What Lehigh County Housing Authority does

Lehigh County Housing Authority (LCHA) is a public housing authority created in 1970 by the Lehigh County Commissioners pursuant to the Housing Authorities Law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and incorporated on June 3, 1975. Headquartered in Emmaus, PA with offices in Bethlehem, LCHA administers two core HUD-funded programs: a Public Housing program operating 500+ directly owned subsidized rental apartments across more than 20 named properties in Lehigh County, and a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program funding approximately 1,400 rental assistance slots throughout the Lehigh Valley. Tenants in subsidized units pay roughly 30% of adjusted monthly income as rent; voucher payment standards effective January 1, 2026 range from $848 (SRO) to $3,183 (7-bedroom). LCHA also operates the Family Self-Sufficiency program (5-year goal planning with escrow savings) and the Shelter Plus Care program for homeless persons with mental illness. In 1982, LCHA created the Valley Housing Development Corporation (VHDC), a nonprofit subsidiary that has since developed 1,300+ affordable apartments in Lehigh and Northampton Counties. LCHA's jurisdiction excludes Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, each of which maintains its own housing authority. The organization is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the County and led by Executive Director Christina M. Feiertag.

The business model is government-funded and non-investment-grade: revenue streams include HUD public housing operating subsidies, Housing Assistance Payments funded by HUD for vouchers passed through to private landlords, USDA Rural Development funding for Franklin Balliet Apartments, and tenant rental income. Pricing is administratively set — income-based for subsidized units (30% of adjusted income) and AMI-tiered ($589–$883/month) for non-subsidized affordable units. The go-to-market is a direct-to-consumer application model via the MyHousing.com applicant portal and a kiosk/in-person assistance location, with units allocated from waiting lists based on residency, income, and HUD priority rules. The customer base consists of low- to moderate-income families, seniors (55+ or 62+ depending on property), individuals with disabilities, and homeless persons with mental illness; private landlords participate indirectly as voucher-housing providers.

LCHA's technology stack is intentionally thin and dependent on third-party SaaS: the applicant portal is operated by MyHousing.com, unit listings are surfaced via PAHousingSearch.com, and the corporate website is built on WordPress with the Beaver Builder plugin. No proprietary technology, no public API, and no AI/ML capabilities are evident. Operations span 23 named office/property locations across Emmaus, Bethlehem, Slatington, Coplay, Macungie, Catasauqua, Allentown, Coopersburg, Whitehall, Hellertown, and Northampton. The Resident Selection Office relocated in July 2026 from Emmaus to 901 Cherokee Street, Bethlehem, consolidating applicant-facing operations.

Name

Lehigh County Housing Authority

Legal name

Lehigh County Housing Authority

Website

https://lehighcountyha.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Lehigh County Housing Authority is a Pennsylvania public housing authority, created in 1970, that administers HUD-funded Public Housing (500+ owned units) and the Housing Choice Voucher program (1,400 vouchers) for low-income families, seniors, and disabled persons across Lehigh County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public and Affordable Housing

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI), Affordable Rental & Multifamily Housing Finance Programs (LIHTC/Tax Credits/Subsidized Loans) (FSALAKAF), Affordable/Subsidized Independent Living (HUD/LIHTC) Communities (HLADAAAB), Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

Keywords

• Public housing services
• Housing choice vouchers
• Affordable rental housing
• Senior housing assistance
• Section 8 program

Headquarters

HQ city

Emmaus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. HUD Public Housing Subsidies: Federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to subsidize public housing operations. LCHA owns and operates over 500 apartments of subsidized and affordable housing funded through HUD programs.
2. Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8): Federally subsidized rental assistance program funded and monitored by HUD. LCHA pays housing assistance payments (HAP) directly to landlords on behalf of eligible families. Funding covers approximately 1,400 apartments throughout the Lehigh Valley.
3. Tenant Rental Income: Public housing tenants pay approximately 30% of their adjusted monthly income as rent. For affordable units without HUD subsidy, rents are set based on Area Median Income limits (40%, 50%, or 60% AMI) and range from $589 to $883 per month depending on the property.
4. USDA Rural Development Funding: Franklin Balliet Apartments at Macungie Meadows operates under USDA funding similar to public housing programs, providing senior housing options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lehigh County Housing Authority provides federally subsidized affordable rental housing to low- and moderate-income households in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Its core offerings are the Public Housing program (owning and operating rental units across multiple properties) and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), together serving approximately 1,900 households including families, seniors, and persons with disabilities.

