EASTON, Pa. — Easton and the city Redevelopment Authority on Wednesday announced a new nonprofit housing initiative and an upcoming Landlord-Tenant Engagement Program.
The LTEP is the product of HOME Easton, working alongside numerous other individuals and entities, to create a more informed rental market for both landlords and tenants.
HOME Easton Interim Executive Director Michael Brett said the program was the product of Mayor Sal Panto’s 2018 Affordable Housing Task Force.
"Affordable housing is the greatest challenge that any mayor comes across.”Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr.
The task force completed a study in 2022 and presented recommendations to city council on how to address some of the affordable housing challenges in the city.
Brett was joined by Panto, Councilman Frank Pintabone, RDA Program Manager Haley Weber and HOME Project Manager Mark Hammerstone to lay out details of the housing nonprofit and LTEP.
From task force to HOME
Panto said creating the task force was a “no brainer.”
“I mean, affordable housing is the greatest challenge that any mayor comes across,” Panto said.
Panto referenced increasing housing rates as a major contributor to the issue, with many younger buyers priced out of the market.
Brett said the task force eventually merged into the founding board of HOME Easton, and worked alongside the RDA and an economic consulting firm out of Lancaster, Lancaster County, to craft the group’s bylaws, articles of incorporation, and foundational documents.
In 2025, HOME Easton received their 501c3 status.
Brett said the group’s “value pillars” include using extensive Easton-based expertise directly accessible to the community, homeownership and safe housing opportunities for all, and compassionate support for all household types.
“HOME Easton delivers long-lasting housing solutions through rehab, development and counseling, helping families and first-time home buyers achieve dreams of securing housing and homeownership while building strong communities,” Brett said.
'Such an asset'
Brett said that as a nonprofit separate from the RDA, HOME Easton also can work to create partnerships that may not be conducive to a government authority, such as fundraising.
HOME Easton’s board includes President Neal Koplin, Vice President Emilio Motesdeoca, Melissa Lozada, Alisa Baratta, Jackie Lopez, Anthony Marraccini, Jared Mast, David O’Connell, Sarah Ortiz, Jason Vanderburg, Alberto Martinez, and Pintabone.
Pintabone said that HOME Easton will showcase the city’s commitment to affordable housing.
“It's just a lot of work for us to do with so much other things to do."Easton Councilman Frank Pintabone
He said the body of work previously was handled by council, the mayor, the city administration and nonprofits.
“It's just a lot of work for us to do with so much other things to do," Pintabone said.
"So HOME Easton will take on that task and really be able to get a lot further than maybe what we're getting done, because they can dedicate so much to it.
“Having HOME Easton is such an asset. The board members, some of which are here today, just all bring a unique perspective that is so valuable to not only HOME Easton, but to the city. I'm very excited for the future of HOME Easton.”
HOME Easton staff currently consists of Brett, Hammerstone and Weber.
LTEP launches with workshop in January
Brett and his colleagues also introduced the upcoming Landlord-Tenant Engagement Program, a reworked version of a landlord training program spearheaded by Panto in 2015.
But the LTEP, “a labor of love” for the RDA, the HOME Easton board and Pintabone, is “so completely different, robust and it's layered with not only manuals, but interactive components and engagement,” Brett said.
That sets it apart from the 2015 program.
“The Landlord-Tenant Engagement Program, just as an overview, again, stresses the importance of the role of landlords and property managers and community well-being,” Weber said.
“It starts to inform business practices that adhere to state and local law and take it a step further by encouraging proactivity with forming better relationships between tenants and landlords in the city of Easton."
He said it “provides advice on organization and methods of applicant screening, maintenance" and more "to ensure success while also following the proper protocols so property owners and managers can expect to be within and beyond the standards that Easton has set for rental properties."
It also helps property owners "stay organized in order to prevent any sort of bias or discrimination issues getting in the way of their business practices," he said.
"And to hopefully also ensure that they are looking to their tenants also as important parts of the community and themselves as important parts of the community.”
The program, which launches in January, will start with community workshops, including monthly workshops with a community roundtable focus and quarterly topic rotations, held at accessible locations with expert speakers and easily accessible digital materials.
Those materials will be on a Learning Management System that residents can access at any time.
Landlords and tenants
The Landlord Engagement programming will include online-based training and voluntary testing, along with completion certification.
In spring 2026, the Tenant Best Practices programming will be launched, aimed at assisting residents with issues such as lease agreements and rental increases, basic upkeep and maintenance, and more.
“I'm a landlord as well, so I understand the need to look out for your residents, maybe more than just your bottom line, and that's what we're hoping that we do."Easton Councilman Frank Pintabone
Brett said it's impossible to “turn a neighborhood around” if a large portion of the population, renters, get ignored. He pointed to the West Ward, which is pushing 60% in rental units.
“So collectively, you know, we all recognize this, and this is a way to create a landlord liaison, so to speak, in Mark,” Brett said.
“He will be connecting with landlords, creating relationships, helping them navigate through permit processes, through issues with their tenants when they don't know where else to go.
"This is the guy that they'll call to help them navigate how to run their property.”
LTEP’s first meeting will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 8 in Easton Community Center, and will cover fair housing and evictions.
“These are workshops so that tenants can understand what their rates are, what would they do in an eviction process, what is fair housing," Brett said.
"And it can also be beneficial for the landlords as well, if they choose to attend or look over these materials so they know how they can be aware of this material as well."
Pintabone said he has seen numerous examples of both landlords and tenants who were ill-informed about their rights and responsibilities, often leading to problems where those tenants are worried to file a complaint, fearing eviction.
“I'm a landlord as well, so I understand the need to look out for your residents, maybe more than just your bottom line, and that's what we're hoping that we do," Pintabone said.
"And create responsible landlords and tenants that understand their responsibilities as well."
