Susheela Nemani-Stanger’s birthday celebration Thursday included a promotion.
Ms. Nemani-Stanger took over as executive director of the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority after a unanimous vote of approval by the URA’s board.
“This is a birthday I won’t forget,” she said after the vote.
Ms. Nemani-Stanger had been serving as acting executive director since Greg Flisram left at the end of December to return to the private sector. She had rejoined the URA last August as executive deputy director.
She becomes the first woman and the first person of Indian descent to be executive director in the URA’s 77-year history.
In her remarks after her appointment, Ms. Nemani-Stanger described the $70 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding the city has received as “a huge priority for us” over the next two years, one that can lead to “meaningful investment.
“As stewards of public money, this funding is a real opportunity for us to elevate our work and service to communities,” she said.
She said she hopes to leverage the funding through other economic development tools like tax increment financing to work with private development partners “to advance regional priorities that will focus on quality housing and mobility and transportation improvements.”
She also said she is committed to advancing affordable housing projects throughout the city, a priority of Mayor Ed Gainey. As one part of that, she noted that the URA is developing a training program for market rate developers to give them tools “to model affordable units in their projects.”
In addition, “My goal is to stabilize our organization and strengthen our core work,” she said.
On a personal note, Ms. Nemani-Stanger called her appointment a “really important moment for my family.”
She related that her father migrated to Pittsburgh from India in 1965 with $12 in his pocket. He made enough at Allegheny General Hospital to send money back to his family in India and to rent an efficiency apartment in the Mexican War Streets on the North Side.
“Growing up with an immigrant parent instilled in me the importance of hard work and compassion for others.” she said.
In a statement, Mr. Gainey lauded Ms. Nemani-Stanger’s appointment as a “moment in history that we will never forget.”
"I'm proud to say that I've watched her work tirelessly for over a decade in the economic development field to ensure our communities are being served,” he said.
Before rejoining the URA last year, Ms. Nemani-Stanger worked for the authority for 13 years between 2007 and 2020.
After that, she served for more than a year as deputy director for Allegheny County’s department of economic development.
URA board member Sam Williamson said the authority and the city are lucky to have Ms. Nemani-Stanger in her new post.
“It allows us to fill this position almost seamlessly with no transition worries or hiccups whatsoever,” he said, adding it will allow the URA to focus on its work at a critical time.
State Rep. Sara Innamorato, another URA board member, noted, “We’re so excited that you’re stepping into this role.”
Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.
First Published: January 20, 2023, 1:07 a.m.
Updated: January 20, 2023, 11:08 a.m.
