Covid-19 Information

• Certain Tax & Payment deadlines have been extended. 

• Street cleaning program has been suspended effective Wednesday, March 18 and continuing through Sunday, April 19
• The Bureau of Recycling & Solid Waste is cancelling the scheduled Saturday, April 4 electronics recycling event and April 15 and April 18 paper shredding events. Electronics and paper shredding recycling are suspended until further notice. No appointments are being scheduled.
• Bulk Item Curbside Collection is suspended
• The City of Allentown’s Yard Waste Drop-Off Site will open as scheduled on Wednesday, April 1 for city residents only. During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency, the site at 1401 Oxford Drive will be open Mondays and Fridays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mulch loading services by city staff are suspended until further notice. Residents may continue to self-load mulch for free.
• Bulk items, by ordinance definition, includes “any specific municipal waste item that does not fit in a 32-gallon trash can or in a 30-gallon trash bag, which include but is not limited to furniture, mattresses, etc.” Construction debris will not be collected either.
• Waste Management has been directed by the city to place rejection notices on any bulk items placed out for collection during this time. Bulk items that are not removed from the curb are subject to a SWEEP violation ticket with additional costs.
• All household trash must be in plastic bags and may not be placed loosely inside a trash can.  This safety measure will contain household waste in a manner that is safer for the collection employees.

Parks

• Allentown Municipal Golf Course is closed until further notice
• Li’l -Le-Hi Trout Nursery Hatch House from which fish food is sold to the public is closed until further notice
• Effective March 18, 2020 all City of Allentown Department of Parks and Recreation organized field and pavilion rentals at city facilities are suspended until May 1, 2020
• Existing scheduled renters will be contacted regarding rescheduling of events or issuing of refunds. No further permits will be issued at this time.
• All City playgrounds, the Skate Park at Keck Park, and the Dog Park are closed until further notice.

 Health Bureau - Alliance Hall 

• Health Bureau Services
• COVID-19 Safety Videos

 Police Department

• Letter from Chief Granitz

 Fire Department

• Childcare facilities and food establishments with permits expiring in March or April have been extended to June 30.

 Building Permits & Inspections

• Permits and plans information.

• A Pennsylvania Supreme Court Order essentially closing Pennsylvania Courts through the end of April. Of particular note is that evictions, etc, are on hold through the end of April. The applicable language from this Order is included here:
  • Dispossession of Property - Subject to further orders of this Court, the directives contained in the March 18 Order concerning the dispossession of a residence -- under the heading "Landlord/Tenant" -- are hereby extended through April 30, 2020. It is noted, as a clarification, that the intent of this provision is that, in view of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, during this timeframe no officer, official, or other person employed by the Pennsylvania Judiciary at any level shall effectuate an eviction, ejectment, or other displacement from a residence based upon the failure to make a monetary payment. Such payments include rent and loan payments, as referenced in the March 18 Order; they also include property tax payments. As such, this temporary prohibition encompasses, inter alia, dispossessions predicated on a mortgage foreclosure, a failure to pay rent, or a failure to pay property taxes. Finally, and again subject to further orders, any execution on an order of possession is also stayed for the same period, namely, through April 30, 2020.
• In a Wednesday, April 1 statement, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders are now in effect through April 30 in all 67 counties. The orders include the city of Allentown. All Pennsylvania schools remain closed until further notice. Non-life sustaining business closures remain in effect.
  
  The Pennsylvania Department of Education will be providing updated guidance and resources on the continuity of education for students to schools in the coming days.
  
  For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should visit the following website: https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.
• Governor Wolf expands "Stay at Home" Order to include Lehigh County
• Governor's Order - 3/19/2020
• PA Secretary of Health's Order - 3/19/2020
• Essential / Non-Essential Business Categories

• Allentown Coronavirus Response Hub
• CDC Coronavirus Page
• PA Department of Health Coronavirus page
• IRS - Economic Impact Payments: What you need to know

• LVHN Preparedness & Care
• SLHN Covid-19 Info

• Statewide Mitigation Efforts beginning at 12:01 a.m., Tuesday, March 17 include:
  
• Practice Social Distancing: Social distancing means staying away from close contact in public places. It includes actions like staying out of places where lots of people gather and maintaining distance – approximately 6 feet- from others. Social distancing also includes minimizing contact with people by avoiding public transportation when possible, limiting non-essential travel, working from home, and skipping social gatherings. All Pennsylvanians should practice social distancing – not just those who are seriously ill or at high risk. Social distancing is a proven way to slow the spread of pandemics.

