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Affordable Housing

City-led Housing Initiatives:

  • Mayor Reynolds’ administration developed Opening Doors: Strategies to Build Housing Stability in Bethlehem in 2022 and 2023, and the City has been working closely with local partners to implement the strategies and recommendations of the plan since then.
  • The City allocated $5 million to affordable housing strategy implementation and continues to leverage those funds and seek additional grant funding to implement Opening Doors.
  • The Opening Doors plan offers a five-year strategic path to help the most Bethlehem residents’ access safe and affordable housing. The plans five strategies, which contain 10 total projects, include: updating zoning and land use to encourage a variety of housing types and infill development; offer incentives to create and preserve affordable housing; foster partnerships with the Bethlehem Housing Authority and local institutions to support new housing and community investment; protect tenants at-risk of displacement and increase the supply of deeply affordable rental units; and advocate for state-enabling affordable housing policies, programs, and regional housing planning.


  • The City has made progress on numerous projects outlined in the plan, and has provided regular updates on the progress of plan implementation at quarterly public meetings of the Opening Doors Steering Committee.

In particular, the City is advancing the following projects:

  • piloting an accessory dwelling unit program, in partnership with Community Action Lehigh Valley, New Bethany Inc., and Lehigh University;
  • partnering and committing gap funding on the 120-unit Gateway on 4th affordable housing development in collaboration with Lehigh Valley Industrial Park (LVIP) and the project developer Pennrose;
  • partnering with the Bethlehem Housing Authority to create a HUD-funded Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan for the Pembroke neighborhood;
  • funding an emergency rental assistance program run by New Bethany to protect tenants at risk of displacement;
  • funding an eviction mediation position at Community Action Development Bethlehem to provide education and eviction mediation services as part of an eviction and homelessness prevention housing collaboration; and
  • engaging in regional conversations and collaborations to promote Lehigh Valley-wide housing planning that incorporates “fair share” allocations of affordable housing.

The City also continues its existing housing programs and initiatives that promote safe and healthy living conditions and access to homeownership. Those programs and initiatives include:

  • CDBG-funded housing rehabilitation program that City staff administer to provide financial and technical assistance to income-qualified homeowners to make necessary repairs to their homes;
  • HUD-funded Lead and Healthy Homes programs that City Health Bureau staff administer to provide financial and technical assistance to income-qualified homeowners and renters to make necessary repairs to their homes to abate lead hazards and other healthy homes concerns;
  • proactive rental housing inspection program that requires every rental be licensed annually and inspected at least once every three years, or every year in the case of student housing; and
  • CDBG-funded first-time homebuyer program that City staff administer in partnership with Community Action Lehigh Valley to provide technical support and down payment assistance to qualified potential first-time homebuyers. 

City Collaborates and strategizes with service providers:

The City has forged deep and meaningful partnerships with local housing providers and regional housing advocates to advance affordable housing programs and initiatives and to work smartly and collaboratively to tackle the housing crisis. City staff are regularly engaged on housing projects with local partners including Community Action Lehigh Valley, Community Action Development Bethlehem, New Bethany, and Lehigh Conference of Churches, Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering, and others. City staff also collaborate with major institutions on the Opening Doors Steering Committee and to advance housing initiatives across sectors of the city and region; those partners include Lehigh University, Moravian University, NCC, St. Luke’s, LVHN, and others. City staff also collaborate and advocate both regionally and state-wide on housing planning and policy issues, with Bethlehem professionals often leading those conversations and being recognized as some of the most advanced in planning, implementation, and collaboration in the housing space. 

  • Redevelopment Authority Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) Residential Façade Program:Funded by state PHARE funds, this program provides an incentive to homeowners to rehabilitate the exterior of their home. Funds must be used in conjunction with the City’s existing Housing Rehabilitation program. To be eligible, the property must be owner-occupied, the owner’s primary residence, and located in designated areas of the City. The income of all persons residing in the home determines income eligibility.   
  • Single-Family Housing Acquisition/Development/Rehabilitation: The City supports local partners in the acquisition, development, and rehabilitation of single family homes throughout the city for sale to low-and moderate-income buyers. Recent partners include the Lehigh Valley Community Land Trust, Habitat for Humanity Lehigh Valley, and Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority.
  • The City’s Northside Alive Housing Committee: This committee identifies targeted housing investments within this HUD-designated Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area. The city has funded façade improvements to homes via Community Development Block grant funding and partnered with PPL Electric Utilities to bring free dawn-to-dusk bulbs to front porches throughout the community.
  • The City also partners with Southside Tomorrow. This is a Neighborhood Partnership Program administered by Community Action Development Bethlehem, to target façade improvements into key corridors.

  • Both Northampton and Lehigh Counties have affordable housing trust funds: The affordable housing trust funds are authorized by the state’s optional County Affordable Housing Funds Act of 1992. They are funded through fees on mortgage and deed recordings. In 2022, Lehigh and Northampton had $500,000 and $239,000 in their housing trust fund, respectively.

For more on Affordable Housing visit :

Affordable Housing News Tab

For information about Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering visit:

Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering