Pennsylvania's House adopted House Resolution 586 by a 199-4 vote on Sept. 30, letting the Department of General Services sell five surplus state properties by competitive bid or public auction. Three were surplused by the Department of Human Services: the Polk Center in Venango County, the White Haven Center in Luzerne County and the Woodhaven Center in Philadelphia. The resolution text and bill history confirm the vote; abc27 reported it on Oct. 3.
The three human services campuses
| Site | Size | Value (per resolution) | Yearly carrying cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Center, Venango County | ~630 acres, 53 buildings | $6.2 million (estimate) | ~$5.38 million |
| White Haven Center, Luzerne County | 182.72 acres, 23 buildings | $12.8 million (appraised Oct. 8, 2025) | ~$5.35 million |
| Woodhaven Center, Philadelphia | 65.11 acres, 17 buildings | $36 million (estimate) | ~$1.9 million |
Together that is about $12.6 million a year to maintain empty campuses. The other two sites are the former SCI Retreat prison and a military weekend training site. The resolution approves Real Property Disposition Plan No. 1 of 2026, which the governor sent to lawmakers on July 11.
Polk and White Haven, state-run centers for people with intellectual disabilities, both closed in 2023, abc27 noted, and Polk was once Pennsylvania's largest institution for people with I/DD.
Why this matters for providers and DSPs
The sale closes a chapter that ended for residents in 2023, when the last people living at Polk and White Haven moved out. Today that support comes from community provider agencies and DSPs, and the carrying costs show what empty institutions still cost the same state budget that pays for community services. How sale proceeds are used is not addressed in the resolution.