• All restaurants and bars close their dine-in facilities to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Businesses that offer carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so but eating and drinking inside restaurants and bars is temporarily prohibited.
• A no-visitor policy for correctional facilities and nursing homes has been implemented and will be evaluated for other facilities.
• Freedom of travel will remain, but all Pennsylvanians are asked to refrain from non-essential travel.
• All child care centers licensed by the commonwealth close as of Tuesday, March 17 and will be re-evaluated at the conclusion of the 14-day statewide closures. Philadelphia County families should check with their child care facilities to determine status of business operations.
• Adult day care centers, adult training facilities, Provocations facilities, LIFE centers and Senior Community Centers close beginning Tuesday, March 17 and will be re-evaluated at the conclusion of the 14-day statewide closures.
• Essential State, County, and Municipal services will be open: police, fire, emergency medical services, sanitation, and essential services for vulnerable populations.
• Supermarkets, pharmacies, and gas stations will remain open. The administration issued guidance for non-essential businesses, such as gyms, movie theaters and shopping malls during county-specific mitigation periods to protect employees, customers, and suppliers and limit the spread of the virus through personal contact and surfaces. Additional statewide business guidance is forthcoming.
• Governor Tom Wolf announced on March 13 that all K-12 Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced on March 13 that all K-12 Pennsylvania schools will be closed for 10 business days effective Monday, March 16.
• The Wolf Administration strongly encourages the suspension of large gatherings, events, conferences of more than 10 people, and per White House guidelines, ask that individuals and groups cancel any gatherings planned over the next eight weeks.
• The Wolf Administration encourages religious leaders to exercise discretion in order to mitigate the spread of illness.
• Restricted visitors in state centers to ensure health and safety for individuals with an intellectual disability.
• Restricted visitors in assisted living and personal care homes to minimize exposure to our seniors and individuals with disabilities.

• Essential / Non-Essential Business Categories

The city understands that no matter what industry you’re in, the COVID-19 Pandemic has likely affected your business in some way. The Lehigh Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is conducting virtual meetings with any businesses to provide assistance, information and resources.For questions and assistance please call 610-758-3980 to leave a voicemail or email insbdc@lehigh.edu. Consulting sessions are no cost, one on one and confidential.

Financing Assistance for small/local business

1. Touch base with your banker - the quickest way access to capital is through a credit line (new or increase), so if you need the most immediate access to cash flow, this is probably your best starting point.
2. Explain to your banker any issues with cash flow and see if they are able to help. Whether that means forgiving late payments/delaying payments/etc. Communication is key here to address any issues sooner rather than later.
3. SBA Disaster Loans will be available once the state receives a disaster declaration. We don't know yet what the requirements are at this time, but clients should begin to organize financial documents - tax returns for 2017, 2018, and 2019 (if available), 2019 profit and loss statement, year to date profit and loss statements, March 2019-March 2020 revenue comparisons, to name a few. The more organized they are now, the better off they will be when these loans become available.
   Please visit the following SBA websites for more information:
   • General Information
   • Declarations by County
   • Application

Additional Resources:

• PA Department of Labor - Shared Work Program.Talk to your accountant about the effects of taking advantage of this program.
• CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
• WHO Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19
• 2020 Employer Response to the Coronavirus Webinar

Pennsylvania Workers

The PA Department of Labor & Industry will continue to provide employment benefits updates as the situation evolves.
You may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits if:

• Your employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19
• Your employer reduces your hours because of COVID-1
• You have been told not to work because your employer feels you might get or spread COVID-19
• You have been told to quarantine or self-isolate, or live/work in a county under government-recommended mitigation efforts

Allentown Rescue Mission: will remain open until further notice:
355 Hamilton Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
610-740-5500

YMCA- Warming Station and Youth Meals: will remain open
425 15th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18102
610-351-9622

Salvation Army: will remain open for staff only – Food Bank March 25- Grab and Go contact facility for more information
344 N 7th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18102
610-432-0128

Six Street Shelter: will remain open- regular hours- not accepting volunteers/ limiting people in the office
219 N 6th Street
#4111
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18102
610-435-1490

Lehigh Conference of Churches:
Daybreak: Closed will open March 19 for Daybreak members for distribution of can goods.
Pathways: Closed
Food bank & Soup Kitchen: will remain open
457 W. Allen St.
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18102
610-433-6421

Alliance Hall:
Food Bank: CLOSED
231 North 6th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18102
610-437-7760