How to speak at the hearing.
The most persuasive testimony does not sound like a rant. It sounds like a neighbor explaining, calmly and specifically, how this policy will affect real Pittsburgh people. Here is how to prepare.
Everything you need to show up.
- When
- Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 2:00 PM The Commission's briefing starts at 1 PM. The hearing and action portion begins no earlier than 2 PM — and this item may fall later on the agenda. Plan to wait.
- Where
- Basement Conference Room, 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh The meeting is hybrid: in person, on Zoom, and streamed live on the Pittsburgh City Planning YouTube channel.
- Zoom
- us02web.zoom.us/j/88275113502 Webinar ID 882 7511 3502 · dial-in 301-715-8592
- What's on
- Council Bill 2026-0009, the zoning text amendment It amends Title Nine (Zoning Code), Article V, Chapter 911 (Primary Uses) and Chapter 912 (Accessory Uses and Structures) to add Short-Term Rental (Primary) and Short-Term Rental (Accessory) uses and standards.
- Questions
- planningcommission@pittsburghpa.gov
- Accessibility
- Contact the City ADA Coordinator at ada@pittsburghpa.gov Request accommodations as soon as possible, and no later than two business days before the hearing.
Source: the City's official public notice, issued July 21, 2026. Read the notice →
You do not need to register.
There is no sign-up sheet and no deadline to reserve a slot. You can simply appear, or raise your hand on the call.
In person at the hearing
Show up at 412 Boulevard of the Allies and give testimony. This is by far the most effective option, and it is the one the Commission has not yet heard.
On Zoom — use raise hand
Join the webinar and use the raise hand function to request to speak.
By phone — press *9
Call 301-715-8592, enter Webinar ID 882 7511 3502, then press *9 to raise your hand.
Email written testimony
Send it to planningcommission@pittsburghpa.gov. Accepted until 12 p.m. the business day before the meeting — see the deadline note below.
By mail
412 Boulevard of the Allies, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. It must arrive two business days before the meeting, so at this point mail is unlikely to land in time. Email instead.
The notice says email testimony is accepted until 12 p.m. the business day before the meeting. Monday, September 7 is Labor Day — so if City offices are closed, the last business day before the hearing is Friday, September 4, and written testimony would be due at noon that day, not Monday.
Confirm with the Planning Commission if you are relying on written comment. If you are testifying in person or by Zoom, this deadline does not apply to you.
Come prepared to wait, and prepared to be brief.
- Choose in person. Being physically in the room is substantially more effective than remote or written comment.
- Check the agenda the day before to confirm the item is still scheduled — and remember it may be called well after 2 PM.
- You get three minutes. Use them. Write to roughly 380–400 words — that is about three minutes read at a normal pace. Lead with your strongest point in case the chair cuts you short.
- Bring a written copy. If time runs short, it can be submitted for the record.
- Arrive early, dress neatly, and be ready for a long agenda.
- Bring someone. A room with twenty operators in it makes an argument that no single speaker can.
Why in person mattersOn July 30 the Commission heard from the bill's sponsors. It has not yet heard from the people the ordinance actually lands on. Seats filled by real operators, cleaners and neighbors are the evidence that no written comment can supply.
Credible beats loud. Every time.
Do
- Speak as a Pittsburgh homeowner, resident, worker or small business owner
- Tell one real story
- Explain specifically who is hurt, and how
- Acknowledge that noise, trash, parties and safety are legitimate concerns
- Support licensing and enforcement against genuine bad actors
- Ask the Commission to slow down and work with hosts on a better approach
- Stay calm, even if you strongly disagree
Avoid
- Ranting, sarcasm or insults
- Accusing anyone of corruption, bad faith or personal motives
- Attacking neighbors or housing advocates
- Sounding dismissive of party, trash, parking or housing concerns
- Making it only about investor returns or profit
- Threatening lawsuits or political consequences
- Overstating facts you cannot support
“I support reasonable regulation. I do not support a policy that effectively bans responsible hosts and hurts local families, workers and small businesses.”
