'This will be a sanctuary of compassion'

Oct. 27—WILKES-BARRE — Clifton Hall, Outreach Case Manager for Give Hope, a program of Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, on Thursday said the soon to be built Brian's Place will be much more than bricks and mortar.

"This will be a sanctuary of compassion," Hall said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the building. "This will be for people facing challenges that are often insurmountable. The impact of Brian's Place will be to provide a safe haven where lives can be rebuilt. It will have a profound impact and it will be a symbol for hope, compassion and unity. Brian's place will extend a helping hand to those who need it most."

Volunteers of America held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will be Brian's Place at the site, 130 East Division St., Wilkes-Barre.

Jodina Hicks, President of Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, said the project will provide five affordable one-bedroom, energy-efficient units for adults with mental health diagnoses who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

"Brian's Place will also provide a daytime space for persons experiencing homelessness who are medically fragile as an alternative to being exposed to harsh, outdoor conditions and offer supportive housing services," Hicks said. "The building will be named Brian's Place in honor of the late Brian Johns — the first homeless street outreach worker for VOAPA who inspired our current outreach model 'Give Hope,' which aims to find and offer support to individuals experiencing street homelessness."

Mayor George Brown said he met Johns, who he said was "the face of Volunteers of America."

"This will be another place for the homeless to go for help — addressing a critical need," Brown said.

Sen. Marty Flynn, D-Scranton, said the event was easy for him to speak from his heart.

"This place will be a conduit to take people from the streets and help them return to being productive members of society," Flynn said.

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, said more and more people are in need of help.

"we are here today to celebrate something good," Pashinski said. "And that is typical of Northeastern Pennsylvania — people helping others in need. Today marks the beginning of a new day — a new start."

Project Goals

—In recognition of the need for increased affordable housing in Wilkes-Barre due to rising rental costs and limited rental stock, VOAPA hopes to expand local permanent affordable housing options and believes its plan fits within the city's five-year consolidated plan to provide decent housing and suitable living environments.

—Promote housing stability and better quality of life outcomes for low-income, unhoused/unstably housed individuals, including those with mental health diagnoses.

—Provide a daytime space for persons experiencing homelessness who are medically fragile as an alternative to being exposed to harsh, outdoor conditions.

—Transform a vacant, blighted building and its land into a habitable living environment that better serves the community.

Proposed Project Details

—VOAPA seeks to redevelop 130 East Division St. into five affordable one-bedroom, energy-efficient units for adults with mental health diagnoses who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability and offer supportive housing services.

—In addition to the units, the plan includes a common area that will serve as a day space option for a small number of persons in the community who are experiencing homelessness as an alternative to being exposed to harsh, outdoor conditions, particularly men who have health conditions such as asthma and diabetes and are experiencing homelessness without alternative options for daytime shelter.

—Supportive services will be available for tenants on an ongoing basis through VOAPA's current supported housing model and programming, as well as through VOAPA's partnerships with other social service agencies in the community. A staff person will be on-site daily.

Project Support and Financial Commitments

—VOAPA plans to invest $3.1 million into the redevelopment of the building on Division Street.

—At this time, VOA has secured various government funding sources, including:

—PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) dollars from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA)'; Local Share Account (LSA) for Luzerne County; Community Development's Emergency Solutions Grants and Community Block Grant Development funds from Luzerne County Office CARES dollars; American Rescue Plan Act; Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health & Developmental Services; Moses Taylor Foundation; the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

Property History

—The Division Street property was established in the early-1900s as a recuperative care home for individuals with tuberculosis and later served as both a maternity ward and as a group home for young women.

—VOAPA acquired the property in 1999 and it was used as the administrative office under its former leadership.

—The building is currently structurally unsound and a liability for the neighborhood as it continues to sit vacant. It now suffers from trespassers who use it illegally for shelter, drug use, and squatting.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.