Redevelopment Authority of Allentown Meeting - April 8, 2026

The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Allentown met on April 8, 2026, at 2:02 PM. The meeting was called to order with a quorum of board members and staff present. Key actions included approval of amended minutes, financial reports, invoice payments, appointment of an RFP review committee, and a vote to add residency and Section 3 preferences to a property maintenance RFP. An executive session was held at 2:55 PM to discuss real estate transactions.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The minutes from March 11, 2026, were approved as amended. Corrections included removing a name under public comment, fixing a typo ("perspective" to "prospective"), correcting a reference to "acting executive director" for Mark, and clarifying contract authority language.
• Financial Reports Approved: Staff financial reports as of March 31, 2026, were approved subject to audit. Alan noted $200,000 in CDBG reimbursement deposited in March and $159,000 pending for 725 N 10th St and 802 W Walnut St, spending down prior CDBG funds. A board member questioned zero-balance accounts on the balance sheet; staff cited HUD recordkeeping requirements. Budget variances were attributed to timing (first quarter of the year).
• Invoices for Payment: 13 invoices totaling $40,386.79 were approved. Major items included $20,000 for city staff salaries and benefits (first quarter 2026), legal bills, insurance, and website updates.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kevin Easterling (public comment): Addressed the board, thanking staff for sending notes from the prior meeting. He mentioned scheduling a meeting with Mark and Nikki to review ideas he previously presented. He noted that several low-income Allentown contractors submitted information on PennBid for subcontracting opportunities. He urged stronger affirmative language in RFPs, suggesting extra points for minority-owned and Section 3 contractors, referencing October 2022 city legislation.

Discussion Items

• Inventory Update: Staff reported quiet conditions except for dumping (approximately 100 beer cans) and graffiti at 802 Walnut Street (cleaned) and additional roof tarping at 1238 and 1240 19th Street due to persistent leaks.
• RFP Updates (725 N 10th and 540 properties): Eight total proposals were received. Staff proposed a five-person review committee: Vicky (city staff), Mark (acting executive director), Jen Gomez (city planning director), and board members Jess and Tony. Discussion centered on whether to add a community representative. Jess and Alan noted the committee would be majority white in a majority-minority city; Jess expressed concern about representing both city and board. Mark and Dan argued the board represents the community and that public input would occur during formal board presentations. Staff cited confidentiality of proprietary information. The committee was finalized as proposed.
• New Business – RFP for Boarding and Securing Properties: Staff presented a draft RFP for property maintenance services. Debate arose over adding questions about whether the business is minority-owned, located in Allentown, and what percentage of employees reside in the city. Alan strongly supported including minority-ownership and residency preferences. Legal counsel (Josh) warned that asking about minority ownership could jeopardize federal CDBG funding given HUD restrictions and recent Supreme Court and Trump administration actions. Dan and others preferred focusing on Allentown residency and Section 3 low-income contractor preferences to avoid funding risk. After a roll call vote, the motion to amend the RFP with residency and Section 3 language (but not minority-ownership) passed 3-2.
• Website Updates: Staff reported updates to the authority's website: board member photos, current inventory, removal of at-risk registration, corrected links, and posting of meeting minutes. The site now includes a Teams link for meeting attendance. Discussion about ADA compliance for closed captioning by April 24, 2026, and potential use of city iPads to reduce paper usage.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approved as Amended (unanimous).
• Financial Reports Approved (motion carried).
• Invoices Approved for $40,386.79 (motion carried).
• RFP Review Committee Appointed: Vicky, Mark, Jen Gomez, Jessica, and Tony. No additional community member.
• Amendment to Property Maintenance RFP Approved: Added questions on whether business is located in Allentown, and what percentage of employees reside in the city, along with Section 3 low-income contractor preference. Motion passed 3-2 (Dan Schmidt – yes, Alan Jennings – no, Tony – yes, additional yes from one other; Jess’s vote unclear but final tally 3-2).
• Snow and Grass RFP: Staff to issue RFP for snow and grass maintenance after a meeting with PennBid.
• Executive Session: Called at 2:55 PM to discuss real estate transactions. Board members reminded that the session was confidential and documents could not be shared.