The affordable housing that the First Presbyterian Church would like to build on its campus could be restricted to new police officers and employees of the church and Wesley Methodist Church immediately to the north, employees of the nonprofit moving its headquarters to the campus, and employees of Kirkland Village and Bethlehem Catholic High School. This could be a win-win-win-win-win situation. The church would shore up its finances and might gain some new members. The employees would eliminate a commute and be able to walk to work. This would be good for the environment. The neighbors would benefit from reduced rush-hour traffic. And the City of Bethlehem would benefit from more affordable housing and by making it easier to attract new police officers to fill the vacancies, now 10 in number.

Bill Scheirer

Bethlehem