Help-A-Lot Program

Volunteer applications are now being accepted for one-day access to City-owned vacant lots for stewardship activities and community clean-up events! Through Help-A-Lot, the following maintenance activities are permitted: litter clean-up, mowing, weeding, mulching, removing invasive species, and illegal dump site clean-up.

The City owns thousands of vacant lots and utilizes allocated funding to maintain approximately 3,100 lots through procured pre-qualified land maintenance contractors annually; however, the City also recognizes community interest in supporting the beautification of vacant land in their neighborhoods. This volunteer opportunity expands access to City-owned vacant properties to support greater community land care efforts citywide. Please note that properties with structures as well as properties currently maintained by City-procured contractors are not eligible to be stewarded through this program.

Program participants need only complete an application and receive application approval in order to be granted site access.

If you are interested in helping a lot, please refer to the map (located in the sidebar on this page) to first verify that the lot you’d like to help is City-owned, and submit a volunteer application to provide your date(s) of interest.  Trash pick-up by the Department of Public Works and advertising for your clean-up event on the City's public calendar are available by request in the application. The City also supplies free gloves and trash bags at its Environmental Center, located at 3001 Railroad Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201!