Residents, business owners and leaders meet to discuss South Side safety
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Residents, business owners and state and local leaders met on the South Side Wednesday to discuss what can be done to help the neighborhood become safer and convince the public that it is.
The House Democratic Policy Committee held the meeting in hopes of finding some solutions.
Depending on who you ask, the South Side is either headed for bigger problems or things are looking up.
"Another year or two of this and we'll be just like Detroit or Chicago," said Chupka's Cafe II owner Rich Chupka.
But Pittsburgh Police Assistant Chief Linda Barone said Pittsburgh is still one of the safest cities. Barone said violent felonies are actually trending down, but property crimes including thefts, burglaries and auto thefts are up.
State Rep. Jessica Benham hosted the gathering and says the state is investing in solving the issues, like the PennDOT project in the East Carson corridor and $8 million towards preventing youth violence.
The latest incident on Pittsburgh's South Side took place back on Jan. 21. Police investigated two shootings that night and two people were taken to the hospital, including a teenager.
But calling for change and effecting it are two different things. People KDKA-TV's Ross Guidotti spoke to say if nothing is done relative to the South Side's security and what people think of the South Side, it will go from Pittsburgh's playground to a neighborhood that once had a lot of potential.