Over 200 center city residents and church goers meet with Mayor Pawlowski to begin a community dialogue with him and key NIZ opinion leaders about securing public benefits through the creation of a community benefits agreement
April 26, 2012
Reverend Maritza Torres Dolich is with the Congregations United for Neighborhood Action, or CUNA for short, the organization behind Wednesday's meeting. "We are asking the mayor to have us be a part, a group of us to come to the table as they're organizing and building and talking about the future of the city of Allentown, it shouldn't be something from the top down, it should be something that starts at the base," she said.
The Neighborhood Improvement Zone’s 130 acres are located in the same areas of some of the highest unemployment and poverty in Allentown, CUNA leaders argued that it would only make sense that financial benefits from the NIZ should go to the creation of jobs, improved housing, small business development, and other quality of life improvements for the residents currently living in those same neighborhoods.
April 25, 2012
A coalition of Allentown church leaders and congregations asked the mayor today for a seat at the table in helping determine the impact the planned hockey arena will have on the community. About 200 people attended a public forum organized by Congregations United for Neighborhood Action, which asked Mayor Ed Pawlowski for a role in forming a community benefit agreement associated with the arena development.
Mayor Pawlowski committed publicly to involve group representatives in crafting a "community benefits agreement," already in development. It is expected to require the arena developer, the Hammes Group, to hire and train residents of the impoverished blocks around the arena.
Come join residents and faith leaders from across Allentown to look at the new development projects and to explore the ways we can guarantee our public investments go to those who need it most. Click the above title to get meeting details.
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