The landlord for Keystone Mission’s former Wilkes-Barre Innovation center says the organization was months behind on rent before the shelter closed in July.
That’s according to a civil lawsuit filed by JG Realty PA LLC of Dallas against Keystone Rescue Mission Alliance Inc.
The lawsuit charges Keystone Mission with breach of contract, negligence and nuisance. JG Realty is seeking in excess of $50,000 on each of the three counts.
A spokesperson for Keystone Mission’s board of directors said the lawsuit is mainly regarding rent for the months of May, June and part of July.
“We just have to catch up on the rent payments,” the spokesperson said.
Keystone Mission closed the Wilkes-Barre Innovation Center for Homelessness and Poverty and its 365-Overnight shelter on July 10. The organization also closed its innovation center in Scranton and downsized to one location, the Transformation Center near Sherman Hills apartment complex in Wilkes-Barre.
Shelter, center for people experiencing homelessness fell behind on rent
According to the lawsuit, the landlord of the former Innovation Center at 90 East Union St. in Wilkes-Barre agreed to delay rent collection near the end of April after Keystone Mission said they could not pay rent.
The lawsuit alleges that Keystone Mission planned to hold a fundraiser on June 10 and would pay any missed rent after that time.
A lease payment deferral notice included in the lawsuit states rent on the property was deferred until July 12. The Wilkes-Barre facility was closed to guests by July 10.
The lease agreement included in the filing shows a monthly rent of $5,200 for the first 10 years of the lease. Keystone Mission started the 30-year lease in 2022 with the building’s prior owners, according to court documents. JG Realty LLC acquired the property in August of 2024 and continued the lease agreement with Keystone Mission.
In the suit, the landlord states their belief that Keystone Mission “mismanaged its business and financial operations, making the payment of rent under the lease impossible.” They also charge Keystone Mission with creating a nuisance by “promoting homelessness, filth and vagrancy throughout the city of Wilkes-Barrre.”
The Wilkes-Barre Innovation Center for Homelessness and Poverty provided showers, laundry machines, a clothing closet and other services to people experiencing homelessness in the Wilkes-Barre area. In June 2024, the center opened an overnight shelter that could house up to 70 people overnight year-round.
The lawsuit was filed by Attorney Jonathan Comitz of Comitz Law Firm in Wilkes-Barre. Comitz was not available for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
Keystone Mission facing multiple civil actions
Keystone Mission is also waiting for litigation from Luzerne County over its use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The county filed its intent to sue at the end of June. At the time, county manager Romilda Crocamo said the lawsuit would focus on $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money awarded to Keystone. So far, the county has sent Keystone $413,966, Crocamo said.
The board spokesperson said Attorney Lawrence Kansky had spoken to the county solicitor on that matter. However, Kansky said on Wednesday he is not officially representing Keystone Mission.
The spokesperson said nearly all of the money from Luzerne County’s ARPA funds went toward contractors and other services, while rent came from donations.
In a news release before he stepped down, former Keystone Mission CEO Justin Behrens said the expenditures included renovating the day room in Wilkes-Barre, buying supplies like hygiene kits, food and clothing, paying staff wages and activating the Wilkes-Barre Innovation Center for "case-managed homelessness intervention."
Behrens also cited a drastic decrease in donations to Keystone Mission as a main reason for closing the Innovation Centers in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.
Keystone Mission went through an independent, third-party audit assigned by Luzerne County in May, according to the release. The board spokesperson confirmed the audit on Wednesday.
“You show me one organization that could do what the mission did there for a year on donations,” the spokesperson said.
