by Kevin Dicciani

The Chestnut Hill Community Association is now officially a 501(c)(3) corporation.

The CHCA membership voted at its October meeting to implement 501(c)(3) status, with 79 votes in favor, seven against and zero abstentions. As of last week, CHCA membership numbered 1,602.

John Falco, a Chestnut Hill resident and an attorney with Pepper Hamilton who aided the CHCA in the process, said the CHCA is now a legal Pennsylvania nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.

Moving forward, Falco said there are only a few more details to work out.

One is configuring the resource sharing agreement which covers the sharing of the employees’ facilities and expenses. Another is to nominate and appoint a board for the Chestnut Hill Local, which is now a separate entity from the CHCA, as well as transition its own officers and directors over to its new board. He said most of the remaining steps are going to “happen on paper.”

“We’ve got a little bit of work to do, but this was the big hurdle and we’re over it, and we can get the rest done in a relatively short time,” Falco said.

Falco said the organization can start accepting tax-exempt donations and grants. At the moment, those who sign up for membership to the CHCA can have their $30 fee tax-deductible, although the other $20 in that fee, which currently goes to the Local, will not be exempt.

“We are very eager to get the job done,” said CHCA president William Detweiler.