Allentown · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Allentown public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Sidewalk and Curb Postponement Requests
The developer of Seven Brew on S Cedar Crest Boulevard is asking to delay required sidewalk and curb installations for several years.
Peregrine Tower Mixed-Use Development & Sight Triangle
Developers are proposing a major 37-story mixed-use apartment building at 90 S 9th Street, which would significantly alter downtown Allentown's skyline and housing options.
Budget Process Reform and Timeline Adjustments
Bill 89 would write down clear, public capital planning procedures under the Home Rule Charter, developed jointly by the administration and Council staff.
Dog park rule changes
Bill 83 would update the dog park ordinance — renaming the park, eliminating key fobs, and refreshing the rules for users.
Recreation Bureau Updates and Project Reviews
An extra $55,450 for Simone Collins Inc. would complete design, construction documents, and cost estimates for the Franklin Park upgrade.
School zone flasher upgrades at 26 locations
A $1.9 million TASA grant would fund upgraded school zone flashers across the city, improving safety for kids walking to school. The ordinance is being introduced and referred to committee.
Cable franchise agreements with RCN and Verizon
New franchise agreements with RCN and Verizon would govern cable service rights-of-way and franchise fees in the city. Both ordinances are being introduced and sent to committee.
Council legal defense in FOP lawsuit
The police union has sued City Council, and Council will vote on hiring Cozen O'Connor to represent it. Legal costs and the underlying dispute could affect city finances and labor relations.
Historic District Property Alterations
A property owner is asking the HARB to legalize window replacements and front porch work that were done without prior historic approval. The case shows how the board handles retroactive reviews in the historic district.
Banquet Facility Proposal at 170 Allen St
City Star Management is applying to open a small indoor banquet facility at 170 Allen Street. The board will evaluate how this entertainment venue fits into the residential-office mix neighborhood.
2027 City Budget and Property Tax Increase
The proposed $257.3 million budget includes a $153 million general fund and a millage rate of 7.67, costing most residents about $1.75 a month more. Cuts to parks, health, and other departments offset expiring police and fire grants and inflation.
Police Department Staffing and DROP Pension Reform
The police chief urged council to adopt a DROP retirement program to keep veteran officers, with 15 retirements expected in December. The auditors pegged its cost at $1.1–$3.9 million a year starting 2028.
Elimination of GLP-1 weight-loss drug coverage
The city stopped covering GLP-1 medications for weight loss starting 2027 after spending ballooned from $470,000 to nearly $3 million in two years. Coverage remains for medical conditions.
EMS staffing crisis and mandated overtime
EMS runs with 44 full-timers, mandated overtime has doubled, and ambulances are browned out twice as often as last year. The budget adds two paramedics, but the chief says seven more are really needed.
Public Safety and Departmental Personnel Review
Council members are examining proposed personnel summaries and budget allocations for police, fire, and emergency medical services. This review ensures public safety departments have the necessary staffing and resources for the upcoming year.
Stormwater Fee Financial Risk Assessment
If the $20 stormwater fee is ruled a tax under the city charter, the city could lose $5.4 million a year — a scenario that would nearly drain reserves by 2031.
Police station and fire/health building right-sizing
The city scrapped the $40 million police station expansion for a renovation approach under energy-savings legislation and cut the fire/health building from $65 million to about $45 million, cutting next year's borrowing to $30 million.
Independent Five-Year Financial Analysis
Auditors found Allentown's plan is balanced only in 2027; after that, deficits of $3.1–$3.8 million a year accumulate and cash reserves fall below the 17% minimum by 2030. Council will need new revenue or spending action to stabilize finances.
Penn State Ground-Floor Business Training Use on Hamilton Street
Penn State is leasing 9,000 square feet of long-vacant ground-floor space at 829-845 W. Hamilton St for a business accelerator, AI innovation lab and veterans business outreach center — right at the street, a variance the board granted to revive a stubbornly empty building.
High-Density Rooming House Proposal at 501-503 N 4th St
Two cases tested how far the board will go for low-cost rooming housing. A 33-room SRO at N. Fourth St won approval as an adaptive reuse of a hard-to-develop building, but smaller-scale rooming units at N. Sixth St were denied over hardship and management concerns.
Climate Action Plan Implementation
The council is reviewing implementation of Allentown's Climate Action Plan, alongside an upcoming public draft of the Urban Forestry Master Plan to expand the city's tree canopy.
Litter Reduction and Containerization Strategies
The council is pushing forward with litter reduction efforts, utilizing community surveys to evaluate waste containerization strategies across the city.
Residential Conversion of Vacant Hamilton Street Office Building
Two appeals sought to turn dead commercial space into apartments. The Walnut Street conversion passed easily; the Linden Street two-unit conversion failed on density and minimum-relief grounds, with a neighbor citing brutal street parking.
Police Pension Fund Board Designees
City officials are updating municipal code to allow the mayor, finance director, and city controller to appoint staff members to represent them on the police pension board. The change prevents quorum issues following recent staff vacancies.
Pass-Through Grant Appropriations for Community Construction Projects
Several bills allocate state and federal grant money for traffic signals, trail construction, streetscapes, and environmental remediation.
