From the Scranton Times Tribune:
A transitional housing facility for homeless veterans under construction in downtown Scranton will open in the spring, the executive director of Catholic Social Services said Monday.
St. Francis Commons is expected to be ready for occupancy on May 5, Monsignor Joseph Kelly told the Lackawanna County Council of Veterans. A grand opening and blessing service will follow sometime in June.
“My goal is to serve as many veterans as we possibly can and get them into permanent housing as fast as possible,” Monsignor Kelly said during the council’s meeting at Gino J. Merli Veterans Center.
The $6.4 million, three-story building in the 500 block of Penn Avenue will house a transitional living residence with 30 individual rooms with private baths for male and female veterans on the second and third floors. Eight of the rooms will be fully handicapped accessible.
On the first floor, separate from the veterans housing, Catholic Social Services will operate a free clothing store and a “client-choice” food pantry.
