Adopt-A-Lot Program

Adopt-A-Lot is entering a new chapter! As this program has not been updated since its launch 10 years ago, this year our team is working to update and transform the program. Your input is vital and will help shape the future. Share your ideas and feedback here!

Program Background

The Adopt-A-Lot program was created in 2015 to empower residents to transform city-owned vacant land into temporary edible, rain, and flower gardens. Designed to be low-barrier and accessible, the program allows participants to focus their energy and resources on reactivating land. Adopt-A-Lot participants do not pay application fees or lease fees and zoning fees are waived, with the exception of a one-time $25 fee to permit on-site sales.

All city-owned vacant lots that are not in the purchase pipeline or earmarked for other specific uses may be eligible for adoption.

Since the program launch in 2015, the City has facilitated the adoption of over 150 vacant lots to achieve the program goals of fostering neighborhood interaction, re-imagining the potential of vacant lots, and encouraging environmental awareness. This temporary use program was created to encourage the stewardship, transformation, and community use of vacant property in the interim of property sale and transfer of ownership. These gardening projects can beautify neighborhoods, provide fresh produce, and help to reduce the impacts of flooding by capturing stormwater. To learn more about the program's origins, please see our Vacant Lot Toolkit and Policy Guide.

Program Benefits

In transforming vacant lots, program participants are empowered to:

Beautify their neighborhoods
Improve their food security
Foster community/neighborhood connection
Increase environmental awareness
Re-imagine the potential of vacant lots
Remediate polluted soils
Reduce flooding
Provide educational opportunities
Create habitats for wildlife
Generate income by selling the produce or flowers grown on-site

Getting Started / Program Guidelines

Process Steps:

Review the Vacant Lot Toolkit to learn more about what is possible.
Select a city-owned vacant lot, using lotstolove.org to find a potential location.
Complete the Intake Form to ensure that the lot is available and eligible for adoption.
Once the site is approved, you will be invited to complete the adoption application, where you will describe your proposed project in greater detail.
Conduct soil testing, obtain insurance (if applicable), and submit all other required attachments to finalize your application.
Sign your lease or license agreement!

Application Requirements: What do I need?

Soil Test Results
Project Narrative/Description
Site Photos
Site Plan
Budget
Maintenance Plan
Insurance (not required for license agreements)
Temporary Use Acknowledgement Form (include pdf)

Agreement Types:

License	Lease	Market Stand Lease
1 year	1-3 years	1-3 years
Flower and Edible Gardens	Rain, Flower, and Edible Gardens	Rain, Flower, and Edible Gardens
One Household	Community involvement permitted	Community involvement permitted
No fee	No fee	$25 fee
No insurance needed	Insurance required	Insurance required
No sales or donations on site	No sales or donations on site	Sales and donations allowed ($10,000 max revenue)
Only temporary fencing and raised beds allowed	Temporary structures allowed (see Toolkit)	Temporary structures allowed (see Toolkit)

Selecting a Site

Site Selection Guidelines:

Note: When selecting a site for adoption, be sure that the vacant lot is city-owned! Lotstolove.org is a great resource for identifying city properties (parcels are in blue/purple).

When selecting a site, be mindful of tree canopy coverage, which can limit your growing space and the amount of sun the site receives. You will not be able to cut any of these down. When creating a site plan, be sure to include existing trees. Debris, existing elements, or other hazards can also limit your gardening potential; be sure to include site photos of these in your application.

Once you have identified a potential site(s) for adoption, find the parcel number(s) for each vacant lot via the Allegheny County Real Estate Portal in order to include these in your inquiry. At this point, you’re ready to submit an intake form! You can find a link to this on the Adopt-A-Lot home page or click here.

Soil Lead Policy:

The City of Pittsburgh requires soil contaminant test results for lead levels on all lots requested for adoption. We are happy to connect you with our partner Allegheny County Conservation District for free lead testing only after the proposed site has been vetted and approved as eligible for adoption.

The City of Pittsburgh follows these guidelines when allowing use of City land:

0 - 150 ppm of lead: May be used without restrictions.
151 – 400 ppm of lead: Enforce “Clean Hands” policy: washing hands immediately after leaving the parcel. Paths must be covered with grass or mulched to a depth of 3 – 4 inches.
401 – 1,000 ppm of lead: Modified use or find another lot. Modified use requirements: for vegetables 8 – 10 inches raised beds lined with geotextile barriers, or other solid containers with clean soil for planting. All areas not covered with raised beds must be grass covered or covered with geo-textile barrier and topped with 3 – 4 inches of mulch. No digging is permitted anywhere on the lot.
Over 1,000 ppm of lead: No use allowed; find another lot.

If a vacant lot's soil test results indicate over 1,000ppm of lead, this lot cannot be adopted and a new site will need to be identified.

