Tag Archives: Harrisburg City Council

Harrisburg Council OKs agreement with Governor’s Square receiver; work to begin towards stabilization

September 9, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Governor’s Square apartments

A court-appointed receiver soon will be able to begin work stabilizing a troubled Harrisburg housing development, following a key approval by City Council.

On Tuesday, council unanimously approved a resolution allowing the city to enter into a professional services agreement with Harrisburg-based Midtown Asset Consulting, which will work to bring the beleaguered affordable housing community back into a financially and physically stable position.

“Thank you for your confidence, council,” said Justin Heinly, principal of Midtown Asset Consulting, following the vote. “I appreciate it.”

In late August, a Dauphin County court judge appointed Heinly receiver for the 222-unit complex at N. 5^th and Maclay streets.

Uptown Partners, the owner of Governor’s Square, filed for bankruptcy in May 2023. For years, the city issued code citations and condemned properties, and residents complained of quality-of-life issues in units. City officials have previously shared that over half of the units have become vacant and the area has dealt with crime and safety issues.

After unsuccessful attempts to sell the property, and claiming not to have enough money to maintain it, Uptown Partners filed a motion to have a receiver appointed. Heinly said that city Solicitor Neil Grover approached him with the request to take on the project, and the city brought his name forward to the county judge. As receiver, Heinly will step in to control and oversee improvements at the property, while Uptown Partners remains the legal owner.

“It is an extraordinary thing for the city to ask for a receiver,” Grover told council on Tuesday. “But it became Mayor [Wanda] Williams’ determination, ‘What else can we do? These people need help.’”

In March, council approved allocating $250,000 as seed money to help the receiver get started with work at Governor’s Square. According to the resolution, the city will pay the receiver portions of that money monthly and will expect to be reimbursed as money becomes available through rent revenue.

In a council meeting last week, Heinly said that his plan for Governor’s Square would span 10 years and three phases. The first phase would include securing the property and spending six months evaluating the need and creating a restoration budget and plan. In phase two, the receiver would begin implementing the plan and working to get the property to financial stability, which could take two years. The final phase would focus on seeking grants and funding to make capital improvements.

Heinly’s first priority—visiting each occupied unit, making sure residents are safe, and relocating any tenants whose property is not livable.

“Someone needs to get in there and fully assess the situation,” Grover said on Tuesday. “No one who’s an outside entity has assessed it. Our codes people have been locked out.”

The ultimate goal, Grover said, is a sale to a qualified entity, after the property has been fully assessed and stabilized.

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Court-appointed receiver for troubled Governor’s Square apartments shares plan with City Council

September 2, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Receiver Justin Heinly (left) answered City Council members questions about Governor’s Square, at a work session on Tuesday.

After years of setbacks, a plan to help turn things around at a neglected Harrisburg housing development is in the works.

City Council on Tuesday weighed entering an agreement with a local company that has been appointed by a Dauphin County judge to serve as receiver for the Residences at Governor’s Square. At the council work session, the appointed receiver shared his plans.

Justin Heinly of Midtown Asset Consulting was appointed in an order from a judge of the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, following a Friday hearing, according to city officials. As receiver, Heinly will work to bring the beleaguered affordable housing community back into a financially and physically stable position.

Uptown Partners, the owner of Governor’s Square, which is located near N. 5^th and Maclay streets, filed for bankruptcy in May 2023. For years, the city issued code citations and condemned properties, and residents complained of quality-of-life issues in units. City officials have previously shared that over half of the 222 units have become vacant and the area has dealt with crime and safety issues.

Heinly, who also serves as the owner of Harrisburg-based Midtown Property Management, shared his plan for Governor’s Square at council’s work session on Tuesday.

“Our mission in our affiliate business is to manage properties with integrity and respect for our tenants, our owners and our community. And this aligns with who we are as a company and as members of our community,” Heinly said.

Heinly shared that his plan for Governor’s Square would span 10 years and three phases. The first phase would include securing the property and spending six months evaluating the need and creating a restoration budget and plan. In phase two, the receiver would begin implementing the plan and working to get the property to financial stability, which could take two years. The final phase would focus on seeking grants and funding to make capital improvements, Heinly shared.

