Pittsburgh is home to nearly 90 neighborhoods, each with its own unique characteristics. Across these diverse neighborhoods, one need unites all residents – the need for a place to feel safe, secure, and call home. Public safety is at the heart of this need.

Many of our neighbors have taken up the charge and are personally invested in keeping their streets safe – by starting and joining neighborhood block watch organizations. In 2004, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote that these block watches are “as important as ever as fewer city police patrol our streets.” Today, in an era of declining budgets across all levels of government, citizen involvement in neighborhood safety is more important than ever.

The 21 members of Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group, a coalition of community-based organizations representing low-to-moderate income neighborhoods in Allegheny County, expressed a need for resources to help them keep their neighborhoods safe. Responding this neighborhood priority, PCRG has initiated the Pittsburgh Safe Neighborhoods Block Watch Network. Recognizing that crime is an issue that plagues all communities, and that the larger the network grows the more effective it is, Safe Neighborhoods is a free program open to leaders from all areas of Pittsburgh.

This site is a place to ask questions, post answers and advice, share success stories, and discuss what has and hasn’t worked in your efforts to promote public safety in your neighborhood. The more groups that participate, the stronger the network and the greater the knowledge-sharing. Please click through and read what groups have already written, and share your thoughts and advice with us.

For more information, use this site! Or contact:

Bethany Davidson
Regional Policy Manager. Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group
bdavidson (at) pcrg.org
(412) 391-6732 x201

Andrew Macurak
Program Coordinator, Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group
amacurak (at) pcrg.org
(412) 391-6732 x210