State revokes licenses for three Youngstown group homes
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has issued license revocation orders for three group homes operated by Faith Temple Community Outreach Homes located in Youngstown's South Side.
The license revocation comes after a hearing was held in Columbus on February 27, which was attended by members of the Youngstown Housing Task Force and can be watch here https://youtu.be/zteRPztNzno.
The Youngstown Task Force, a coalition of residents, faith leaders and citizens who take collective action to ensure that all people in Youngstown have safe, fair, and quality housing, became aware of housing issues related to the three location when its Quality Group Homes Subcommittee conducted a thorough review of public records associated with group homes from across the city in 2019. The task force members include Jack Daugherty, Yvonne Irving, Kim Tritt, Mary Saffrey and Mike Bachinger.
The Task Force submitted a complaint signed by over 100 people, including neighbors and multiple members of Youngstown city council, citing numerous compliance issues documented in public records and expressing concerns about the living conditions as well as the safety and welfare of the occupants.
According to the complaints filed by the task force in 2019, the locations of the group homes are 3497 Kiwatha Road, 3520 Glenwood Ave., which are both closed, and 862 Canfield Road.
The task force compiled over 120 pages of records documenting problems through the local health department, police records, and state inspections.
Documents from May 2019 show police-reported the smell of garbage and urine emanating from the group home. Police say a resident had been urinating in a drain in the basement.
The operator of the group home Faith Temple Community Outreach is listed as Alfreda Atkins.
