Council approves two grants in support of New Bethany housing and services: $500,000 local-share and $1 million Main Street Matters application

Northampton County Council on Oct. 3 approved two resolutions to support New Bethany Inc.'s "Paving the Way / Campaign for Our Neighbors" project.

The first resolution authorizes the county, as a pass-through entity, to apply for and accept $500,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority's local share account on behalf of New Bethany to fund planning, design, equipment and construction to provide street-level human services in Bethlehem and Northampton County. The resolution cites the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act and the Commonwealth Financing Authority's local share account as the funding source language included in the application documents.

The council also approved a resolution to submit a Main Street Matters program grant application requesting $1,000,000 to create 18 deeply affordable rental units on New Bethany's South Side campus for people experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness. Both resolutions designate the county executive to execute documents and the county's director of community and economic development to act as second signatory for the grants. Each resolution passed by recorded votes in the meeting (the local share resolution was adopted 9–0; the Main Street Matters resolution was adopted 9–0).