Product overview

Lehigh County Housing Authority (LCHA) is a government housing authority created in 1970 that provides affordable housing programs primarily in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The organization's core offerings include Public Housing (HUD-subsidized rental units LCHA owns and operates, with over 500 apartments across multiple senior and family properties) and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (1,400 vouchers for private-market rental assistance, formerly Section 8). LCHA also offers supportive services including the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program and Shelter Plus Care Program. LCHA owns and manages numerous named properties including Seventh Street Village, George Dillard Manor, Coplay Family Units, Ridge Manor, Clarence Aungst Towers, Fountain Hill Senior & Family, Catasauqua Family Apartments, and Franklin Balliet Apartments at Macungie Meadows. Additionally, LCHA maintains an Affordable Units Listing of independently-priced non-subsidized properties including Catasauqua Apartments, Cedar Village Apartments, Coopersburg II Apartments, Coopersburg School Apartments, Eaton Avenue Apartments, Fullerton Village, Hellertown Apartments, Locust Street Apartments, Newport Avenue Apartments, North Catasauqua Apartments, Ridge Manor II, and Schoenersville Apartments. The portfolio spans both Lehigh and Northampton Counties. LCHA is governed by a Board of Commissioners and administered by Executive Director Christina M. Feiertag, with offices in Emmaus and Bethlehem, PA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Housing Program Federally subsidized rental housing program under which LCHA owns and operates more than 500 apartments across multiple properties in Lehigh County for low- and moderate-income families, seniors aged 62+, and individuals with disabilities.
• Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) Federal Section 8 tenant-based voucher program administered by LCHA that provides rental assistance to approximately 1,400 households leasing units from private landlords in Lehigh County, with HUD setting payment standards and household contribution levels.
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program Supportive program for Housing Choice Voucher and Public Housing participants that combines case management, escrow savings, and goal-setting services to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency over a five-year period.
• Shelter Plus Care Program Supportive housing program providing rental assistance combined with case management for homeless individuals with mental illness, persons with substance use disorders, and those with HIV/AIDS.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,900 total housing units served (500+ owned + 1,400 voucher-assisted)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Valley Housing Development Corporation (VHDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1982LCHA created VHDC as a nonprofit subsidiary in 1982 to access additional funding mechanisms better suited for organizations with a different structure. VHDC is now a separate operating agency with its own Board of Directors but continues to use LCHA's experienced staff to administer programs and manage properties. Through various public and private funding mechanisms, VHDC has developed over 1,300 apartments for families, seniors, and folks with disabilities in both Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reading Housing Authority: Municipal housing authority for the City of Reading, PA. Operates Public Housing, HCVP, and supportive housing programs under the same Pennsylvania statutory framework, with a comparable urban-adjacent service area and similar target population to LCHA.
• Berks County Housing Authority: County-level housing authority serving Berks County, PA. Operates the same federal HUD programs under the same Pennsylvania statute, with a comparable mix of Public Housing units and Housing Choice Voucher administration, and serves a similar small-to-mid-sized Pennsylvania county demographic profile.
• Bethlehem Housing Authority: Municipal housing authority serving the City of Bethlehem, also carved out of LCHA's jurisdiction. Operates federally subsidized public housing and HCVP for residents within Bethlehem's borders using the same HUD funding mechanisms, making it functionally identical to LCHA in program mix and beneficiary profile.
• Allentown Housing Authority: Statutorily separate housing authority serving the City of Allentown within the same Lehigh Valley region. Operates the same federal HUD Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs under identical Pennsylvania Housing Authorities Law framework, and serves an overlapping low-income population that LCHA cannot directly serve due to jurisdictional carve-out.
• Chester County Housing Authority: County-level housing authority serving Chester County, PA under the same Housing Authorities Law. Operates a portfolio of subsidized rental housing and administers HCVP for county residents outside of municipal authorities — directly comparable governance and program structure to LCHA.
• Lancaster Housing Authority: Municipal housing authority for Lancaster City, PA, operating federally subsidized public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Program under Pennsylvania law. Comparable in scale and program mix to LCHA, with the same county/municipal governance model and tenant income profiles.
• Housing Authority of the City of Easton: City-level housing authority for Easton, PA — the third Lehigh Valley municipality carved out of LCHA's jurisdiction. Provides identical federal HUD program administration (Public Housing, HCVP) and serves a similarly low-income demographic in the Northampton County portion of the Lehigh Valley.

Regional players

• Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA): Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's housing finance agency, administering state and federal housing programs including the PHARE program, Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation, and mortgage finance programs. Operates at a different level (statewide) and through different mechanisms than LCHA but is a key partner for LIHTC-funded VHDC developments and program oversight.

Broad incumbents

• Pittsburgh Housing Authority: Major Pennsylvania housing authority serving the City of Pittsburgh, administering thousands of HUD-subsidized public housing units and Housing Choice Vouchers. Same Pennsylvania statutory framework and federal funding sources as LCHA, but at materially larger scale with broader urban portfolio including redevelopment and RAD-converted properties.
• Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA): Largest housing authority in Pennsylvania and fourth-largest in the U.S., administering tens of thousands of public housing units and vouchers citywide. Operates the same federal HUD programs under the same Pennsylvania statute as LCHA but at vastly larger scale and with broader portfolio including scattered-site, mixed-finance, and supportive housing developments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Lehigh County Housing Authority