Pittsburgh’s Greenfield Neighborhood - A Commuter's Dream

Attorney Michael H. Marks concentrates on the field of elder law in his Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, private practice, where he leverages more than 40 years of experience to assist clients with estate planning and associated issues. In addition, Michael H. Marks has devoted extensive time to volunteer service with a number of Pittsburgh-based, community-focused groups, among them the Greenfield Organization.

Now expanded as the Greenfield Community Association, the group works to promote the interests of the Greenfield neighborhood in the city’s 15th Ward. 

Greenfield, situated southeast of downtown Pittsburgh, runs down Greenfield Avenue to the Monongahela River’s banks at 2nd Avenue. A walk through the hills of this vibrant community offers unexpected and stunning views of the city’s profile of buildings and skyline. 

Traditionally a millworkers’ and steelworkers’ neighborhood, Greenfield is experiencing something of a renaissance due to an influx of younger professionals and graduate students looking for a quiet, family-oriented community and an easy commute. 

Recent years have seen a number of first-time homebuyers moving into the older and very affordable homes in the area. The proximity to major employers, and to educational and cultural institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Museum of Art, only enhances the appeal. In fact, realtors have referred to Greenfield as one of Pittsburgh’s “best-kept secrets.”

NAELA Praises Passage of Law Amending Special Needs Trust Fairness

With nearly four decades of professional experience, Michael H. Marks is a Pittsburgh-based attorney whose practice focuses on elder law. He currently maintains a practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Michael H. Marks is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (NAELA).

Established in 1987, NAELA is a professional organization for members dedicated to the improvement of the quality of legal services provided to aging individuals and people with special needs. Apart from providing continuing legal education to elder law attorneys, NAELA is also an active advocate for the welfare of the clientele the group serves.

Recently, NAELA released a statement praising the US House of Representatives for passing the Special Needs Trust Fairness and Medicaid Improvement Act (HR 670). The act aims to rectify an error in the law that presupposes that all persons with disabilities are automatically mentally deficient, deeming them incompetent to handle their own affairs and thus requiring those who do not have parents or legal guardians to petition the court to establish a statutory special needs trust. The Act allows an individual to establish his or her own qualifying special needs trust and avoid unnecessary legal fees when there happens to be no parent, grandparent or legal guardian available to help set up the trust.

NAELA specifically praised Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (Republican, Pennsylvania) and Frank Pallone (Democrat, New Jersey) for their bipartisan effort to push for the passage of the law. The House voted 382 to 22 in favor of passage.

Pittsburgh's Gateway Rehab Recognized as OUD Center of Excellence

 

Michael H. Marks is the principal attorney at Marks Elder Law, where he has been serving since 1979. During his free time, Michael H. Marks volunteers at Gateway Rehabilitation Center, Inc.

Committed to serving the population in and around Pittsburgh, Gateway Rehabilitation Center is the region's premier addiction recovery center. Gateway Rehab, a non-profit organization, is a pioneering center for effective, comprehensive treatment. Through the years, the center has helped countless individuals free themselves from the devastation of substance abuse disorders - at the same time helping innumerable family members, employers, neighbors and others affected by the costs of addiction.

For its uncompromising commitment to its mission, Gateway Rehab has been recognized by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services as an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Center of Excellence in the state of Pennsylvania. It is one of only 20 centers in the state that have earned the distinction.

In a statement, Gateway Rehab President and CEO Paul Bacharach expressed his gratitude to the office of the governor for being very supportive of the center's comprehensive, systematic yet individualized approach in dealing with opioid addictions. Moreover, he is thankful for the funding provided in support of the center's innovative "hub and spoke" model of care.