Mission Statement

The mission of the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh is to provide and maintain affordable, safe and clean public parking throughout the City of Pittsburgh, to uniformly enforce parking ordinances and laws of the City of Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the collections thereof; to advance the economic progress of the region; and to do so with the utmost commitment to customer service.

History and Purpose

The Authority, a body corporate and politic under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was organized in 1947 by the City of Pittsburgh pursuant to the Parking Authority Law of Pennsylvania, Act of June 5, 1947, P.L. 458, as amended and supplemented, 53 P.S. SS 341 et seq., (the "Act").

The Authority was created for the purpose of conducting the necessary research activity to maintain current data leading to efficient operation of on-street parking facilities, and is authorized by law to plan, design, locate, acquire, hold, construct, improve, maintain and operate, own and lease, either in the capacity of lessor or lessee, land and facilities to be devoted to the parking of vehicles of any kind; to borrow money; to make and issue bonds and to secure the payment of such bonds or any of its revenues and receipts; and to make such agreements with the purchasers or holders of such bonds, or with others in connection with any such bonds, as the Authority shall deem advisable. The Authority has the power of eminent domain and all Authority property is exempt from real estate taxation, except any part of its structures or facilities used for commercial activities. The Authority has no taxing power.

The Act also permits parking authorities to sell or lease air rights or space above their facilities for commercial uses other than parking (except the sale of gasoline or automobile accessories). Such commercial space is subject to real estate taxes.

The Authority is governed by a five member Board (the "Board"); appointed by the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh to serve without compensation for staggered terms of five years at the pleasure of the Mayor. The Authority's staff is employed to administer the Authority's program and carry out decisions of the Board.