Local Paintball Operator Told To Leave Land Housing Authority Claims It Owns

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Overlooking the Homestead high-level bridge is a gravel road leading into some woods where since 1989 Neil 'Buddy' Wright has operated a paintball business called Riverside Renegades Paintball.

"We rent out equipment for you to play paintball in the woods," Wright told KDKA money editor Jon Delano.

The woods have been cleared in part with forts constructed and obstacles to conceal paint gun shooters during the games.

But now the Housing Authority of Pittsburgh wants to stop this, claiming in court it owns the property and wright is trespassing and his business should be ejected.

Delano: "Who's land is this?"

Wright: "Well, my family owns most of the houses out on the street and it was like our backyard. We grew up in these woods, and I came up here. Kids wanted to play paintball, years ago, lifetime, but they wanted to play paintball, so we came up here, the neighborhood guys, and we started cleaning it up."

Wright's lawyer says he owns the land by adverse possession, having advertised his business openly for over 21 years.

So the legal question is, who really owns this property? Buddy Wright who for 30 years has cleared and maintained this property, putting in many, many hours and thousands of dollars or the Pittsburgh City Housing Authority that holds the deed.

The Housing Authority does not use the land, but says it's part of a large tract that includes the Glen Hazel housing project.

Wright, a former police officer, says his paintball is popular there, too.

"Keep a young adult active and that keeps him out of trouble," he says.

While ownership is sorted out in court, Judge Michael Marmo has ordered Wright to apply for a zoning permit for paintball and to get insurance coverage to protect the Housing Authority.

"We took care of all of that immediately," says Wright.

No court date has been set to resolve ownership, and the paintball business is still operating.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter