving everyday quality of life.
Tree Equity with Tree Pittsburgh
The centerpiece of the evening was a presentation from Clara Kitongo, Tree Equity Manager at Tree Pittsburgh. Tree Pittsburgh is a nonprofit working to strengthen neighborhood vitality by restoring and protecting the urban forest through planting, care, education, advocacy, and land conservation. The organization believes everyone deserves access to the environmental, health, and social benefits trees provide, and envisions a greener, more resilient city where those benefits last across generations.
Tree equity refers to ensuring that every neighborhood – regardless of income or demographics – has equitable access to the shade, health, and climate benefits that trees provide. Historically, lower-income and historically marginalized communities have often been overlooked by tree planting and maintenance initiatives, leaving them more vulnerable to higher temperatures, poorer air quality, and reduced access to green space. Achieving tree equity means correcting these imbalances through intentional planning, investment, and resident engagement.
Towards these ends, Clara introduced the ReLeaf program, a planning process that centers communities in tree equity planning and decision-making. The model engages residents and partners in thinking through four guiding questions – What do we have? What do we want? How do we get there? How are we doing? The result is a community-driven roadmap for planting and caring for trees in ways that reflect local priorities.
Tree Pittsburgh supports this process with tools like canopy and heat-mapping data as well as with on-the-ground engagement, using surveys at community events, door-to-door conversations, and neighborhood walks to gather feedback. Each plan is stewarded by a steering committee comprised of residents and partner organizations who meet regularly – often over several years – to guide planting and care strategies.
Clara shared recent examples from Homewood, where ReLeaf partnerships have led to dozens of trees planted along streets, at Oasis Farm and Fishery, and in public parks. These successes reflect a deeper commitment to building resident leadership and ensuring that tree planting is sustained over the long term.
Neighborhood Greening in Larimer
After Clara’s presentation, residents broke into small groups to reflect on what neighborhood greening – the collective process of adding and caring for trees, plants, and other green spaces – could look like in Larimer. The discussion centered on three big questions about Larimer’s tree future:
Should Larimer focus on planting new trees or caring for existing ones?
Many leaned toward planting new trees, pointing out the loss of older canopy and the need to prepare for the next generation. At the same time, the groups recognized that the trees already standing also need care. A consensus emerged that Larimer needs both: more planting and better maintenance.
How should residents be included in tree decisions?
Participants were clear that residents must have a voice in these decisions. Ideas for ensuring this included neighborhood canvassing, surveys, and letting people choose the tree types and locations themselves. Several noted that outreach has to meet people where they are – knocking on doors, engaging neighbors on the street, and presenting at Larimer Consensus Group community meetings to strengthen connections between NPP activities and the broader neighborhood.
What would help more neighbors care about trees?
Education stood out as the common thread here. Residents talked about workshops, school programs, and outreach to both older and younger generations. Others pointed out that change often starts small – convincing one person at a time can spark a ripple effect.
Together, these discussions highlighted a shared commitment: residents want a greener Larimer, and want to be active partners in shaping and sustaining that future.
Looking Ahead
As the evening wrapped up, participants reflected on how trees can cool sidewalks, improve health, and bring neighbors together. The conversation underscored the importance of collaboration – between residents, the City, and organizations like Tree Pittsburgh – in making Larimer a greener, healthier place to live.
Next month, the Neighborhood Power Building Project will turn to a new theme: sidewalks, neighborhood walkability, and their role in strengthening social cohesion and advancing public health and well-being across Pittsburgh communities.
About the Neighborhood Power Building Initiative:
The Black Equity Coalition (BEC), in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh created the Neighborhood Power Building initiative as part of the broader Data Justice for Pittsburgh’s Black Neighborhoods project, designed to empower Black residents with decision-making authority over how data is used, governed, and shared in the city. Pittsburgh is one of four U.S. cities selected for the Modern Anti-Racist Data Ecosystems (MADE) for Health Justice initiative, supported by the de Beaumont Foundation.As a recipient of the MADE for Health Justice Grant, the BEC decided on our health equity goal: to help residents in Black communities that have been most-impacted by residential segregation and disinvestment in the City of Pittsburgh claim power to improve the quality of housing and the built environment. After a competitive RFP process, we ultimately selected the Larimer Consensus Group (LCG) as a Neighborhood Power Building Partner.
