Zoning board approves Victory Recovery Homes special exception at 3335 S. 15th St., with conditions

The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board on April 19 approved a special‑exception application by Living in Victory LLC to operate a residential recovery program at 3335 South 15th Street, conditioned on obtaining required licenses and meeting building, property‑maintenance and fire codes.

Matthew Catricola, introduced himself in the hearing as “a pastor and also the director of this recovery home,” and testified that Victory Recovery Homes would run a “9 to 12 month recovery program” at the property with a three‑level regimen of meetings, chores, devotions, weekly casework and drug testing. Catricola said the facility’s narrative and mission statement were included in the application packet and that the maximum planned resident capacity is about 15, with one awake house manager on site 24 hours and typically two to three staff during daytime hours.

The board’s decision follows testimony from neighbors and nearby institutions. Marlene Hernandez, assistant director of Love You More Early Learning Center, told the board parents were “a little concerned” about the proximity of the…