Affordable rental homes
One to four bedroom apartments and townhomes across nine neighborhoods, rent set by household income.
Building in Allegheny County since 1991
Rent you can pay, on a street you want to live on
We develop and manage 640 affordable rental homes, counsel first time buyers through closing, and sit down with families facing foreclosure before the sheriff sale date.
640affordable homes
34 yrsin the county
1,180counseled last year
Freeall counseling services
How we help
Renting, buying and staying in your home
All counseling is free and provided by HUD approved counselors, funded by grants not fees.
First time homebuyer counseling
One on one sessions covering credit, budget, mortgage products and what closing actually costs.
Homebuyer education course
Eight hour HUD certified course that unlocks most down payment assistance programs in the county.
Down payment assistance
Forgivable second mortgage for income qualified buyers, forgiven fully after five years in the home.
Foreclosure prevention
We contact your servicer, assemble the loss mitigation package and negotiate modification or forbearance.
Home repair grants
Roof, furnace, electrical and accessibility repairs for income qualified owner occupants.
About Keystone
A developer that also has to answer the phone at 9pm
Keystone was founded in 1991 by a coalition of neighborhood groups on the North Side who were watching sound housing stock go vacant. We both develop and manage our properties, which means the people who financed the building are the same people you call about the furnace. Our counseling program is HUD approved and has been continuously certified since 1998.
•HUD approved housing counseling agency, certified counselors on staff
•We manage what we build, no third party management company
•Audited financials and annual impact report published every June
Reviews
From residents and clients
“My credit was a wreck and I assumed buying was off the table. Fourteen months of working with my counselor and I closed on a house in Sheraden last spring.”
Deshawn P., First time buyer
“We were four months behind after my husband's layoff. They got the servicer on the phone, put together the package and we ended up with a modification we could afford.”
Rosa and Jim C., Foreclosure prevention clients
“I have rented from Keystone for six years. Maintenance actually comes, and my rent has gone up twice in that time, both times by a small amount I was warned about months ahead.”
Yvette M., Resident, North Side
FAQ
Renting, buying and getting help
How do I apply for one of your rental homes?
Applications are taken online and at our Beaver Avenue office. Eligibility is based on household income relative to the area median, and each property has its own income band. Waiting lists for two and three bedroom units currently run six to fourteen months, and we tell you your position when you apply rather than leaving you guessing.
Is the counseling really free, and what is the catch?
It is genuinely free with no catch. We are funded by HUD, the county and private foundations specifically to provide this service, and we do not sell mortgages, insurance or any product. Our counselors are certified and are prohibited from receiving compensation tied to any lender or transaction.
What do I bring to a homebuyer counseling appointment?
Bring two recent pay stubs, last year's tax return and W2s, two months of bank statements and a list of your monthly debts. If you have already pulled your credit report, bring it. If you have not, we pull it during the first session at no cost to you and walk through it line by line.
I have a sheriff sale date. Is it too late?
Not necessarily, but call today rather than next week. Pennsylvania has procedures that can postpone a sale while a loss mitigation review is pending, and outcomes are far better with more than thirty days of runway. Even inside thirty days we will make the calls, so do not wait because you assume the answer is no.
Contact
Sit down with a counselor
Appointments are free and available on weekday evenings as well as during business hours. Walk ins are seen when a counselor is available.
Phone(412) 555-0107
Address1425 Beaver Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
HoursMon to Thu 9am to 6pm, Fri 9am to 4pm, evening appointments available
AreaAllegheny County and the Mon Valley