SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Developers are proposing a facility next to Cetronia Elementary School that would house recovering substance abusers.
- Moyer Construction LLC is proposing a sober house at 3599 Broadway in South Whitehall Township
- The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs said recovery homes are needed in the state
- A hearing is scheduled before the township zoning hearing board on Dec. 1
Construction company Moyer Construction LLC is scheduled to go before the township zoning hearing board Thursday, Dec. 1, regarding the construction of a sober living residence at 3599 Broadway.
Cetronia Elementary School is located at 3635 Broadway.
The construction company will ask zoners to interpret a sober living residence as “sufficiently similar in character and impact” to an assisted-living residence, which is permitted by the zoning laws for that property, according to the public notice.
The public notice does not include the name of the organization that would run the sober house.
Sober houses are privately owned homes for people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, typically for people exiting drug rehabilitation programs. They typically have a sobriety requirement.
South Whitehall Township Manager Tom Petrucci said he had no additional information about the zoning interpretation or the sober house, but he encouraged residents to attend the Zoning Hearing Board’s Dec. 1 hearing.
“If people have questions, concerns or comments on the application, they should attend the hearing,” Petrucci said.
Thoughts from the state government
Representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs did not provide a comment about whether it would be safe or appropriate to build a sober house next to an elementary school, but addressed a need for recovery homes in general.
“Safe drug and alcohol recovery houses across Pennsylvania will give residents and their loved ones’ peace of mind at a vulnerable time in their life.”Statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs
“We need every tool at our disposal as we continue to see the impacts of the overdose epidemic over the past few years,” the statement read.
“Having a network of safe drug and alcohol recovery houses across Pennsylvania will give residents and their loved ones peace of mind at a vulnerable time in their life.”
Resident controversy
A Facebook post about the proposed sober house was shared more than 50 times. The comments included various perspectives from residents about the house and its location.
Former township resident Adrianna Denise said she supports the construction of the sober house.
“People do realize the only way to get into a sober house is to be sober,” Denise said in a comment. “The moment you aren’t, you're kicked out. If you hate recovering addicts, just say that.”
Jessica Gonzalez, who lives near Cetronia Elementary School, said in a message that she’s against the sober house being next to the school because she’s a single mom who worked hard to get out of living in the city.
“For them to want to build a sober home not only next to a school but an elementary school is a slap in the face to every parent that moved their family here," Gonzalez wrote. "I don't mean to sound like that type of facility isn't needed because yes they are but NOT near or next to a school.
“We already live in a scary enough time where school shootings and other scary things are happening to kids, do we need to add to the anxiety of it all?”
The address used to be the home of Trexler Park Manor, an assisted-living facility that closed in 2014. The property has been vacant since.
