“Deplorable Conditions” Leads to Lower Hudson Valley Adult Home Shutdown

Some rather disturbing news recently has come to light regarding a litany of health and safety violations that were recently discovered at an adult home in Rockland County. The reported violations proved to be more disturbing as this home seemed to be poised as the next adult home destined for disaster.

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Garnerville Home For Adults License Revoked by New York State

News of the closing of the Garnerville Home for Adults came quickly on Wednesday, October 4. The announcement came following the discovery of "dozens" of health and safety violations that were found riddled throughout the entire property.

A report from News 12: Westchester stated that the home had made three separate fire calls over the past 3 weeks prompting an investigation. When the Village of West Haverstraw Building and Fire Inspector Fred Viohl arrived to investigate the property, the only way to describe it was "deplorable".

In Viohl's investigation, he discovered "41 violations", many of these violations had apparently been issues in previous inspections as well. The results of the investigation were reported to the New York State Department of Health and the facility will have its license officially suspended.

Reports from Lohud listed some of the numerous issues discovered on the property and they were identified as...

Rooms and bathrooms were unkempt; water, an inch deep in some places...fire doors and staircases and doors leading in and out of the building weren't in compliance; fire escapes hadn't been certified in a timely fashion; residents were smoking in non-designated areas, including beside a wood building.

Not only has the facility's operating license been suspended but its occupancy license has also been suspended, meaning no one can live there. Records from the State Department of Health would show that this home was cited for  112 violations from 22 inspections of the facility from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2023.

Remembering Evergreen Court

When speaking of the findings in his investigation Mr. Viohl recalled that the situation with the Gardnerville home was similar to another home from just a couple of years ago. The drastic difference is, the home from two years ago burned down.

In Spring Valley there was a fire at a facility very much like this Gardnerville home. The Evergreen Court fire became synonymous in the region as the fire not only left more than 100 residents without a place to call home, but the fire also claimed the lives of one volunteer firefighter and one resident.

Viohl in the article from Lohud said that if it weren't for "nipping it in the bud" now, this Gardnerville home would have been the next Evergreen. As of now, Health officials are launching a full investigation into the Gardnerville home. The residents that were formerly living in Gardnerville reportedly will be moved to different facilities that "meet their needs."