A New Group For Allentown's WPA

My activism with the WPA began in 2009, when I started conducting meetings at the library. Later that year, with the help of few volunteers, we uncovered the Boat Landing in Lehigh Parkway. The next projects involved uncovering the stones lining the Spring Pond, and revealing the nearby miniature bridge. Cooperating with Karen El-Chaar, she secured funds from the Trexler Trust for the repair of the stairs in Fountain Park. I also conducted a couple tours of the Parkway with Karen. 

The original version of this group was kindly started for us by Steven Ramos. With the new Allentown Parknership deciding against my inclusion, I feel that it is time for friends of Allentown's WPA to organize. We will also advocate for the traditional park system, which also seems to be going by the wayside. Thank you for your interest. 

The above is an introduction to a new Facebook group dedicated to the WPA structures in the Allentown park system. 

Your membership in WPA of Allentown is most welcome.

Latino Festival In Allentown

Many readers of this blog know that I also administer the Facebook group Allentown Chronicles. Occasionally, I place a blog post on the group, if it is within the group's guidelines. Today's post actually originated on the group, and was placed there by someone else. 

The newly announced Latino Festival will occur on Hamilton Street May 18th. Called Fiesta On Hamilton, it is being sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Valley Health Partners, MEGA 101.7,  (Spanish radio station), along with the City of Allentown. The Chamber calls it a celebration of our culture. Although Latinos are now a majority in Allentown per se, I don't think that any one "culture" should be represented as "our" culture. In addition to this new Latino festival, we also have a Puerto Rican parade and a Dominican day. 

I've criticized Matt Tuerk for conducting too many flag raising days. I wonder how much Tuerk  and politics is behind this new festival?  Perhaps we could truly respect our diversity better by not putting certain ones in the more public spotlight than others.

A Promise Made Is A Promise Enforced

Recently, after being lobbied to do so, I did a post on Promise Neighborhoods and a critic. Not wanting to be an agitator, I chose my words to downplay the confrontation between parties. As the week progressed, the critic became tamer, lastly describing the confrontation as a manly conversation. 

Over the weekend, the critic's former personal page had disappeared from Facebook. Today's post isn't to rehash his previous complaints, but to note Promise Neighborhoods protecting its turf. It's my understanding that complaints from Promise succeeded in having the critic's page removed.

The local establishment is invested in Promise, from Tuerk through the Trexler Trust to Josh Shapiro. Apparently, the powers that be also choose to ignore any criticism of their investment.

ADDENDUM: The critic is Johnny Gomez. His organization is called Walk With Me. His current facebook page is Whatzz Tea

Allentown's Salt Of The Earth

Allentown is dependent in many ways on its dwindling stock of middle class homeowners, especially in the challenged neighborhoods, such as West Park and west of the library.  I've been informed on good source, that more and more of such former homes are becoming de facto rooming houses...that the city is turning a blind eye to landlords renting out rooms in single family houses. Although I've been told that there is a loophole in zoning allowing this, I haven't researched the ordinance. What is more important than the zoning, is the enforcement, or lack there of.

These new rooming houses increase the parking burden on legitimate neighbors, and generally decline the quality of life. What brings this situation to this blog's attention is the mayor.

These rooming houses are springing up in the mayor's own neighborhood, with his blessing. I suppose that from his progressive point of view, such a blind eye is reducing the housing crunch in Allentown. However, if bread and butter homeowners decide the increased density is too unbearable and move, Allentown loses in every way.  

South West Street, looking north

Justice Under Trump

Trump's speech on Friday afternoon should have had every lawyer there mortified. Imagine, the President of the United States inferring legal retribution against his perceived political enemies, at the Department of Justice no less! I understand that our 47th felt that the department was weaponized against him, but now he wants to wield the weapon?

The speech also reflected poorly on Pam Bondi, but her introduction of Trump suggested she is not overly encumbered by such shame. As Trump's campaign song by the Village People played at the end, it was clear that this man hasn't moved beyond the campaign. John Bolton says that Trump is purely transactional, and not interested in anything besides his own scores to settle. It's as if the country's future is being scored on a small golf card.

Trump started his speech wondering if it was inappropriate for him to be there?  That ended up being the most appropriate part of his speech. He told the assembled Justice employees that their department was just recently crooked and corrupt. He attacked the press, even the conservative Wall Street Journal, calling reporters scum. It will be interesting to see how long his appointees are willing to compromise their own legacies.

The Allentown Apartment Myth, A Molovinsky Thesis

Over and over, people contribute Allentown's problems to center city houses being converted to apartments, as if this occurred recently. Many will be surprised to know that almost all the converted apartments existed for over 60 years. When the GI's returned from WW2, the trend was for small single family houses with small lawns, i.e. Levittowns. The mass conversion of the row houses took place in the late 40's and early 50's, and more less stopped by the early 60's. These "new" apartments were mostly occupied by either singles or childless couples. The tenants were buyers at Hess's and engineers at PPL. Because of them, Hamilton Street remained viable for twenty years beyond the main street in Bethlehem, Easton and Reading. Allentown was voted during this era the All American City. During those 50 years, 1940 to 1990, nobody complained about the apartments or the tenants. 

As the urban poor from New York and New Jersey discovered the clean streets of Allentown, and its moderately priced apartments, a steady influx of new residents arrived daily. These changes were not encouraged by the landlords. Nobody ever purchased a building hoping to replace their conscientious middle class occupants, with a poorer, more problematic tenant base. Various social agencies staked many of these newcomers to the first month rent and security deposits.

 Ironically, more apartment inventory has been added recently, by creating "loft" apartments in former commercial buildings. The Urbanists think they can revitalize Hamilton Street with upper story housing. While the proponents mistakenly think that they will attract a middle class demographic, they are in fact just adding to the total inventory and thus the problem. Beside the urbanists, advocates for low income housing still demand more units. In reality, it's apparent we have an abundance of low income housing. Recently, there has been a trend to built new, center city single housing; attempting to attract a middle class with disposable income to bolster Hamilton Street. Neighborhood parking lots have been sacrificed for this concept.* In fact, we are just building tomorrow's rental houses. Allentown, unlike larger cities, is a horizontal community. There is no reason, geographic or otherwise, which compels the middle class to move to center city.

Allentown would currently be better served with a moratorium on new housing of all sorts in center city. Considering that over 7000 units exist, owned by 5000 different owners, deconversion hopes are unrealistic. Strict enforcement of current zoning standards, concerning square footage, parking, etc. would suffice in reasonably curtailing additional living units. By limiting supply, demand can improve the quality of life for everybody.

 *This post was written in 2009, and the new housing refers to the then new townhouses at 8th and Walnut, and others planned for more Parking Authority lots. Those "new" townhouses have since been sold at auction for 50 cents on the dollar, and are in fact now rentals.

ADDENDUM MARCH 14,2025; Reilly's scattered NIZ financed Strata apartments now approach over 1500 units. While intended for young urban office workers, that demographic apparently still prefers the safety of suburban living. While many Strata units remain dark at night, suburban units approach full occupany. Thanks to taxpayer generosity through the NIZ, Reilly can afford to have them empty, instead of occupied problematically. However, eventually the subsidiary will end, and the problems will begin.

photograph of 10th and Chew Streets, 1948