An update to a University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government report (a 15 page publication titled "An Economic Development Challenge") on a housing strategy for the City of Allentown's central-city neighborhoods finds that the city has achieved remarkable success within a short period. The housing strategy, as described in the November 2007 Fels report, had identified as key isses, upgrading the city's exsisting housing stock and improving the quality of rental property management and maintenance.
"At a time when many Pennsylvania muncipalities are struggling to deal with rental property maintenance problems, Allentown is taking the lead in implementing a proactive strategy. In light of Allentown's success in addressing this major challenge, many other muncipalities will be studying the report as a how-to manual for stabilizing residential communities", said John Kromer, Senior Consultant at the Fels Institute.
The progress report cites the leadership of Mayor Ed Pawlowski, legislative action by City Council, and capable and reliabble action by staff to achieve remarkable successes within a short period. Successes noted in the progress report include more efficient collection of fees and penalities leading to generation of additional revenues for the city, faster identification and resolution of property-maintenance problems, more effective actions against negligent property owners, and increased opportunities to attract development to the downtown area.
The Fels Institute report called for Allentown's central-city neighborhoods to be "managed as an economic asset that can and should generate significant added value to the city and region" and included a summary of the key elements of an asset management strategy. If all of the elements of this strategy are adopted and implemented, "conditions in the city's downtown-area neighborhoods and the central business district will improve, generating significant economic benefit to the city, county and region."
The progress report describes the actions taken by the city to address housing problems through a preventive, proactive approach, and to resolve them before they create a significant cost burden for the city taxpayers or become a threat to the safety and well-being of neighborhood residents. It includes the establishment of a blight property certification and property acquisition schedule. The city is being more aggressive in pursuing water/sewer delinquencies and has collected more than $175,000 in delinquent rental registration/license fees and water/sewer charges by inspections staff initiating the revocation notice process. The City's Bureau of Building Standards & Safety is also now fully staffed with nine Rental Housing Inspectors.
According to Liz Hersh, Executive Director of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, "This progress report shows that rental housing, when managed effectively, is an asset that can drive downtown revitalization and economic development. It demonstrates that rental housing can be an asset, cultivated through the strategic use of exsisting resources. Allentown is leading the way toward a much needed paradigm shift."
Channel 69 news did a great story on this, click here to check it out
0 comments:
Post a Comment