‘From Homeless to Housing’ discussion to spotlight causes, solutions for crisis in Lehigh Valley

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Advocates and officials pushing to ease the housing crisis in the Lehigh Valley are set to meet Sunday afternoon in Allentown’s West End to hash out potential solutions.

A panel discussion, titled “From Homeless to Housing: Seeking Solutions for Our Community,” is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Congregation Keneseth Israel, 2227 W. Chew. St.

Its featured participants will include Christina DiPierro and Abby Goldfarb, who co-chair the city’s Commission on Homelessness, as well as Marc Rittle, who runs New Bethany, a Bethlehem-based food bank, soup kitchen and shelter.

They’re scheduled to be joined by Fred Bañuelos, a community investment manager for Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh and board member at the Housing Alliance for Pennsylvania; Rosyln Kuba, executive director of Family Promise of Lehigh Valley; and Cortex Residential Principal Jonathan Strauss.

Strauss and local officials broke ground last month on a 38-unit affordable housing complex at South Eighth and Walnut streets.

Allentown City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach, who pushed two years ago for a Homeless Bill of Rights alongside the city’s Commission on Homelessness, also will sit on the panel.

Gerlach in October proposed a measure that would establish protocols and “standard operating procedures” for homeless camp clearings amid a series of such actions.

'Homelessness affects us all'

City crews have evicted people from three homeless camps along Jordan Creek since late September. More than 100 lived across those camps, according to residents.

The latest camp clear-out came during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, observed the week before Thanksgiving.

A flyer for Sunday’s event says panelists will talk about the root causes of homelessness and potential preventative measures, as well as how the lack of housing options affects the community.

Registration is required and can be completed online.

“Many of our neighbors in the Lehigh Valley are just one missed paycheck away from being without a place to call home or to put their children safely to bed,” the synagogue writes on the event’s registration page.

“Many others go without secure housing for long periods of time.

“But this isn’t someone else’s issue. Homelessness affects us all. Homelessness strains our healthcare, criminal justice, and emergency systems and affects children’s education, health and overall development.”