Lehigh County Department of Economic Development

Lehigh County Department of Economic Development
Name	Lehigh County Department of Economic Development
Jurisdiction	Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Headquarters	Allentown, Pennsylvania
Chief1 position	Director
Parent agency	Lehigh County Council

Lehigh County Department of Economic Development is the county-level agency responsible for promoting economic development activities, supporting business attraction, and managing community development programs within Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The Department interfaces with municipal authorities in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, and coordinates regional planning with organizations such as the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation. It administers federal and state grants, workforce initiatives, and small business support services tied to agencies like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and regional chambers such as the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Overview

The Department functions as an operational arm of Lehigh County Council and is housed in county facilities near the Lehigh River corridor in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It focuses on site readiness, brownfield remediation coordination, tax incentive programs, and coordination with institutions including Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, and DeSales University for workforce development. The office liaises with state bodies such as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania executive branch and federal entities including the Small Business Administration and Economic Development Administration.

History

Origins trace to post-industrial revitalization efforts following declines in manufacturing that affected communities like Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Catasauqua, Pennsylvania during the late 20th century. Early collaborations involved the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and redevelopment authorities established in the 1980s and 1990s to address restructuring after the closures of steel operations tied to corporations such as Bethlehem Steel Corporation. The Department evolved through county administrative reforms influenced by policy debates involving the Pennsylvania General Assembly and federal funding cycles from agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for remediation projects.

Organization and Leadership

Leadership comprises a Director appointed by Lehigh County Executive or confirmed by Lehigh County Council depending on county code, supported by divisions for planning and project management, grant administration, and business outreach. Staff collaborate with local municipal managers such as the Allentown City Council members and municipal planning directors in municipalities including Macungie, Pennsylvania and Northampton, Pennsylvania. The Department regularly engages legal counsel versed in state statutes like the Municipal Authorities Act and interacts with economic research partners at institutions such as Pennsylvania State University campuses and regional think tanks.

Programs and Services

Programs include small business technical assistance, loan programs coordinated with entities like Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority and Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, site selection support, and brownfield assessment in partnership with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional initiatives. Workforce initiatives tie into grant-funded efforts with Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and training providers at Lehigh Carbon Community College and Goodwill Industries. Community revitalization projects have leveraged historic preservation incentives involving the National Trust for Historic Preservation and tax credit mechanisms such as the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives.

Economic Impact and Initiatives

Initiatives have targeted redevelopment of former industrial sites, downtown revitalization in Allentown, Pennsylvania and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and logistics and advanced manufacturing clusters near Lehigh Valley International Airport. The Department has measured impacts in job creation metrics similar to projections used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and regional economic modeling with partners like the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Projects have aimed to attract corporate investment from firms in sectors represented by organizations such as the National Association of Manufacturers and to support startups connected to incubators patterned after models like Ben Franklin Technology Partners.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding streams include allocations from county budgets enacted by Lehigh County Council, state grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, federal awards from agencies like the Economic Development Administration, and private philanthropy coordinated with foundations such as the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. Partnerships extend to regional economic organizations like the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, educational institutions including Lehigh University, workforce boards such as the Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Board, and utilities including PPL Corporation for infrastructure coordination.

Controversies and Criticism

Critiques have centered on the allocation of incentives and tax abatements to private developers, debates mirrored in cases involving municipal incentives studied in the Urban Institute and contested in local hearings before bodies like Lehigh County Council. Environmental groups have disputed remediation approaches for brownfield sites, invoking federal standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and state regulators. Transparency advocates have called for clearer reporting consistent with guidelines from organizations such as Governors' Office of Economic Development benchmarks and nonprofit watchdogs including Good Jobs First.

Category:Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Category:Economic development agencies in the United States