WHAT WE DO

The Chester Economic Development Authority was created by the City of Chester to serve as the administrative agent for the City’s economic and community development programs and activities.  In this capacity, the Authority is engaged in an ongoing effort to promote business growth and attract new investment in the City.  The Authority is also responsible for the administration of numerous public infrastructure improvement projects as well as public facility and public service program funding activities.

Through a Cooperation Agreement with the City, the Authority manages several federal programs including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, HOME Investments Partnership (HOME) program and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program.  Decisions on the use of these funds are made by City Council with the Authority handling the program and/or project management.  Details on the actual programs and activities carried out with these funds are provided in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) submitted to HUD on an annual basis.

In addition, the Authority assists the City in the application for and administration of project specific federal funding requests including funds made available under programs such as HUD’s Economic Development Initiative (EDI), Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI), and Section 108 programs.  Funding received from these sources is used to undertake specific projects. 

The Authority also provides administrative support to the City of Chester with the application for and management of state economic and community development funds.  Two key program funding sources managed by the Authority are the Enterprise Zone (EZ) program and the Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) program.  Each of these programs is focused on attracting and encouraging new business investment in the City.  The Authority also assists the City in the application for and administration of project specific state funding requests.

In summary, the Authority is responsible for the implementation of most of the economic and community development programs and policies established by Chester City Council.