City of Bethlehem

CITY OF BETHLEHEM, PA
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG)

Posting Date: August 19, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby provided that the City of Bethlehem, PA, (“City”) will hold a public hearing on August 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in Town Hall Rotunda, 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 18018, in connection with the City’s application for an Emergency Solutions Grant (“ESG”) to Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

Purpose of ESG Funds. ESG is a federal grant providing funding to assist with the rapid rehousing of homeless persons, street outreach, homelessness prevention, and emergency shelter activities. Funds may also be used to support the maintenance of a homeless management information system (HMIS) and administration. This program is authorized by McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. Only local governments are eligible to apply.

City’s Planned Use of ESG Funds. The City seeks ESG funding for a collaborative application on behalf of Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory Board (LV-RHAB) service providers. The requested funding will support LV-RHAB service providers to administer any single activity or combination of eligible activities, including: rapid rehousing, street outreach, homeless prevention, emergency shelter, Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and/or administration. If awarded, the City would act as a pass through for this grant funding.

Comments in connection with Public Hearing. Written comments on the public hearing may be emailed to Emily Folenta, Housing Policy Lead, at efolenta@bethlehem-pa.gov, with copy to Robert Vidoni, Housing and Community Development Administrator, at rvidoni@bethlehem-pa.gov, or delivered or mailed to Robert Vidoni, Community Development Bureau, 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Phone comments may be provided by calling 610-865-7085 and speaking with Emily Folenta, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM through 4:30 PM.

Translation Services; Accessibility/Reasonable Accommodations. If you are in need of translation services, or other reasonable accommodations, related to this public hearing, please contact Emily Folenta at efolenta@bethlehem-pa.gov or 610-865-7085 no later than 4 p.m. on August 26, 2024. City Hall and Council Chambers (Town Hall Rotunda) are wheelchair accessible. Special parking is available at the primary entrance to City Hall at 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Persons with disabilities, or others, who plan to attend the public hearing on August 29, 2024, and who might need auxiliary aids or services, or accessibility assistance, should contact Emily Folenta, information above, no later than 4 p.m. on August 26, 2024.

Applicable Law. This notice is issued in accordance with ESG and other applicable laws and regulations. The City does not discriminate based on disability. The public hearing will be held in compliance with applicable fair housing and civil rights laws and requirements.

CITY OF BETHLEHEM, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUREAU. First floor, 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Phone: (610) 865-7085

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CIUDAD DE BETHLEHEM, PENSILVANIA
SUBVENCIÓN PARA SOLUCIONES DE EMERGENCIA (ESG)

Fecha de publicación: 19 de agosto de 2024

AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA

Por la presente se notifica que la Ciudad de Bethlehem, Pensilvania, ("Ciudad") celebrará una audiencia pública el 29 de agosto de 2024 a las 11:00 a. m. en la Rotonda del Ayuntamiento, 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 18018, en relación con la solicitud de la Ciudad de una Subvención para Soluciones de Emergencia (Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)) al Departamento de Desarrollo Comunitario y Económico (Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)) de Pensilvania.

Finalidad de los fondos ESG. La ESG es una subvención federal que proporciona fondos para ayudar al realojamiento rápido de las personas sin hogar, el alcance a las calles, la prevención de la falta de vivienda y las actividades de alojamiento de emergencia. Los fondos también pueden utilizarse para apoyar el mantenimiento de un sistema de información para la gestión de las personas sin hogar (homeless management information system (HMIS)) y la administración. Este programa está autorizado por la Ley McKinney-Vento de Asistencia a las personas sin hogar, modificada por la Ley de Asistencia de Emergencia a las Personas sin Hogar y de Transición Rápida a la Vivienda (Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH)) de 2009. Solo las administraciones gubernamentales locales pueden presentar solicitudes.

Uso previsto por la ciudad de los fondos ESG. La ciudad busca financiación ESG para una solicitud de colaboración en nombre de los proveedores de servicios de la Junta Consultiva Regional de Personas sin Hogar de Lehigh Valley (Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory Board (LV-RHAB)). La financiación solicitada apoyará a los proveedores de servicios de la LV-RHAB para administrar cualquier actividad individual o combinación de actividades elegibles, incluidos: el realojamiento rápido, el alcance a las calles, la prevención de la falta de vivienda, el alojamiento de emergencia, el sistema de información para la gestión de las personas sin hogar (HMIS), y/o la administración. De ser concedida, la ciudad actuaría como intermediaria de esta subvención.

