The lawns and buildings appear neat and well kept, but the former White Haven Center otherwise stands empty sixteen months after it was closed.
Along with two other shuttered residential facilities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, White Haven continues to be maintained by the state Department of General Services (DGS), costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
State Sen. Dave Argall wants that to change.
"My goal is to speed up the reuse of the property and save our tax dollars," Argall (R-Rush Township) said this week.
At issue are the former White Haven Center in Foster Township, Luzerne County, as well as the former Hamburg Center in Berks County and the former Polk Center in Venango County.
DGS officials replied that efforts are underway, subject to a "lengthy but necessary process is due to the procurement rules and statutes that govern Commonwealth property sales."
Argall, together with Sens. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango County) and Chris Gebhard (R-Lebanon County), announced this week they are seeking detailed plans from DGS on the future of the three sites.
"If we do not receive a concrete plan soon from the Shapiro administration, we are prepared to take further legislative and legal action to force a resolution,” Argall said.
"Whatever the purpose, I think it's a very valuable site. And we need to get it back on the tax rolls."
Concerns over the sites' future follow the painful and often emotional process that led to their closure during the administration of previous Gov. Tom Wolf.
Despite bipartisan opposition to the closure, state officials moved to shut down the centers as part of a shift toward home- and community-based care for people with disabilities. Advocates said the approach was more cost-effective and humane. Critics said the closures ignored the needs of people who needed high levels of care and put hundreds of employees out of work.
Status of sites
DGS said it is working with the Department of Human Services to prepare the properties for sale, but that the process requires multiple steps, including survey work, appraisals, and environmental studies.
According to a statement from DGS:
- The Hamburg Center closed on Aug. 3, 2018, and sale preparation work needed to sell the property has been completed. Costs for the 2023-24 fiscal year are projected to be $3.9 million.
- The Polk Center closed on May 1, 2023. Some residents still live at the property, however, and are provided residential services by an outside contractor. These residents will transition to community homes owned and operated by the contractor by early 2025. Costs for the Polk Center during the 2023-24 fiscal year are projected to be $15.3 million, including the residential management agreement with the outside contractor. Property sale preparation work will begin at the Polk Center after the remaining residents move to other community homes.
- White Haven Center closed on Feb. 24, 2023. Property sale preparation work is underway at White Haven. A title search and an environmental assessment have already been completed. A boundary survey will be conducted followed by an appraisal report. Sale preparation work should be completed for White Haven Center within 18 months. Costs are expected to be $8.9 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
There are legal hurdles as well.
"In order to convey these properties, DGS would need to convey the properties directly to a redevelopment authority, or the General Assembly would need to pass legislation authorizing a direct conveyance or a sale," the release added.
"At this time, we are still working through this process and no specific buyers have been determined," the DGS statement added.
Fears of another Allentown
Argall fears the process could lead to a lengthy and costly saga like the former Allentown State Hospital.
That building required millions of taxpayer dollars each year for upkeep and security until it was finally razed in 2020, Argall said, a decade after it was closed.
"In Allentown, they spent more than $2.2 million a year for 10 years, and then they spent $15 million to tear it down," Argall said. "That's an incredible waste of tax dollars. We don't want to repeat that experience at White Haven."
DGS replied that the process required to sell any property typically takes at least 18 months.
"Once legislation authorizing a sale is passed and signed into law typically the properties are put out for competitive bid with a bid period of at least 90 days, followed by the execution of a sales agreement and finally closing," the agency's statement said.
Argall stressed the need to get the properties back on the tax rolls and into productive use.
"I have visited the site with Rep. (Mike) Cabell. We saw the buildings are in good shape, the lawns are being mowed there, the heating and other systems are still operating. And that's all good," Argall said. "But it's a tremendous waste of money to maintain a site with with no one living there."
