Public Hearing Held On Recovery Home

Washington City Council held a public hearing for a conditional use application presented by CMR Enterprises. The group is looking to build Holden House of Hope, two recovery homes otherwise called ¾ houses on two properties on College Avenue, across the street from Washington and Jefferson College. Attorney Clark Mitchell, a possible neighbor to the project, stated to council that he is not against the mission of a ¾ house. He states that legally there are no definitions in city code that would allow such an arrangement to exist. He asks council to deny the request by the nature of the law. Laura Dieterle of the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission spoke in favor of the project indicating that no medical services or treatment programs would be employed at the homes. The homes are strictly structured living facilities that have rules that residents would need to abide by in order to remain. Several proponents of the project stated that the homes would be better monitored than some of the dormitories at the college. Kiandra Foster from the University of Pittsburgh Program Evaluation and Research Unit indicated that she presented studies that debunk claims that programs such as this increase crime, devalue neighboring properties and have a negative impact on neighbors to the homes. Council will vote on the measure at Thursday’s voting meeting.