Author, bookseller, and literary tastemaker Karen Lillis shares with Postindustrial her thoughts on why Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey deserves another term in office.
It’s difficult to include every reason why I’m endorsing Pittsburgh’s Democratic Mayor Ed Gainey for re-election.
But most importantly, Gainey wants a Pittsburgh that moves forward for everyone.
During the 20 years I’ve lived here, Pittsburgh has been on many “Most Liveable Cities” lists.
But that doesn’t make it liveable for everyone.
When my partner and I moved here in 2005, we took many walks to explore our new hometown. The city felt very neighborly, yet we could see that not all neighborhoods received equal attention and care.
The poorest neighborhoods were shockingly decrepit—they looked like they’d been neglected for decades.
Ed Gainey is the first mayor since we moved here to address this inequity.
He recognizes that “housing is a human right” and has created or preserved 1,600 units of affordable housing in our city in just over three years. That’s the most significant investment in local housing since we moved to Pittsburgh.
Having rented apartments since 1989, I was proud when, in 2009, we bought our first home in Pittsburgh—the affordability of our house changed my life. It gave me a savings account, a sense of stability, and finally, the ability to launch my own book business.
However, now, Pittsburgh housing costs are climbing higher and higher, well out of my former price range, so that many can no longer afford to live in and enjoy this great city. I want to see my neighbors and customers have affordable housing options.
During his time as mayor, I’ve been impressed with Gainey’s creation of different types of housing for the city and his resourcefulness in finding and maximizing grants and funding.
He’s also great at cultivating relationships with other state and local leaders, whom he’s drawn on to solve city dilemmas or negotiate funding, and partnerships with local businesses and organizations to invest in a more equitable future for all.
Gainey has stood with and stood up for our city’s seniors, veterans, LGBTQIA folks, Black neighbors, brown neighbors, immigrants, teenagers, workers, renters, union members, pedestrians, bike riders, the unhoused, & more. And since January 2025, he has worked actively to protect Pittsburghers from the adverse effects of Donald Trump.
The mayor’s vision is for a Pittsburgh whose reputation as “the most welcoming city in America” is matched by the investments he has made in affordable housing, crime reduction (well below the national rate of reduction), positive activities for teens & young adults, safe
streets, safe bridges, and our historic Downtown.
Gainey sees those in our city who are overlooked, left out of progress by generational poverty, left behind by gentrification, and have their labor taken for granted.
Mayor Gainey shares my values, and I love his vision for the city. He is the postindustrial leader that Pittsburgh needs, and he deserves four more years to keep working on what he started.
