Bethlehem Housing Authority facts for kids

The Bethlehem Housing Authority (BHA) helps people in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania find affordable places to live. They provide what's called social housing. This means homes are available for families and individuals who might not earn a lot of money. The BHA works to make sure everyone has a safe and comfortable home.

Building Homes for Bethlehem

The Bethlehem Housing Authority started in 1939. Its main goal was to build homes for people in Bethlehem, a city in eastern Pennsylvania. This was during a tough time called the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Helping During Hard Times

President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the National Housing Act in 1937. This law aimed to improve living conditions for many Americans. The Bethlehem Housing Authority was one of the first groups like it in the country.

Robert Nuemeyer became the BHA's first leader in 1939. The first homes they built were for people with lower incomes. These new homes were called Pembroke Village. They were built on old farmland in the northeast part of the city.

Housing During World War II

Soon after the BHA started, the US entered World War II. Building new homes became difficult. However, the Bethlehem Steel factory was making many things for the war. Thousands of workers came to Bethlehem to help the factory run all day and night.

This meant the city needed many more homes. The government and the BHA built three temporary communities for these workers. These were Parkridge, South Terrace, and Clearfield, with 700 homes. Pembroke Village was finished quickly. Its 202 homes were set aside as "permanent war housing." This meant they would become low-income housing after the war. The other temporary homes were planned to be taken down.

After the War

After World War II ended, Bethlehem faced another housing problem. Soldiers were returning home, and the city's population grew a lot. It went from 50,000 people to 75,000 by 1960.

This meant many affordable housing options were needed. The BHA decided to keep the Parkridge, South Terrace, and Clearfield homes. They used them as public housing instead of tearing them down.

The BHA also planned to build 500 to 600 more homes. These would be next to Pembroke Village. This would bring Bethlehem's public housing to over 1,400 homes.

By 1950, new projects like Fairmount and Marvine Village were approved. The State of Pennsylvania helped pay for much of the Fairmount project.

In 1952, Ralph J. Bartholomew took over as the BHA's leader. He started a program to help the growing number of older people needing homes.

Housing for Older Adults (1960-1974)

In 1962, the BHA showed plans for its first homes designed for older people. These were the Robert Pfeifle Homes. This community had 50 homes in ten buildings. They were among the first of their kind in the United States.

Over the next ten years, the BHA built more housing for seniors. These included the Litzenberger House, the Bodder Building, the Bartholomew Building, and the Monocacy Tower. Today, BHA has about 450 apartments for older adults. You can learn more at www.bha645.com.

After Mr. Bartholomew passed away, Frank V. Loretti became the BHA's third director. He came from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Modernizing the BHA (1974-2003)

Frank Loretti wanted to make the BHA more modern. He wanted to use computers for records and other tasks. The BHA also started a big program to update its buildings.

During this time, they made a plan for the older buildings. The war-time homes at South Terrace, Parkridge, and Clearfield were taken down. South Terrace and Parkridge were rebuilt between 1985 and 1991. All other buildings were updated using money from the federal government.

Many management tasks were also brought together to make things more organized. The maintenance shops were moved to one modern building in 1978. A central supply building was opened in 1977.

The BHA Today

Clara A. Kendy became the executive director in 2004. Today, the BHA faces challenges similar to other housing groups. Federal funding has been cut, so housing authorities must find new ways to succeed.

The BHA has many new ideas. One idea is helping people own their own homes. They work with groups like Habitat For Humanity to connect tenants with opportunities. The BHA always tries to help its residents become more independent.

Today, the Bethlehem Housing Authority manages 1,430 homes in ten different areas. They also offer nearly 500 Housing Choice Vouchers for eligible families. These vouchers used to be called "Section 8" housing. The BHA also has fun programs for tenants of all ages.

In 2007, the BHA's new First Tee Golf Learning program won a national award. It was recognized as a great learning program for children. In 2009, during its 70th anniversary, the BHA started building a new community. The first "Bayard Homes" were ready for rent in early 2011.