Four things worth your three minutes.
Your own story
Specific and personal carries further than general. What the income actually covers — taxes, insurance, repairs, staying in your home. Who stays with you: visiting families, medical travelers, wedding guests, people in town for a game or a graduation. Which local businesses your guests spend money at.
Who else this reaches
Short-term rentals support cleaners, handypeople, contractors, plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs and landscapers — plus the restaurants, coffee shops, bars, museums and attractions guests visit. If your property supports people by name, say so.
Regulation is not the objection
Say plainly that you support licensing, safety standards and enforcement against nuisance properties — and that this package goes far beyond that. Most commissioners were comfortable with exactly that framing on July 30.
If you would rather lead with numbers than a story, every figure you need is on Facts vs. Myths — each one with its source.
Grandfathering does not fix it
Existing rentals may continue, but no new one may ever be established in a residential zone, and any property whose use lapses is lost permanently. Supply can only fall — while the tourism the city is actively courting keeps growing.
Three things that will cost you the room.
Private conversations
Do not say “the Mayor told us” or “a council member privately admitted.” Instead: “We have met with city officials and community stakeholders who share serious concerns about whether this is good policy.”
Making it personal or partisan
Do not frame this as an attack on any individual. Instead: “I believe this ordinance goes too far and will have unintended consequences.”
Sounding anti-regulation
“There should be no rules” is the easiest position in the room to dismiss. Instead: “We support clear rules, licensing, safety standards and enforcement. We oppose rules that function as a ban.”
One practical caution: hearings are recorded and archived publicly. Share what makes your case — you are never obliged to disclose personal financial details on the record.
Five beats, three minutes.
1. Introduce yourself
Your name, and your connection to Pittsburgh — where you live, operate or work.
2. Tell your story
Two or three sentences. The concrete version, not the general one.
3. State the concern
These bills go beyond reasonable regulation and would eliminate many responsible short-term rentals.
4. Support better rules
Licensing, safety standards, enforcement against nuisance properties.
5. Make the ask
Do not advance this bill as written. Work with hosts, homeowners, workers and tourism partners on a balanced policy.
A version you can make your own.
Do not read this verbatim — identical testimony gets discounted the same way identical form letters do. This is a frame. Read aloud as written it runs about two minutes twenty; the blanks are where your own specifics go, and filling them lands you close to the full three.
My name is . I live in , and I have hosted in Pittsburgh for years. Thank you for taking public comment today.
I support responsible short-term rental regulation. I believe hosts should be licensed, reachable, insured and accountable. I have supported a licensing bill for years. But this ordinance goes well beyond that.
My short-term rental helps me . It also supports people by name. cleans for me. handles my maintenance. My guests eat at , shop at , and come to Pittsburgh for weddings, for medical appointments at our hospitals, and to visit family who do not have room for them.
I understand existing rentals may be grandfathered, and I want to be clear about why that does not resolve my concern. Under this bill, no new short-term rental could ever be established in a residential neighborhood again. Not next year. Not ever. And any property whose use lapses — for a renovation, an illness, a season off the market — loses that protection permanently. The number can only fall from here, while this city is actively working to attract events and visitors who need somewhere to stay.
I would also ask you to weigh what the record actually shows. As of August there are roughly 2,100 active short-term rentals in Pittsburgh, and that number is down from a year ago. The Census counts nearly 25,000 vacant housing units in this city. Short-term rentals are close to one percent of our housing stock. Whatever is driving housing pressure in Pittsburgh, this is not the cause of it.
Please do not punish responsible homeowners and small businesses because of a small number of nuisance properties. Enforce against the bad actors. Pass a workable licensing bill first, collect real data, and only then decide whether these zoning restrictions are warranted.
Thank you for your time.
Be human. Be specific. Be respectful. Tell the Commission what it cannot see from a spreadsheet.