ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Alan Jennings has been appointed to the board of the Allentown Redevelopment Authority, it was announced Monday.
For decades, he ran Community Action Lehigh Valley and helped guide the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority,
A release from Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk's office said the "significant appointment underscores Mayor Tuerk's commitment to fostering the development of affordable housing and to driving sustainable growth in our city."
- Alan Jennings ran Community Action Lehigh Valley for decades, then helped guide the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority
- He has been appointed to the board of the Allentown Redevelopment Authority
- As a member of the RACA board, Jennings will help redefine success for the institution, shape the real estate landscape of Allentown and drive impactful neighborhood investment
As a member of the RACA board, Jennings will help redefine success for the institution, shaping the real estate landscape of Allentown and driving impactful neighborhood investment, the mayor's release said.
The authority was created on Jan. 17, 1956, to promote redevelopment and maintain social infrastructure and healthy community housing within the city limits.
"With Alan’s appointment to RACA, my administration reaffirms our commitment to revitalizing our city and fostering a vibrant future for all residents."Mayor Tuerk, Allentown
It works closely with the city to define areas and properties that are problematic and need redesigning, repurposing or redevelopment for public convenience, as well as economic and community welfare.
‘An innovator, an entrepreneur and a fighter’
Jennings, who has lived in Allentown for more than 40 years, founded and for decades was executive director of Community Action Lehigh Valley (formerly Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley).
During his tenure, he oversaw initiatives that aimed to transform neighborhoods, foster inclusivity and bolster economic prosperity.
Jennings also for many years was a member of the board of directors of the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority, or ANIZDA, which oversees and manages the Neighborhood Improvement Zone.
The zone is a special district created by state law that is used to encourage development and revitalization in City Center Allentown and along the western side of the Lehigh River.
"Alan Jennings is an innovator, an entrepreneur and a fighter."Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk
"His extensive experience in fighting poverty, combined with his unwavering dedication to public service and responsible stewardship of community resources, positions him as a valuable asset to the RACA’s mission of promoting quality housing and its role in fostering a thriving community.
“He has hounded multiple mayors to get more aggressive in developing a better housing stock as a means of building a better community; and he is right,” Tuerk said in the release.
“With Alan’s appointment to RACA, my administration reaffirms our commitment to revitalizing our city and fostering a vibrant future for all residents."