From Spotlight PA Berks Bureau
Spotlight PA Berks Bureau will host a community forum entitled “The Challenge of Blighted Property in Reading” on Thursday, July 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
On Tuesday, May 5, Spotlight PA published a story written by their Berks Bureau City and County Accountability reporter Hanna Holthaus. The story, entitled “Who owns Reading’s blighted homes?” highlighted the challenges of identifying who owns the blighted properties and the ability to hold them accountable.
An analysis of the 286 properties on the city’s September 2025 blighted list found that it was difficult not only to identify who actually owns the property but also how to contact them. Many of these properties were neglected for a long period of time and posed problems for their residents and neighbors. This is not just a Reading problem. It is a statewide issue with many cities and counties confronting the same issues. Holthaus will share the results of her research.
She will be joined by Jack Gombach and the City Managing Director, David Barr, Reading’s community development director. Gombach has experience working with both public and private partners on projects, and Barr has pushed for a number of changes during his short tenure in office — including disincentivizing buyers from keeping properties vacant.
Holthaus, Gombach, and Barr will be joined by Deb Millman, President of the Greater Berks Development Fund, who has been trying to remediate abandoned and blighted industrial and commercial properties in the region for some time.
Join Spotlight PA Berks Bureau for this important conversation about a very critical issue for our region. Register here: eventbrite.com/e/community-forum-the-challenge-of-blighted-properties-in-reading-tickets-1991232476941?aff=oddtdtcreator.
