BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The City of Bethlehem and the Bethlehem Housing Authority will host a Trunk-or-Treat and celebration of the final Pembroke Choice Neighborhood Plan on Thursday, Oct. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Northeast Community Center, 1161 Fritz Drive in Bethlehem. The event’s rain date is Saturday, Oct. 11.
The free event will take place in the community center’s rear parking lot, with food and final plan activities held inside the building. Costumes are encouraged, and children are asked to bring a bucket or bag for trick-or-treating. Along with candy, guests can enjoy free food, raffles and Halloween-themed activities for all ages.
While families take part in the festivities, residents and stakeholders will have the opportunity to review and discuss the final Pembroke Choice Neighborhood Plan — a comprehensive redevelopment effort two years in the making. The project aims to transform the Pembroke Village public housing community and the surrounding Stefko neighborhood into a mixed-income, revitalized community.
In September 2023, Bethlehem was one of 14 cities nationwide to receive a $500,000 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant. The city and the Bethlehem Housing Authority jointly used the grant to create a plan that includes the complete rebuilding of the 196-unit Pembroke Village and the addition of new mixed-income housing for a total of 456 units.
The plan also outlines investments in infrastructure, programs and services to improve health, education and employment outcomes for residents.
Completing this planning phase positions Bethlehem to apply for a $30 million to $50 million HUD Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant, which would fund the next stage of redevelopment.
Local organizations providing resources and activities include the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, Northeast Community Center, Star Community Health, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, New Bethany Inc., the City of Bethlehem Recreation Bureau, Community Action Development Bethlehem, CAT–Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, and Just Born Quality Confections.
