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Concerns Raised After Organization Asked to Open At-Risk Youth Living Facility in West Pittston Neighborhood

WEST PITTSTON, Pa. — Concerns in one community in Luzerne County now that an organization wants to open a living facility for at-risk youth. That company,...

WEST PITTSTON, Pa. -- Concerns in one community in Luzerne County now that an organization wants to open a living facility for at-risk youth.

That company, VisionQuest, is asking West Pittston to put that youth shelter at a home in the borough.

The house at 726 Fifth Street sits in a quiet neighborhood in West Pittston, but now it also sits in the middle of controversy.

A youth services organization, VisionQuest, is asking borough officials to allow it to open a supervised independent living facility for homeless youths and children aging out of foster care.

Those children would reportedly be taken in from Luzerne County Children and Youth Services and/or through Juvenile Probation Services.

Neighbors are very concerned with this request.

“Adolescents, you don't know what kind of life they had. You don't know if they're going to start trouble or not,” said Frank Wright. “Like I said, it's a residential area, there's a lot of families here, it's a nice area.”

“I'm worried about breaking into my house, harming me or property damage, vehicle damage, buying drugs, selling drugs, inviting the wrong type of people here,” said Susan Natt. “There's so many people that have children around here.”

The company says it operates similar facilities across the country and would provide housing for those aged between 16 and 20 at the home in West Pittston.

The goal would be to get them on their feet and into society.

“I'm definitely for helping the society and having a placement for these kids when they need it, but on the same aspect, how supervised is it going to be?” said Amanda Amita.

A hearing was supposed to be held, but the borough says it's been postponed at VisionQuest's request.

No new hearing date has been set at this time, but residents here say they will be there when that hearing happens.

“I don't know when the next meeting's going to be, but that's why we're all going because we all need more information,” said Natt. “Even with that, I just don't think this is the place in such a residential area for something like that.”

We did reach out to Vision Quest but did not hear back.

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