Lehigh County Community and Economic Development

What Lehigh County Community and Economic Development does

Lehigh County Community and Economic Development (DCED) is a department of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania — a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — that administers economic development, community revitalization, housing, and agricultural land preservation programs across the county's twenty-five municipalities. The department operates in conjunction with the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and serves three constituent groups identified in the input: local businesses and employers seeking economic-development support and grants; county residents accessing housing programs and community services; and the 25 municipal governments within Lehigh County that partner with the county for regional planning, revitalization, and shared services.

The department's program portfolio includes Community & Economic Development Services (the core function), Agricultural Land Preservation, CDBG/HOME/CHDO federal grant administration, Housing-Related Programs, general Grant Programs, Fair Housing Services, Community Revitalization, the Online Records Access (ORA) portal, and e-Filing Services. Its technology stack is centered on a county website (lehighcounty.org) with integrated GIS Parcel Viewer, Online Records Access (ORA), Property Assessment Search, and e-Filing — built atop a DotNetNuke-style portal with Section 508 accessibility compliance — and supported by physical service counters at the Government Center (17 South 7th St., Allentown) and the Courthouse (455 Hamilton St., Allentown). Outreach channels include press releases, email newsletters, a YouTube channel ("Lehigh County Life"), and a Facebook page.

As a government department, DCED does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through county tax revenues and intergovernmental grant programs, with services delivered at no direct charge to residents. Distribution combines direct walk-in service delivery at county offices, self-service digital portals for property records, tax payments, permit applications, and program registrations, and partnerships with the Allentown Chamber, Emmaus Main Street Partners, and West End Alliance on Community Revitalization. The headcount attributable directly to DCED is listed as 1-10 employees; the department operates in close conjunction with the broader Lehigh County government structure including specialized authorities such as the Lehigh County Industrial Development Authority, Redevelopment Authority of Lehigh County, and General Purpose Authority.

Name

Lehigh County Community and Economic Development

Legal name

Lehigh County

Website

https://lehighcounty.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lehigh County Community and Economic Development is a Pennsylvania county-government department that administers economic development, housing, community revitalization, and farmland preservation programs across Lehigh County's 25 municipalities, serving local businesses, county residents, and municipal governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Economic Programs (9261)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Community development programs
• Housing assistance programs
• Grant administration services
• Government public services

Headquarters

HQ city

Allentown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lehigh County Community and Economic Development is a county government department that delivers economic growth programs, community revitalization initiatives, housing assistance, agricultural land preservation, and federal/state grant administration across Lehigh County's 25 municipalities. It partners with organizations such as the Allentown Chamber, Emmaus Main Street Partners, and the West End Alliance to coordinate regional planning and community improvement. The department also operates public digital services including the Online Records Access (ORA) portal, GIS Parcel Viewer, and e-Filing system for property, tax, and court records.

Product overview

Lehigh County Community and Economic Development operates as a government department providing public services rather than commercial products. The department offers a unified set of programs including Community & Economic Development Services as the core function, Agricultural Land Preservation, CDBG/HOME/CHDO grant applications, Housing-Related Programs, Grant Programs, Fair Housing Services, Community Revitalization initiatives, Online Records Access (ORA), and e-Filing Services. These programs work together to support economic growth, community development, farmland preservation, and housing affordability across Lehigh County's twenty-five municipalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community & Economic Development Services

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Allentown ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Revitalization program partner supporting economic development initiatives in the Allentown area. The partnership facilitates business development, community improvement projects, and regional economic growth efforts.
• Emmaus Main Street PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Revitalization program partner focused on maintaining and improving the Main Street area of Emmaus borough through economic development and community beautification initiatives.
• West End AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Revitalization program partner serving the West End region of Lehigh County, supporting economic development and community enhancement projects in the area.
• 25 Municipalities of Lehigh CountyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership with all 25 municipalities within Lehigh County for coordinated economic development, shared services, and regional planning initiatives.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation: The company description explicitly notes that Lehigh County DCED works in conjunction with the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, making LVEDC the most direct regional peer in economic development for the same geography.
• Lancaster County Economic Development Company: Another Pennsylvania county-level economic development organization providing comparable business attraction, retention, and community development services within Lancaster County.
• Chester County Economic Development Council: Pennsylvania county-based economic development council offering business development, workforce, and community revitalization services comparable in scope to Lehigh County DCED.
• Montgomery County Commerce Department: Pennsylvania county government department administering economic development, housing, and community development programs across Montgomery County municipalities.

Regional players

• Berks County Planning Commission: Adjacent Pennsylvania county government planning and economic development body serving Berks County with similar community and economic development responsibilities.

Broad incumbents

• Allegheny County Economic Development: Larger Pennsylvania county economic development function with broader portfolio and resources, serving as a scaled comparison for Lehigh County DCED's mandate.
• Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED): State-level agency that funds and oversees many of the federal programs (CDBG, HOME) administered by Lehigh County DCED, providing the policy and funding umbrella under which the county operates.
• Philadelphia Department of Commerce: City-level economic development agency in Pennsylvania administering business, housing, and community development programs, with a much larger scope but similar functional mandate.

Others

• National Association of Counties (NACo): National association representing U.S. county governments; comparable as a peer ecosystem organization providing policy guidance, advocacy, and program support relevant to Lehigh County DCED's operations.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): Professional membership association for economic developers; relevant as a peer ecosystem organization that sets standards, training, and best practices for entities like Lehigh County DCED.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7wr_sLIfOxPuBhTLjoNhfA/featured?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/148439135174638
• Xx.com/lehighcounty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lehigh-county-veterans-affairs

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lehigh County Community and Economic Development