URA

The URA is aslo known as the U.R.A. and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.
== Background ==
The URA is a public authority with plenty of money and clout. The URA executes the will of the mayor. Meanwhile, the URA has little accountability. 
The Urban Redevelopment Authority controls 31 Downtown properties worth in excess of $27 million. Many are vacant. Some have become slums. Lost revenue from tax-exempt URA properties Downtown exceeds $800,000 annually, including $300,000 for Murphy's near-bankrupt city. 
== ==
* Planks from Mark Rauterkus on the URA
== An appointment to the URA Board is a political plum.==
Sala Udin was put onto the URA board by Tom Murphy. He was still on the board with Bob O'Connor's first months. 
Alan Hertzberg stood up to Mayor Murphy and was punished and taken off of the URA Board. 
Jim Ferlo is a member of the URA Board, appointed by new Mayor Bob O'Connor.
==Links==
* URA
* http://www.popcitymedia.com/
===Media===
* Mayor O'Connor's ex-aide Leber to leave URA Mayor Bob O'Connor's deposed chief of staff, B.J. Leber, is expected to resign her seat on the Urban Redevelopment Authority board, and speculation has begun about her successor in the powerful role as board chair. URA Executive Director Jerome Dettore said yesterday that he has talked to Ms. Leber and she 'led me to believe she will be submitting her resignation.'"
* Unions and URA at odds over hiring from P-G in March, 2006
* Tribune Review Opinion, URA stops development, November 10, 2004, Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy is a control freak who is out of control.
In spite of his self-made mess, Murphy made an astounding admission. He actually turned down 'a number of developers' who wanted individual URA properties. 
This career politician whose political career is on life-support, has divined that parcels in the URA-created ghost town should be developed 'holistically.' A master redeveloper is easier for the mayor to control. 
Murphy has tried twice to entice potential puppets. He failed, of course. 
The cockeyed optimist continues to look for someone far-sighted enough to share the mayor's holistic vision -- and gullible enough to believe Murphy will defer to the redeveloper's expertise about the demands of the market. 
And arrogance prevents Murphy from admitting his failures. 
Tom Murphy will not loosen his death grip on development because he cannot. For someone with control issues, Murphy's worst nightmare must be uncontrolled (as in market-based) growth. "
=== Reduction of 15 positions ===
* Shrinking from 104 to 88 positions.
===Other groups to note and watch. ===
* West Pittsburgh Partnership sells property to board members. Southwest Property Limited gets a whole city block of new property for $15,000. ??? 
* Forest City Walkway over Carson Street. Gambling is expected. A Cleveland firm. Why not a Pittsburgh firm?
* Farrow Cement donated for $1 to West Pgh Partnerhsip, assested valued $560,000. Sold to Dyson Manufacturing (another board member?) for $100,000.