Affordable housing is hard to come by in the Lehigh Valley. Easton is no exception.
So the Housing Authority of the City of Easton looked for someone with experience handling a large affordable housing program to come and run the city’s authority.
Tyler Martin oversaw the housing choice voucher program in Philadelphia, where more than 20,000 vouchers were in play. Easton has fewer than 600 vouchers.
“I love the Lehigh Valley,” Martin said. He grew up in Lancaster County, but his wife hails from the Bethlehem/Bath area, he said.
The 36-year-old and his wife just purchased a home in Stockertown, where they plan to raise their 7-month-old son.
“When this job opportunity came up, it was a great step professionally for me but was also a great step for our family,” he said.
In Philadelphia, Martin encouraged landlords to rent to tenants in the home choice voucher program, also known as Section 8. He also worked to raise the value of vouchers to put them more in line with the private real estate market.
Martin was appointed by the housing authority board on June 22. He starts with an annual salary of $115,000.
Martin comes on board as Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr.’s affordable housing task force gets off the ground. The task force will use $4 million in American Rescue Plan funds to buy blighted properties, fix them up, create a housing development corporation and set up other programs.
“I have met (Martin) and am looking forward to inviting him to one of our senior staff meetings and the affordable housing task force meetings,” Panto said.
One of Martin’s early goals is to improve the housing authority website. He also wants to set up an app for housing voucher landlords. He wants to make it easy for them to check whether they received housing reimbursements, to check home inspection records and check tenant agreements without having to pick up a phone to call the housing authority.
He said he brings a blend of social work experience with management experience he thinks will help him settle into his new role.
It’s an exciting time for Martin as he just moved into his new home on Sunday, July 24.
“We still have lots of boxes, but it’s nice to be here,” Martin said. He’s happy to start a new life here, already feels at home in this community and wants to make it an even better place to live.
“You get diversity here. It’s a mix politically. You’re between Philadelphia and New York. I’m excited to be here,” he said.
- Section 8 units / housing choice vouchers: 562
- Public housing units: 378
Public housing includes:
Harlan House, 221 S. 4th St., a high rise for elderly residents
Two elderly/disabled high-rise buildings: Walter House at 215 Michael Koury Place and Bushkill House at 66 N. Locust St.
Five family/elderly/disabled developments:
- St. Joseph Street at the corner of Charles Street
- The Delaware Terrace Annex (300 blocks of Williams and Palmer streets, 900 block of Davis Street)
- Scattered sites (where Nesquehoning Street, Iron Street and Glendon Avenue converge)
- North Union Street (where Northampton Street, North Union Street and Church Street meet)
- Jefferson Street (the area west of 10th Street in the 1000 block of Butler Street, the 400 block of Warren Street and 1000-1108 Elm Street)
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Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com.
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He fought for housing voucher-holders in Philly. Now he wants to do it in Easton. - lehighvalleylive.com
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