Yesterday, the Senate Majority Policy Committee held its first hearing of the 2025-2026 legislative session in Hamburg, PA, to discuss the future of certain Commonwealth properties, including the Polk State Center, that are closed and vacant.
The facilities—Polk, Hamburg, and White Haven—previously provided housing for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable populations but were closed by past administrations. Unfortunately, these properties remain unused and continue to incur millions of dollars in maintenance costs each year, which are funded by taxpayers.
Susan Williams, President and CEO of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce, participated in the hearing to provide the perspective of the business community and offer support for finding a productive use for the Polk State Center property that would not continue to burden taxpayers.
“Polk Center is a significant property in Venango. I am here today to offer the support of the business community as we look toward a better future for our county. We would love to see the property maintained under private ownership and used for the good of our citizens,” she said.
More than $47 million has been spent to maintain the Hamburg, White Haven, and Polk centers. The Hamburg Center, which closed in 2018, has cost approximately $3.9 million per year to maintain, totaling $23 million so far. The White Haven and Polk centers, which closed in 2023, have incurred estimated annual maintenance costs of $8.9 million and $15.3 million, respectively. Future costs are projected to surpass $28 million per year, with no apparent efforts by the Department of General Services (DGS) to market the properties.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services made plans to close these facilities—some of them decades ago—but has completely failed to come up with any plan for the future of the properties,” Hutchinson said. “It’s time for them to stop wasting taxpayer dollars and finally put these lands to use in a way that benefits the public.”
Video of the full hearing and written testimony can be found on the Senate Majority Policy Committee’s website.