Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County

ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF LEHIGH COUNTY

The Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County (RALC) was formed in 1971 but was inactive for many years before being reconstituted in May 2023.

The service area of the RALC includes all municipalities in Lehigh County, with the exception of the City of Allentown and the City of Bethlehem which have formed separate redevelopment authorities that operate within those jurisdictions.

Municipalities and others interested in the work of the RALC should contact Christopher Gulotta, Executive Director at RALC@lehighcounty.org.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2023

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael A. Yeager (Chair)

David Weinstein (Vice-Chair)

Oscar Ghasab (Treasurer)

Ricky Gower (Secretary)

Jill Seitz

Christopher Gulotta (Executive Director) The Gulotta Group, LLC

Kent H. Herman, Esquire (Solicitor) King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC

RALC MISSION STATEMENT

The Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County (RALC) is focused on the goal of remediating and repurposing blighted properties in Lehigh County's Boroughs and Townships. It accomplishes this work by partnering with elected and appointed officials, as well as the non-profit and private sectors to grow the tax base, provide opportunities for economic development, and increase the supply of housing. In doing so, the RALC will pursue a variety of financing and incentives to spur repurposing properties for productive uses and to sustain the organization going forward.

Adopted October 5, 2023

RALC MEETING INFORMATION

NOTICE OF 2024 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF LEHIGH COUNTY MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE

The Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County will conduct public meetings on the following dates for the period June through December 2024:

June 13, July 11, August 1, September 5, October 3, November 7, and December 5

The meetings will be conducted via ZOOM and are scheduled for 9:00 a.m..

Please note the change of meeting originally scheduled for the first Thursday, June 6, has been rescheduled for June 13.

Additional information on the RALC meetings, including agendas and ZOOM instructions, can be found at the Lehigh County Department of Community and Economic Development’s website:

https://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/Community-Economic-Development/Lehigh-County-Redevelopment-Authority

MULTI-MUNICIPAL BLIGHT GRANT

Multi-Municipal Blight Remediation Grant Application

The Redevelopment Authority is working with three communities (Catasauqua Borough, North Whitehall and Whitehall Townships) to submit an application for $500,000 in state funding by August 31, 2023 through the Keystone Communities Program.

These three municipalities have taken an active interest in tackling the problem of blighted properties. The municipalities have been asked to provide matching funds which, along with the state funds and possibly County of Lehigh CDBG funds, will be used to demolish and/or repair blighted properties. The grant applicant is being prepared by the Redevelopment Authority. If the grant is approved by the state, the Redevelopment Authority will administer the grant.

In 2017, the County completed a comprehensive blighted property strategy. An outgrowth of this initiative has been a technical assistance program offered at no cost to communities to identify and strategize about how to deal with long-term blighted properties. Three communities, Whitehall Township, North Whitehall Township and Catasauqua Borough have utilized the services of the County’s consultant, The Gulotta Group, to strengthen approaches for dealing with these long-term blighted properties. One common issue is a lack of resources for communities to deal with these properties. The proposed project will make financial resources available to the three communities.

CATASAUQUA IRON WORKS PROJECT

Catasauqua Iron Works Project

The Borough of Catasauqua has entered into an Memorandum of Understanding with the RALC relating to the redevelopment of the former Iron Works property. A Request for Proposals was reissued by the RALC on March 8, 2024 with the objective of receiving proposals from developers interested in redeveloping the 10-acre site. When a preferred developer is identified through this process, the Borough will convey the site to the RALC and the RALC will enter into an agreement of sale with the preferred developer who will redevelop the site consistent with local zoning. The Request for Proposals may be obtained by contacting cyndiking@lehighcounty.org .

RIGHT-TO-KNOW

RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW

The Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County intends to comply with the Open Records Act, Pennsylvania’s new Right-to-Know Law, Act 3 of 2008. The Request Form and Fee Schedule are available by email (RALC@lehighcounty.org) or phone (484-866-6048) .

If you have a specific request to be made under the Right-to-Know Law, please submit the form to Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County, Suite 519, Lehigh County Government Center 17th South Seventh Street, Allentown, PA 18101 or RALC@lehighcounty.org .

Agency Open Record/Right-to-Know Officer (AORO): Christopher Gulotta, Executive Director

Alternate: Kent H. Herman, Solicitor

The PA Office of Open Records contact information is:

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Office of Open Records

Commonwealth Keystone Building

400 North Street, 4th Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225

Phone: 717-346-9903; Fax: 717-425-5343

Email: openrecords@state.pa.us;

Website: http://openrecords.state.pa.us

Public bodies may fill anonymous verbal or written requests. If the requester wishes to pursue the relief and remedies provided for in this Act, the request must be in writing. (Section 702.) Written requests need not include an explanation why information is sought or the intended use of the information unless otherwise required by law. (Section 703).