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Public commenters press Scranton leaders on homelessness, shelters and hospital uncertainty
Summary
Residents and speakers urged the council to monitor shelter capacity, volunteer opportunities and hospital closures; Keystone Mission staff said Code Blue shelter staffing has improved and NEPA Youth Shelter announced an executive director application deadline.
Several members of the public used the council's citizen‑participation period to press officials about homelessness, shelter services and the uncertain future of area hospitals.
Justin Barrons of Keystone Mission (acknowledged by a council member in announcements) spoke to the council in an earlier presentation (not included verbatim in the meeting minutes excerpt) about the agency’s work. A council member who met with Barrons reported that Keystone Mission said it now has the staff to operate a Code Blue shelter, though the speaker did not specify remaining days of the season.
“...they do have the staff now to be able to staff that,” the council member said, referencing Code Blue shelter operations. The council member encouraged residents interested in volunteering to contact Keystone Mission and said the mission will use the Community Intervention Center’s day room to avoid duplicating services.
Other public remarks: - NEPA Youth Shelter: A council member alerted the public that Maureen Gray, founder and executive director of NEPA Youth Shelter, is retiring in June and the shelter is accepting applications for a new executive director. The deadline for applications was announced as Friday, March 21 at 5:00 p.m.; applications can be sent to NEPAyouthshelterboard@gmail.com.
- Hospitals and town halls: Joan Hodowan urged residents to attend a March 10 town hall on Medicare and Medicaid cuts and to a March 13 regional hospital town hall regarding Regional Hospital. She said that the community still lacks clarity on the fate of Regional Hospital and Moses Taylor and urged residents to get informed.
- Street‑level homelessness and public‑space cleanup: Council members and speakers raised concerns about tents, encampments and trash near the Keystone Mission and along railroad right‑of‑way areas. A council member reported a multi‑agency meeting on Feb. 28 (SPD, DPW and legal, plus Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority and Keystone Mission) to plan a spring cleanup of public areas.
- Volunteers and services: The council heard multiple requests for volunteer coordination and better communication about shelter needs, mentorship opportunities and how to address neighborhood impacts of unsheltered individuals.
Ending: Speakers urged action and transparency from the administration and nonprofit partners as they work to balance services for people experiencing homelessness with neighborhood health and safety concerns. Council members requested follow‑up with agencies on cleanup plans and shelter capacity.