Golf Course Staff Reclassifications and Pay Adjustments
Allentown is upgrading two key golf course jobs to higher pay scales so they can finally fill a six-month vacancy and compete with other Lehigh Valley courses. The golf course is currently bringing in revenues above target and funding its own operations.
City Controller Independence and Account Reconciliation
The city is updating its code to officially separate the controller's independent oversight duties from the day-to-day preparation of bank accounts. This change matches current practice and reinforces financial checks and balances.
Planning Commission Appointment and Ethics Review
Council tabled a mayoral appointment to the Planning Commission after raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and the appointment process.
Election Board Structure Referendum
Lehigh County voters are getting a say this November on whether to expand our tiny three-person election board to five members. The big change here would bring independent and third-party voices directly into how local elections are managed.
Public Encampments and Homelessness Regulations
The council was scheduled to discuss a proposed ordinance establishing formal rules and procedures for city responses to individuals living outdoors on public property.
HR Position Upgrade and Budget Reallocation
Allentown is upgrading an existing HR receptionist position to a constituent services specialist equipped with tracking software. This change aims to improve how the city handles and responds to resident inquiries and service requests.
Direct Property Sale to Allentown Art Museum
The Allentown Art Museum requested permission to demolish the vacant former police station on Hamilton Street to build a modern facility. The board found the building lacked architectural significance and that the public benefit of the museum outweighed the loss.
Signage Variance Request at 232 N 2nd St
Casa Guadalupe Center is seeking approval to install significantly more signage than normally allowed in their neighborhood center district.
Vehicle Repair Use Variance at 1525 Hanover Ave
A property owner sought permission to operate a minor car repair shop in a residential-office corridor zone. The board weighed the neighborhood impact of vehicle overflow against the applicant's promise of appointment-only service, adding strict monitoring rules.
Municipal Facility Condition Assessment
AMGG completed an assessment of 76 city-owned buildings to give Allentown a clear 30-year plan for maintenance, repairs, and capital spending.
Lead Pipe Replacement
Allentown just secured a massive $15.44 million state grant to rip out about 1,000 toxic lead pipes and upgrade the local water system. This means cleaner, safer drinking water straight from your tap without you having to foot the bill.
Property Tax Increase
Allentown's mayor wants to bump property taxes up by 3.81% in the 2027 budget. To balance things out, the city is also planning to cut spending on police staff, public works fuel, and various studies.
Budget and Taxes
Allentown is proposing a 3.81% property tax bump and a 10% budget slash across all departments to close a funding gap. Mayor Matt Tuerk defends the move, saying the extra couple of bucks a month per household is vital to keep police, fire, and EMS running smoothly.
County Budget
Lehigh County is pushing forward with a preliminary 2027 budget that features a huge 17% tax hike, and a final vote is happening soon. If you own property or pay taxes in the area, this is going to hit your wallet hard.
Lead Service Line Replacement
Allentown just scored $15.4 million to swap out old, dangerous lead water pipes. This means cleaner, safer drinking water straight from your tap without you having to worry about what's in it.
Hanover Avenue and Linden Street Traffic Signal Installation
The city is installing a new traffic signal at Hanover Avenue and Linden Street using a $560,000 state grant, which local officials note is long overdue.
Nuisance Abatement and Problem Properties
Allentown established a new vacant property registry requiring registration for properties empty over 90 days. The goal is to help police and fire crews track empty buildings and prevent them from turning into blighted properties.
Workforce Housing Mandates for Publicly Funded Projects
Council is considering a new rule requiring larger apartment projects to include affordable units or pay a fee-in-lieu, mirroring a law in Easton.
Public Works Salt Shed Replacement and Expansion
The city is investing $600,000 to replace its aging salt shed and double storage capacity to 6,000 tons. This upgrade aims to prevent winter supply shortages, avoid emergency price surges, and keep roads safe during heavy snowstorms.
Snow Removal and Parking Enforcement Concerns
Public Works officials and residents debated the city's winter storm response after severe snowstorms and a three-week freeze left many streets uncleared, prompting sharp criticism from residents and union leaders over management and resource allocation.
Professional Services Procurement and Maintenance RFPs
The Redevelopment Authority scheduled reviews of properties in its inventory and updates on active RFPs for sites like 540 Hamilton Street, 725 N. 10th Street, 802 Walnut Street, and 332 Front Street.
Bridgeview Academy School Expansion
The Allentown School District is expanding Bridgeview Academy to include middle school grades, bringing more students, buses, and parent traffic to Lehigh Street. Commissioners focused heavily on making sure drop-off lanes, bike paths, and pedestrian crossings are safe and well-designed.
W. Emaus Avenue Data Center Conversion
City council enacted robust zoning amendments to regulate data centers, addressing public concerns over noise, environmental impacts, and resource consumption.
Volunteer Snow Removal Pilot Program
City leaders and community organizers discussed bringing back the Snow Angels volunteer program to pair high school students and community volunteers with seniors and vulnerable residents needing sidewalk snow removal.
Union Boulevard After-Hours Club Safety Concerns
Residents spoke out about recurring safety issues, violence, and after-hours club operations along Union Boulevard.