Assessment of Reading’s Attractiveness to External Industries

December 14, 2016

Brian Beissel, Dominique Bennett, Dillon Leone, Christian Ragland, Amanda Ramos, Stacy Smith, Gabriella Wilson

Mission Statement:

“To improve health outcomes of residents in the City of Reading, PA through improved nutrition and increased physical activity.”

Our Objective:To determine the attractiveness of the city of Reading to businesses and identify areas that the city can improve upon.

Approach• Interviewing community members• Obtaining secondary research

Focus of Research• Demographics

• Education

• Housing

• Crime

• Transportation

• Lancaster Comparison

Demographics

A Look Inside the City

Demographics Population: 88, 975

Female : 43,440 Male: 44,372

Demographics

● 8,000 Households

● Median Household Income: $31,023.00

● Poverty rate: 40.5%

Demographics

Johanny Cepeda

Owner/Manager

Executive Director

Demographics

Education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

-Nelson Mandela

Education• Educated people add value to

businesses• Reading is behind in educational

attainment• Language education affects

hiring

Education Educational Institutions in Reading Area

Technical/Trade Schools• Empire Beauty School• BTI• Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences

Community College• Reading Area Community College

Colleges/Universities• Penn State• Alvernia University• Albright College• Kutztown University• Baker College

Education

Housing

The Foundation For Success

HousingPros:• Affordable Housing• Rich History• Help with Home

Rehabilitation

Cons:• Trash• Drugs & Violence• Vacant Homes• Low Property Values• Renters’ Destructive

Behavior

Reading PA

Owner-occupied housing unit rate

40.4% 68.1%

Median value of owner-occupied housing units

$68,000 $166,000

% of Renters 59.5% 31.9%

Rental Vacancy Rate 8.35% 6.40%

Housing Habitat for Humanity and the Blighted Property Review Committee (BPRC)

• Involved in both new construction and rehabilitation programs of existing properties in Reading

• If unsuccessful, Reading acquires the property through eminent domain• Aims to increase community value to attract potential investors• Low cost approach

Housing HOME Program

• The Community Development Department administers the City of Reading’s HOME program grant. The grant is for the “provision of decent, safe, affordable housing” for families of low-to-moderate incomes.

Community Development Block Program (CDBG)

• The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development. Vacant and underused properties become undervalued assets. Well located vacant properties can become a competitive advantage. In recent years, the city has not been well positioned to use this advantage

Housing

Crime

The Ammunition for Change

Allotted Budget for Police Department $35.4 million budgeted for 2016

• $32.9 million in 2015

Accounts for 39% in General Fund • Largest budget in the General Fund

Responsibilities include: • Patrol• Criminal investigation• Emergency dispatch• School crossing guard (part-time)

Impact on Health

Interview Outcome

Chief John Pontician• Womelsdorf Borough• 20+ years

experience

Buck Santana• Former police officer• 20+ years

experience Lt. Andrew Winters• 15 years of

experience

Common Crimes Committed Drugs

• Started in the 1990s • Now on every block• Stores may act as fronts

Gangs • Different territories • Easy for teenagers to join

Guns • Stolen • Teenagers carry

Transportation

What Drives Reading?

Current StateInfrastructure more of a weakness than strength

• 20th out of 25 worst mid-sized cities in terms of annual vehicle maintenance costs caused by poor road conditions

• 38% of roads are in poor condition

Limited accessibility for visitors

Infrastructure has effect on economic development in city• https://www.google.com/maps/place/Reading,+PA/@40.3338276,-75.9603201,13

z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c670ca5086a8b9:0xe2eea549f5bf19f0!8m2!3d40.3356483!4d-75.9268747?hl=en

Expectations from millennials

Highways Neighboring Cities “Access”

Propositions

Everything Starts Somewhere

Recommendations • Partner with Johanny to assess current businesses in Reading

• Utilize local institutions to educateo Use technical schools to teach skills for the jobs currently available in the areao Educate high school students on post high school education options

(paths/funding) o Partner with institutions to teach ESL classes

• Improve appearance of the cityo Make Reading a clean looking cityo Possible community service opportunities for students

Recommendations• Create a program for teens• Enact proactive measures for business ownership • Find ways to improve upon existing infrastructure and poor road conditions• Determine feasibility of creating better access to the city for visitors• Create more efficient means of public transportation and link to non-motorized

transportation• Composting and community involvement• Social media campaign for the city to combat stigma: Partner with local universities’

business and communications programs

A Special Thanks to our Interviewees ● Johanny Cepeda - Business Owner/Manager (Mi Casa Su

Casa Cafe)● Deb Heffner CEcD - Business Outreach Director● Linda Kelleher- Liaison for Blighted Property Review

Committee● Karen Marsdale-President/CEO Greater Reading Chamber

of Commerce and Industry● Tom Mckeon AICP,CEcD-Executive Director Berks County

Industrial Development Authority● Chief John Pontician- Womelsdorf Borough● Buck Santana- Former Reading Police Officer● Pamela Shupp AICP, CEcD- President/CEO Greater

Reading Economic Partnership● Valerie Smith-Business Operations Analyst● Lt. Andrew Winters-Reading Police Department● Harry Bieber - Brewers Bar and Grill

Thank You & Remember“BE BOLD & TAKE CHARGE”

“WE CREATE CHANGE”