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ENTERPRISE ZONE - TAX CREDIT PROGRAM

The EZP Tax Credit is designed to complement and supplement the Department’s Enterprise Zone Program. Tax credits are authorized in the amount of 25% tax credit of amount invested in rehab, expansion, or physical improvements to buildings or land resulting in job creation/ retention, up to $500,000 in tax credits per project. Unused credits can be carried forward up to five years or sold. Can be applied to numerous Commonwealth taxes, including personal income, corporate net income, and capital stock-foreign franchise tax EZP is most effective with redevelopment of industrial properties.

Full Guidelines

Department of Community Development Overview

The Community Development Department is working on a parking plan for the downtown and several neighborhoods.
Learn more here: ReadingPA.gov/parkingstudy

 






The City of Reading is working on a new comprehensive plan to create a unified vision for the development and redevelopment of the Downtown. Share your thoughts with us here: Downtown Reading Strategic Master Plan

 

 



Department of Community Development Response to COVID-19

Thank you for visiting our webpage. We are here to help.

  • Community Development, Zoning and Planning, please contact:
     
    • Mr. Jamal Abodalo
      • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
      • Phone: 484-877-4049
  • Building & Trades, please contact:
     
    • Mr. Christopher Geltz
      • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
      • Phone: 610 655-6337
  • Property Maintenance Department, please contact:
     
    • Mr. Rudy Estrada
      • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
      • Phone: 484-651-7619

The City of Reading Property Maintenance Division may place on hold the following services:

  • Rental Inspections
  • Property Transfer Inspections
  • Non-Emergency Housing Complaints

The Property Maintenance Division will continue to address:

  • Emergency housing complaints (i.e. no water, ho heat, life/safety issues) on a case by case basis. All complaints for such will require a telephone number or email address to contact the constituent
  • Any incoming housing renewals, registrations and payments
  • Inspections of food carts and payments, please call:
    • Nicole at 610-655-6215

We are still available by phone and can be reached through the Citizens Service Center at 1-877-727-3234.

For all other matters please contact the Community Development office phone number at 610-655-6328.

We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding during these unprecedented times.

 

Location: Room 3-12
 
The Community Development Department is a team of skilled professionals striving to improve the quality of life in the City of Reading through the encouragement of community participation, the effective administration of programs, efficient allocation of resources, judicious enforcement of regulations and sound planning practices.
 
The department is responsible for functions that guide development and planning activities in the City of Reading, such as:
 
• Reviewing proposed development activity to determine compliance with City regulations for subdivisions, land development, historic preservation, and zoning;
 
• Enforcing Zoning and Historic Preservation Ordinances, as well as enforcement of state and local building codes through inspection and approval of new construction within the City;
 
• Enforcing Property Maintenance Codes and conducting inspections and issuing permits for rental housing, as well as conducting health inspections and issuing permits for food service businesses, conducting health and safety inspections when a property is sold and responding to citizen complaints regarding property maintenance and health issues;
 
• Administering the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs. Activities funded by these programs within the City include a variety of infrastructure improvements, economic development initiatives, homelessness prevention services  and housing and planning activities; and
 
•Developing and implementing the City of Reading’s Housing and Economic Development strategies and assembling the necessary resources, partners and support to allow the City to meet its goals for Housing and Economic Development as outlined by the respective strategies;
 
 

The Community Development Department has four divisions: 

 
• Administration oversees the financial and programming aspects of the Department. Specific tasks include managing and reconciling federal grant funds in both HUD’s Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) and the City's General Ledger.  They are also responsible for monitoring compliance with federal, state and local regulations.  The Division has administered a variety of other federal, state and private grant programs including Stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which includes the Neighborhood Stabilization Program and Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program.  Additional grants have been received through the National Endowment for the Arts, Economic Development Initiatives (EDI), Brownfield Economic Development Initiatives (BEDI), and Community Services Block Grants and Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) programs from the Commonwealth.
 
 
• Planning and Zoning is responsible for planning, historic preservation and zoning administration and enforcement in the City. The unit prepares and amends Reading’s Comprehensive Plan and land use and zoning ordinances while providing support to the City Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, and Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB). The division also prepares neighborhood and redevelopment plans, reports and maps; provides technical assistance to City departments on projects that have an impact on Reading’s historical structures (particularly demolitions); reviews zoning plans and permit applications; performs inspections; and issues enforcement notices for noncompliance with the City's zoning ordinance.
 
Zoning -  Phone 610-655-6326; Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; https://www.readingpa.gov/zoning
Historic Preservation – Phone 610-655-6414; https://www.readingpa.gov//historic-preservation
 
For Zoning problems or complaints, please call the Citizen Services Center @ 1-877-727-3234 or use our online Action Center Contact Form at https://www.readingpa.gov/contact-city-hall.
 
• Building/Trades Inspections provides permits for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing trades; reviews building plans; provides occupancy and use permit inspections; and issues all trade licenses for contractors wanting to work in the City of Reading. The division also conducts pre-construction and design review meetings with citizens, builders, developers, and contractors to facilitate the development review and construction process. These "one-stop shop" meetings are managed by Building/Trades and conducted in close collaboration with Planning and Zoning, Public Works/Engineering, and the Fire Marshal's Office. Meetings are held weekly, by appointment, and are intended to simplify and streamline applications by bringing predictability to the regulatory system and enhancing communication between all stakeholders at the beginning of the application process.
 
 
• Property Maintenance Division provides property maintenance code enforcement inspections for properties in order to achieve compliance with City codes and ordinances.  The division responds to housing and property maintenance complaints, provides health and safety inspections when a property is sold, inspects food establishments, restaurants and grocery stores, performs health inspections for illegal trash dumping, odors, and animal waste, and administers housing permits, health permits and mobile vendor permits.
 
 
For Property Maintenance problems or complaints, please call the Citizen Services Center @ 1- 877-727-3234 or use our online Action Center Contact Form at  http://www.readingpa.gov/contact-city-hall.
 

 

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