Allentown gets $70,000 state grant to help pay comprehensive plan consultants

Allentown will use a $70,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Grant to help pay consulting costs associated with its Allentown Vision 2030 Comprehensive and Economic Development Plan.

The grant will help pay for technical consultants from evolve environment + architecture, Fourth Economy and Faces International, which helped draft the plan. The city had budgeted $150,000 for the project, which included the matching grant.

The plan, which was approved by City Council last month, addresses housing, workforce development, economic opportunity, social equity, environment and conservation, community development, transportation, land use, historic preservation, open space, and a range of other issues.

The plan contains a set of “Catalytic Actions” that span all five urban systems (economic development, housing, accessibility and connectivity, services and amenities, and living systems), that will start within its first three years.

There will be a yearly Allentown Vision 2030 Report Card to track the progress and impact of the Allentown Vision 2030 Plan prepared by the Bureau of Planning & Zoning and presented to the community, City Council and mayor.