Animals & Temporary Structures

There are many common garden elements (such as raised beds, tool sheds, and fencing) permitted to be added to Adopt-A-Lot sites. See below to learn more about these permitted improvements.

Poultry and temporary structures such as hoop houses, greenhouses, high tunnels, and even fencing, will require zoning approval from the Department of City Planning, and may also require permitting. If you intend to add any temporary structures to your site, please visit our OneStopPGH portal to submit an application for review. While poultry is permitted, Zoning requires that you live adjacent to your Adopt-A-Lot site, or the combined lot sizes need to be at least two acres or a variance will be necessary. For Adopt-A-Lot sites, Zoning & Development Review application fees are waived and stamped architectural/engineering drawings are not required, but remain a requirement for gardens that are not a part of this program.

Please also note that only raised beds and temporary fences are permitted if you enter into a license agreement. Our Document Library on this page also includes zoning guidance for your reference.

AAL Garden Elements.jpg

Resources & Support

Technical Assistance

City Farms works to connect our growers to all the resources the city has to offer. Once garden agreements are signed, growers are connected with City Farms for technical assistance through their growing journey. In order to obtain free deer fencing or test soil health for nutrients, you're welcome to reach out to City Farms staff! They will conduct this testing or install deer fencing at no cost to you.

Allegheny County Conservation District is an urban conservation district that engages and leads through partnerships, innovation, and implementation to conserve, promote, and improve Allegheny County’s natural resources. On top of providing free soil lead testing for Adopt-A-Lot sites, they also offer technical assistance for urban farmers working to establish their business.

Grow Pittsburgh is a non-profit committed to equipping people with the skills and resources needed to grow food and highlighting the positive impact of gardens on communities. Their work strengthens community connections, improves food access, and empowers people through hands-on education. On top of running the Community Gardens Network, they can also offer technical assistance throughout your growing journey. Growers can enroll in their group liability insurance policy to fulfill Adopt-A-Lot insurance requirements.

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture is a nonprofit that supports sustainable farms and equitable food systems through farmer-driven education, research, and community. If you are an urban farmer interested in integrating sustainable practices in your business, they offer resources and technical assistance to help you through your sustainable farming journey.

Pittsburgh Water - Water for Gardens Program provides free water access to community gardens up to $500 or approximately 25,000 gallons of water annually. If a garden exceeds this limit during the growing season, they will be billed at the residential rate.

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council mobilizes people through listening, educating and advocating for policies and programs that shift power, expand access to resources, and strengthen the Greater Pittsburgh Food System. Visit their website to learn how to get involved.

Grounded Strategies works to improve the social, economic, and environmental health of distressed and transitional communities by building capacity to reactivate vacant and underutilized land. Their Lots to Love site helps stewards learn valuable information about vacant lots near them, and through their Mobile Toolbox, provide tools to community stewards to keep green space vibrant and maintained.

UpstreamPgh works to restore and protect the city's watershed ecosystem by implementing green stormwater infrastructure projects, including rain gardens. If you are interested in creating a rain garden on a vacant lot, reach out to Upstream for guidance or technical assistance to help you get started!

Financial Resources

Love Your Block Grants

Food Justice Fund

Additional Resources

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania: Certified Backyard Habitat Program

Purchasing a Vacant Lot

If you are interested in ownership of a city-owned vacant lot, please note that Adopt-A-Lot is a temporary use program! Entering into a lease or license agreement through Adopt-A-Lot grants access to the site only during the term of the agreement and does not guarantee future ownership or permanent access to the site in perpetuity. To ensure long-term land access, we highly encourage site acquisition of vacant lots or the utilization of permanently city-owned open space in a park or greenway.

Sale Process Overview:

If you are interested in acquiring vacant land, please visit our Real Estate Division's For-Sale Property Portal to identify city-owned properties that are available for sale and to submit a Request to Purchase Application. This application allows the City to qualify you as a buyer for the requested property. A qualified buyer has fully paid taxes, utility bills (water, electricity, etc.), and property violations, and is in compliance with City codes and policies.

Starting prices for vacant lots are not set by the Department of Finance until after a buyer of a property has been qualified. Once approved as an eligible buyer, a down payment of 10% ($200 minimum) is required. The City will advertise the sale for 30 days and if there are no objections, the sale will go to City Council for approval. If there are objections, a court auction will take place where the vacant lot is sold to the highest bidder. The entire sales process can take 12-18 months, occasionally longer.

Note: The City's former Sideyard Side Program is not currently active. If you would like to purchase a city-owned lot next to your house, please reach out to the City's Real Estate Division via the acquisition process outlined above.

Dashboard of Existing Adopt-A-Lot Sites

Related Programs

Park/Greenway Garden Program- Since Adopt-A-Lot is a temporary use program, the City is working to develop and formalize a new program in parks and greenways as a pathway for greater land security through longer-term leases. Stay tuned!