Comentarios relacionados con la audiencia pública. Los comentarios por escrito sobre la audiencia pública se pueden enviar por correo electrónico a Emily Folenta, directora de Políticas de Vivienda, a efolenta@bethlehem-pa.gov, con copia a Robert Vidoni, administrador de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario, a rvidoni@bethlehem-pa.gov. También se pueden entregar o enviar por correo postal a Robert Vidoni, Oficina de Desarrollo Comunitario, 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Se pueden hacer consultas por teléfono llamando al 610-865-7085 y hablando con Emily Folenta, de lunes a viernes, de 8:00 a. m. a 4:30 p. m.

Servicios de traducción; accesibilidad/adaptaciones razonables. Si necesita servicios de traducción u otras adaptaciones razonables en relación con esta audiencia pública, comuníquese con Emily Folenta por correo electrónico, efolenta@bethlehem-pa.gov, o por teléfono al 610-865-7085, antes del 26 de agosto de 2024 a las 4:00 p. m. El Ayuntamiento y las Cámaras del Consejo (Rotonda del Ayuntamiento) cuentan con acceso para silla de ruedas. El ayuntamiento dispone de estacionamiento especial disponible en la entrada principal, en 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Las personas con discapacidades, u otras, que tengan previsto asistir a la audiencia pública del 29 de agosto de 2024 y que puedan necesitar asistencia o servicios auxiliares o asistencia en materia de accesibilidad, deberán ponerse en contacto con Emily Folenta, cuyos datos se indican arriba, a más tardar el 26 de agosto de 2024 a las 4:00 p. m..
Ley aplicable. El presente aviso se emite de acuerdo con la ESG y otras leyes y reglamentos aplicables. La Ciudad no discrimina por motivos de discapacidad. La audiencia pública se celebrará de conformidad con las leyes y requisitos aplicables en materia de vivienda justa y derechos civiles.

CIUDAD DE BETHLEHEM, DEPARTAMENTO DE DESARROLLO COMUNITARIO Y ECONÓMICO, OFICINA DE DESARROLLO COMUNITARIO. 10 East Church Street, primer piso, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Teléfono: (610) 865-7085

Training Library

HOME Rental Project Webinar
Searching-Federal-Debarment.pptx
Managing Your 2021 Grant On-Line
- Presentation
- Recording
Applying for 2022 CDBG Funds
Bethlehem CDBG Manual

HOME Resource Library

The City of Bethlehem accepts applications for HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funding on a rolling basis. The HOME Program is administered by HUD and was established in 1990 to assist low-income households.

HOME funds are intended to: Increase the supply of quality affordable housing for lower-income households; Expand nonprofit housing provider capacity; Strengthen government capacity to provide housing; and Leverage private-sector investments in housing.

The program funds a variety of eligible housing activities including direct rental and purchase assistance and building, acquiring, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or ownership.

Organizations with potential HOME projects are encouraged to contact the City to discuss their plans. Call or email Robert Vidoni, Housing and Community Development Administrator, at 610-997-5731 or rvidoni@bethlehem-pa.gov if you would like to discuss potential projects.

The City's HOME application is available on its Neighborly portal at https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/BETHLEHEMPA/participant

Additional information can be found at the links below.

Plans and Reports

Environmental Reviews

HUD makes publicly available environmental review records categorized as environmental assessments, CEST and CEST that converts to Exempt. Click here to access HUD's website and the City's environmental reviews.

CDBG Application

Applications for the City of Bethlehem's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program are currently closed. Applications for 2025 CDBG funds are expected to open in the fall of 2024.

HOME Application

Applications for the City of Bethlehem's HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) are reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply online through Neighborly:

Fair Housing

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), familial status, national origin, and disability. It also requires that all federal programs relating to housing and urban development be administered in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing.

North Penn Legal Services is the City of Bethlehem's Fair Housing partner. More information about Fair Housing is available on North Penn's website, and on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's website.

Complaints
Persons who believe they have experienced discrimination in housing rental, sales, or financing because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, disability, or familial status can contact any of the following entities:

North Penn Legal Services
Bethlehem Office
559 Main Street, Suite 200
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Housing discrimination line: 610-317-5322
https://www.nplspa.org/

City of Bethlehem Fair Housing Officer
Jennifer M. Swett
JSwett@bethlehem-pa.gov
610-865-7099

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint

Program Contacts

Robert G. Vidoni, Esq. , Housing & Community Development Administrator, rvidoni@bethlehem-pa.gov
Trevor Gross, Grants Specialist, tgross@bethlehem-pa.gov, 610-419-1447