Tag: Drug Treatment Facilities

Posted on by

When is neighborhood rehab clinic one too many?

That was the headline of the write up this week in the Northeast Times about the task force meeting on the drug services businesses in Frankford.  And what is the answer to that question?   Dump them in there till the people scream in pain.  So in Bustleton, they win and in Frankford we lose.  At least up until now.  Maybe they have pushed us too far.

Now maybe there is a chance that we can get this thing under control.  Why?  Well a lot of people are really justifiably pissed off.

…the councilwoman was adamant that she does not want any more approvals of rehab facilities or recovery houses in the 19124 ZIP code. She said her office is looking into the licenses and permits of facilities located in Frankford. The city Department of Licenses and Inspections prepared to start visiting the locations on the councilwoman’s list to make sure that city codes and regulations are being adhered to.

L&I’s Dan Quinn told the task force that any houses found to be in violation will be shut down. If they continue to operate after a shutdown order, the buildings will be sealed, Quinn added.

The next Frankford Civic meeting is on May 7th.  There is strength in numbers.

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Frankford Civic Shows Some Teeth

Close to 50 people crowded into the conference room last night at Frankford Hospital for the Frankford Civic Association meeting.  Concern about  the possibility of a recovery house at 1522/24 Church Street, in a residential area,  so close to a church and school, seems to be having an effect.

Related to that issue, Jason Dawkins, of Maria Quinones-Sanchez office noted that a Frankford stakeholders meeting is scheduled for next week to update the community on the progress being made on the overall problem of the drug businesses in Frankford.  This is not a public  meeting so hopefully news will get out.

Zoning issues were discussed with approval given for several applicants.  However, the representatives of one applicant were sent packing after being confronted with evidence gathered by the Civic that work was being done to the property without permits and of doubtful quality.  Frankford just will not put up with this foolishness any longer.  The Civic has given notice, do it right or don’t do it.

A new applicant for the expansion of a business on Frankford Avenue, along with his representative, made his presentation and did a very professional  job of informing the Civic of his proposed plans.  That was a model for how the process should be.

The next meeting of the Frankford Civic Association will be on May 7th.

Posted on by — 11 Comments

New Desires – Recovery Housing

You hear a lot about recovery houses in Frankford but I had never visited one so I asked Jeanna Goodwin, president of New Desires Inc., if I could stop by and talk to her.  Tuesday morning we sat down in the twelve foot high ceilinged front room of New Desires on Leiper Street and I asked some questions.

New Desires was founded by Jeanna’s father, the late Fred Courduff, about 12 years ago.  He didn’t set out to start a recovery house.  It evolved from his desire to help others find the path to recovery that he, himself, was on.  New Desires now has two houses, both on Leiper Street, serving about 30 residents.

What does New Desires do?  They provide a place and structure for people who are trying to get their lives back together and move away from addiction.  They come voluntarily and stay as long as necessary. They are not committed by the judicial system or anything like that.

New Desires, Inc.’s Residential Recovery Houses are community based, peer-group oriented, residential facilities that provides food, shelter, and recovery services in a supportive, non-drinking, drug-free environment for alcoholics and other drug addicts. Services provided by our recovery house include individual and group recovery planning, alcohol and other drug recovery education, group support, recreational activities, and information about and assistance in obtaining health, vocational, and other community services.

Some residents stay on more or less permanently as they might in one of the other boarding houses you find here and there in Frankford.  Of course they are free to leave at any time and some do.  A supervisor is always on duty to ensure that the program is being followed and the rules are enforced.

Jeanna co-founded the Frankford Recovery House coalition a few years ago to attempt to unite the legitimate recovery houses in the face of unfavorable publicity.  There are five organizations within the coalition at present.  Jeanna is well aware of the problem caused by recovery houses that merely take a check and provide no services to their residents.

new-desires-recovery-team

Jeanna - President, Steve - Housing Supervisor and John also on staff

This is not an endorsement of New Desires but rather an attempt to understand what we are talking about in regard to recovery houses.

Posted on by — 9 Comments

Update on 1522-24 Church Street

The new recovery house on the corner of Church and Griscom has been visited by L&I who found no activity.  img_2542edit

Our Councilperson has requested a revisit for another inspection.  She will continue to monitor this case until it is resolved to the satisfaction of the community.  It was through an unfortunate office oversite that Father Steve at St. Joachims did not receive a callback on his previous contact.   It will not happen again.

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Frankford Civic Association Meeting

A good crowd once again attend the Frankford Civic Association tonight.  The meeting ran a bit over an hour and fifteen minutes.

  • In addition to the concerned residents of Frankford, some representatives of Frankford drug services were present.  A good deal of discussion was spent on the issue of the perception of the Frankford Civic as unfriendly to these types of businesses.  It seems fair to say that the folks who attended the meeting from the drug services arena are likely to be the best of the lot and expressed a desire to see the undesirable elements weeded out.  That position seems to line up nicely with the goals of the Frankford Civic and most other folks.
  • Zoning issues were updated and the Civic is dealing with them promptly as they come up for approval.
  • Officer katz of the 15th District was at the meeting to listen to citizen complaints and dealt with several with advice on how they should be handled.
  • Complaints from several residents of Salem Street about the clients at the Wedge building on Frankford Avenue centered on loitering by clients waiting for a van to pick them up for the return trip to wherever they live.  They clearly do not live in Frankford.  This is what residents were afraid would happen and now it has happened.  What will our representatives do to straighten this out.  They gave them the green light to move in here and set up shop.  No opposition.  When the same thing was about to happen in Bustleton, red light.  What a surprise.
  • 1522 and 24 Church Street have been purchased and the new owner plans to open a recovery house 120 feet from the door to St. Joachim church and 250 feet from the Northwood Academy Charter school.  Why does that sound like such a bad idea.  Because drug dealers like to go where the business is so they will also be on the church and school doorsteps.  Call your councilperson.  Express your restrained but vehement opposition.  See if we can make this go away permanently.  215-686-3448, 3449.