The City of Bethlehem (the “City”) is exploring opportunities to support mixed-income housing production through the strategic use of public financing tools, including tax abatements and subordinate below-market construction debt. The City is interested in understanding the feasibility of incorporating affordable units into market-rate projects that receive such public financing.
The City’s January 2024 affordable housing plan -
Opening Doors: Strategies to Build Housing Stability in Bethlehem – found the city needs an additional 1,100 housing units to alleviate its 2% rental vacancy rate and identified creating a revolving loan fund as a key tool to close that gap.
The City is seeking information from potential development partners interested in advancing mixed-income multifamily housing projects through public-private partnerships. Please see the
Request for Information (RFI) intended to help the City understand how below-market public financing tools could help viable projects move forward in the current high-interest rate environment.
The City is particularly interested in hearing from developers with entitled or shovel-ready multifamily projects located in Bethlehem that may be experiencing equity financing gaps. The City also welcomes responses from developers interested in expanding into the Bethlehem market.
This RFI is solely for information and planning purposes.
RFI Timeline
Responses are due by
4 p.m. EST on Monday, March 9, 2026. The City of Bethlehem will host a
virtual information session on February 18, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST.
Key Dates
| RFI Released |
February 9, 2026 |
Virtual Information Session
|
11 a.m. to 12 p.m., February 18, 2026
Email ssatullo@bethlehem-pa.gov to register for and receive virtual meeting invitation. |
| Deadline for Questions |
February 25, 2026 |
| RFI Due |
March 9, 2026 |