Mayor Matt Tuerk today announced the release of Welcome Home: City of Allentown Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan, a bold initiative to address the city’s housing challenges and ensure long-term affordability for its residents.
Allentown Unveils Comprehensive Housing Plan to Preserve Affordability and Strengthen Neighborhoods
January 23, 2025 — Mayor Matt Tuerk today announced the release of Welcome Home: City of Allentown Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan, a bold initiative to address the city’s housing challenges and ensure long-term affordability for its residents. The plan, developed using data and insights from the city’s 2023-2024 Housing Study, marks a critical step toward creating a future where Allentown remains an affordable place for all.
"Housing is the foundation of a strong and vibrant community. The Welcome Home plan is our commitment to ensuring that every resident, from young families to seniors, has access to safe, affordable, and quality housing,” said Mayor Matt Tuerk. “Together, we are building a future where Allentown remains a place where everyone can thrive."
The goal of the Welcome Home housing plan is to increase the supply of affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities and preserve the affordability of the existing housing stock in the city. Allentown’s housing challenges will be addressed through the following four-phase strategy:
The plan focuses on actionable strategies that the City can implement using its available resources and authority, including zoning updates, securing funding, acquiring, and transferring properties, and incentivizing the private and nonprofit sectors to build and preserve affordable housing.
Need to Preserve Affordability
In Allentown, home prices have risen by 63% in the past five years, with the typical home now costing $280,000. Rents have surged by 44%, with a moderately priced rental averaging $1,657 per month. These rising costs are particularly concerning for Allentown, where 51% of households earn less than $50,000 annually, and 27% earn less than $25,000. Essential workers—such as nurses, teachers, and hospitality staff—are increasingly at risk of being priced out of the city they serve.
Despite these challenges, Allentown remains more affordable than neighboring cities in the Lehigh Valley, making now the opportune time to implement long-term affordability measures.
To read the full Welcome Home housing plan and learn how you can get involved, visit www.Allentownpa.gov/WelcomeHome