County Executive Innamorato Celebrates 1st Home Allegheny’s Success
Published on January 21, 2026
County program helped 56 families become homeowners in first of cycle of funding as part of a coordinated housing approach across Allegheny County
PITTSBURGH – After deploying $2.3 million to help 56 homeowners in the program’s first year, Allegheny County is celebrating the success of 1st Home Allegheny. 1st Home Allegheny launched in the summer of 2025 and was designed to help first-time homebuyers purchase their homes and remain Allegheny County.
Through 1st Home Allegheny, which provided closing cost and downpayment assistance of up to $45,000 per homeowner, 56 households purchased their first homes, resulting in 146 residents now living in homes they own throughout Allegheny County.
“My administration is committed to a coordinated and comprehensive approach to housing across Allegheny County,” said County Executive Sara Innamorato. “1st Home Allegheny is one of several County efforts focused on helping residents put down roots and find housing options that meet their needs. I’m thrilled that this program specifically helped 56 new homeowners purchase their first home here, in Allegheny County.”
The program was launched with a $2.3 million investment from the Allegheny County Residential Finance Authority, helping to leverage more than $7 million in private mortgage lending. Homes were purchased in 34 municipalities, including Carnegie, Harmar, Harrison, McKeesport, Munhall, Penn Hills and others.
Hunter, an accountant for a local non-profit organization, found out about the program on social media and used 1st Home Allegheny to purchase their home in Castle Shannon with the help of Dollar Bank.
"I have nothing but positive things to say about the experience - all of the people working on the program communicated clearly and quickly, getting us everything we needed" Hunter said. "My lease was coming to a close and it came along at a perfect time for me."
The program served a range of household types. Half of participating households were led by women. Nearly 45 percent of participating households identified as Black-led, and 36 percent were led by Black women. That is a striking difference from the national average of only 2-3% of homebuyers being Black women. Program participants included single individuals, couples, and families with children, reflecting the diversity of residents seeking homeownership opportunities across the county.
“The program was structured to align public funding with private lending and on-the-ground support from partners,” said Lauren Connelly, Director of Allegheny County Economic Development. “That coordination helped buyers navigate the process and allowed the program to translate funding into completed home purchases during its first year.”
1st Home Allegheny is administered by Allegheny County Economic Development in partnership with ACTION-Housing and participating lenders and housing counseling organizations. Lender institutions included Citizens Bank, Dollar Bank, First Commonwealth Bank, First National Bank, Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company, SSB Bank, and WesBanco Bank. These partners supported buyers throughout the homebuying process, from financial counseling to mortgage financing and closing.
Lena Andrews, CEO of ACTION Housing Inc. said: “We would like to thank County Executive Sara Innamorato and her staff, the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development, the Allegheny County Housing Authority, and all of our lending and real estate professional partners. 1st HOME Allegheny ended but being the most successful County-wide, low to moderate income, first time homebuyer program ever. The effort demonstrated by everyone involved is a testament to their dedication to making Allegheny County home to all.”
Evan Zuverink, Corporate Community Impact Officer at First Commonwealth Bank, said: “First Commonwealth Bank is very proud to be a participating lender in the 1st Home Allegheny Program. Through participation in this valuable program and vital funding stream, we’ve helped numerous families achieve the dream of homeownership. We’ve heard stories of people returning home to the neighborhoods they grew up in that became unaffordable over time, and with the partnership of ACED, Action Housing, and the Innamorato Administration, we’ve helped many of those individual return to their roots. That’s why community banks exist, to help make these moments happen, and we’re looking forward to many more.”
The program is one component of the County Executive’s broader Housing for All approach, which includes initiatives focused on homeownership, housing stability, housing quality, and the creation and preservation of housing options across a range of incomes and household needs. In addition to homeownership efforts, the County has supported programs such as Lead Safe Homes, which has helped make more than 330 homes lead-safe, and 500 in 500, an initiative focused on housing stability for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Through 500 in 500, 620 people were housed within 500 days of launching the program. The initiative has also contributed to increased housing stability and a significant reduction in homeless encampments since 2024, reflecting the impact of coordinated, partner-driven approaches to housing challenges.
Together, these efforts address different parts of the housing continuum and reflect a coordinated County approach to housing, recognizing that residents have varied needs and require different types of support.
Building on the first year of 1st Home Allegheny, Allegheny County will seek approval from the Residential Finance Authority Board of Directors for additional funding to continue the program in 2026. The County will also engage lenders, housing counselors, and real estate professionals to continue to refine the program.
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