07072026 Community Development Committee - FAIR Hearing

The City of Bethlehem Council's Community Development Committee held a FAIR (Financial Accountability Incentive Reporting) Hearing on July 8, 2026, to review the annual report on tax and non-tax incentives aimed at promoting economic development and affordable housing. Key procurement-related discussions included evaluations of the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) programs, the City Revitalization and Improvement Zones (CRIZ), and various loan funds such as the Enterprise Zone Loan Program, Bethlehem Small Business Loan Fund, and Business Infrastructure Development (BID) program. The committee discussed the effectiveness and utilization of these incentive programs, including the expiration and renewal process of the Enterprise Zone designation and the underutilization of legacy loan funds. An RFP had been released to support the renewal application for the Enterprise Zone. The report also highlighted the collection of payments in lieu of taxes from affordable housing projects and the impact of CRIZ projects on local tax revenues and job creation. No formal votes or motions were recorded during the meeting, but several action items were noted, including providing more detailed breakdowns of LERTA payments and continuing evaluation of loan fund programs to better align with city priorities.