Reading, PA — December 30, 2024 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that the City of Reading’s application for a City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) was accepted.
The CRIZ program, established by Act 52 of 2013, is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Governor’s Office of the Budget. The program aims to stimulate economic development and job creation within designated areas.
A CRIZ can encompass up to 130 acres, comprising parcels selected by a contracting authority, where state and local taxes collected within the zone are reinvested into economic development projects. The program focuses on revitalizing vacant, underutilized, or abandoned spaces to spur growth, create jobs, and enhance local economies.
Sen. Judy Schwank worked closely with Mayor Eddie Moran and state Rep. Manny Guzman to enact legislation reopening the program for new applications. She applauded the City of Reading for preparing the application and Gov. Shapiro for recognizing the impact a CRIZ can make in Reading.
“The City of Reading is gaining a powerful new tool we can use to foster economic growth and breathe new life into our community,” Schwank said. “It took a lot of hard work to reach this point, and I am grateful to all the folks at the City of Reading who spent many painstaking hours preparing a detailed vision for how a CRIZ will be put to good use in our community. We are celebrating today, but there is still much work ahead for our CRIZ Authority in making sure we are using this tool to the best of our ability and moving the City of Reading towards a brighter future.”
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