Finance Committee OKs $482,623 LSA Grant for Penrose Gateway on Fourth Affordable Housing Project

The Bethlehem City Council Finance Committee voted to recommend placing legislation on tonight’s council agenda to accept and appropriate a $482,623 Local Share Account (LSA) grant for construction costs associated with the Penrose Gateway on Fourth affordable housing project. Acting Finance Committee Chair Hillary Kwiatek and Committee Member Rachel Leon voted “aye” on the recommendation.

The LSA grant was described during the meeting by Tiffany Whismer, DCED business manager, who said, “We received a LSA local share account grant in the amount of $482,623. The grant funds will be used for construction costs associated with Penrose Gateway on Fourth affordable housing project.” The committee recorded no request for a local match on the award.

The committee briefly discussed the source and structure of LSA funds. An administration staff member explained that the Local Share Account is derived from gaming revenue and includes statewide and county-adjacent buckets; Northampton and Lehigh counties (and an adjacent Monroe County bucket) are allocated from specific local pools overseen by local elected officials. Kwiatek confirmed the grant is separate from casino host fees.

Action taken was limited to a recommendation that the council consider appropriate legislation; no additional conditions or programmatic changes were imposed by the Finance Committee at the meeting. The administration did not present further project-level timelines, contractor names, or a detailed construction budget during the committee discussion.

The committee’s recommendation will be placed on tonight’s full council agenda for final action.