Justice and Advocacy -- The Lehigh Conference of Churches

Lehigh Valley Homelessness and Affordable Housing
April 2021 Update

Allentown Community and Economic Development Committee (CEDC) – April 14, 2021:

Meeting report: Allentown looks to hire homeless services coordinator, considers permanent housing initiatives with ‘game-changing’ federal stimulus (Morning Call: April 15, 2021)

Homeless Presentation by members of Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory Board
- Presentation Slides (pdf)
- Presentation Slides (pptx)

Bill 22 – Land Bank – An ordinance of the City of Allentown authorizing the designation of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Allentown as land bank for the City of Allentown.
Land Bank legislation would give Allentown more tools to fight blight
(Morning Call: Apr. 9, 2021)

Bill 28 – Homeless Coordinator – Amending the 2021 Federal Grants Fund budget by creating the position of Homeless Services Coordinator within the Department of Community Development to provide coordination and support for the initiatives of the Allentown Commission on Homelessness. This position is funded through COVID ESG funds.
Homeless Services Coordinator Job Description

Lehigh County Board of Commissioners – General Services Committee (GSA)
April 14, 2021 meeting:

COVID Relief Funds Available for Lehigh Valley Housing Assistance (2021-2024):

Lehigh County Commissioners approved allocation of $24.3 million in Emergency Rental Assistance funds on
March 10, 2021, from the Dec. 27, 2020 COVID relief bill, to be administered by Catholic Charities and CACLV.

Lehigh Valley – COVID Relief Funds allocation ($1.9T federal funding signed into law in March 2021). Lehigh Valley government agencies are expected to receive additional COVID funding, some of which could be used for housing-related purposes. Cities and towns will receive the money in two installments, this summer and next, and they have until the end of 2024 to spend it. Estimates for local government:
- Lehigh County: $71.6 million
- Northampton County: $60.7 million
- Allentown: $57.5 million
- Bethlehem: $33.8 million
- Easton: $ 2.7 million
Also see American Rescue Plan – How Will Lehigh Valley Governments Spend Federal Aid? (Morning Call: March 18, 2021)

Additional funding from American Rescue Plan will be allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program, to help create affordable housing and services for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness:
- Northampton County: $2.3 million
- Allentown: $3.5 million
- Bethlehem: $1.4 million

Updated: April 17, 2021

Posted: Saturday, April 17th, 2021 Tags: housing/homeless, issues, news.