His first priority—visiting each occupied unit, making sure residents are safe, and relocating any tenants whose property is not livable.

“Each resident that’s up there, if they’re listening tonight, they are going to have a home,” he said.

As of now, the current property management company, Winn Residential, will continue rent collection and maintenance while Heinly reviews their contract.

The current monthly rent roll at Governor’s Square is $46,382, of which only about $39,000 is being collected. In total, there is $838,000 in delinquent rent payments, Heinly said.

Council members asked Heinly many questions, several voicing concern that the city would get its investment back.

“I’m just concerned about this project, I mean, we definitely know that we need it done […] but financially, this is a huge task,” said council member Lamont Jones.

Heinly assured council that, as money begins flowing into the property, the city will be repaid. He also noted that he would seek county and state grant funding for support.

“This is going to be a very long, very arduous task, but I am confident that we will be successful,” he said. “I am confident the city will get repaid. I am confident that the city residents are going to be served in this evolution, but we just need time.”

Council members also asked about Governor’s Square’s affordable designation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The requirement that the property remain affordable is part of the property deed. Heinly said that he believes that lasts for at least 10 more years, and that he would seek to get that extended.

“I have no intention of this going market rate,” he said.

While council members had concerns, most agreed with the need for action and did not object to Heinly as receiver.

“Some of those properties are beyond repairable,” council member Ralph Rodriguez said. “Some of those homes don’t even have the complete bricks on the outside […] It’s much more than an organization or a company taking this process and these hurdles and just jumping through it as a receiver. There’s a lot of families involved and people that depend on that […] I hate to say this, but you’re kind of the savior at this point.”

The resolution will be on council’s next legislative agenda for a vote.

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City Council approves zoning change to former hospital site, now proposed for apartments

July 8, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

The former Polyclinic Hospital and proposed site of an adaptive reuse project.

A project to turn a former Harrisburg medical facility into apartments has taken a step forward.

City Council on Tuesday approved a zoning change and subdivision for the former Polyclinic Hospital at 2601 N. 3^rd St. in Uptown Harrisburg, which a developer has proposed renovating.

In March 2024, Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings, an affiliate of Montgomery County-based Pennmark Management Company, purchased the property and later proposed making it into market-rate apartments with commercial space. As part of the estimated $45 million project, Pennmark would construct 250 to 300 apartment units, along with retail shops.

Council’s approval changed the property’s current Institutional zoning to Commercial Neighborhood zoning and split the land into four separate parcels to aid in development.

Council members shared concerns over the lack of affordable units for lower-income residents and expressed a desire to see the developer work to accommodate existing neighbors.

One resident who lives near the project site shared her concerns for the potential of increased traffic and parking challenges in the neighborhood.

Pennmark’s project will still require approval for its land development plan.

Also on Tuesday, council voted to appropriate about $2 million into the budget, sourced from various city fund balances, to pay money that it owes as a result of recent litigation. A Dauphin County jury decided last month that Harrisburg underpaid the owner of the former Brenner Motors car dealership when the city took the property via eminent domain several years ago.

In other news, council voted to appoint Basir Vincent, who recently ran unsuccessfully for a council seat, to the Harrisburg Planning Commission.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 27, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Vice Capital cut the ribbon on its new affordable housing development, JMB Gardens, on N. 6th Street in Harrisburg.

Can you believe it’s almost July?! This month’s magazine just dropped, and you may notice a few more four-legged friends than usual. While you’re here, read our news from this week, and then head to grab a copy of our special pet issue.

Conservation can be taught to kids of any age, our magazine story reported. Local educators and programs provide gardening, outdoor events and environmental learning.

F3, a worldwide fitness initiative for men, will host its annual Keystone Convergence in Harrisburg for all Pennsylvania-based groups on June 27 and 28, our online story reported. The group aims to provide opportunities for connections and support for men.

Harrisburg City Council approved a development project to bring townhomes, apartment buildings and commercial space to Midtown, our online story reported. The project proposes 62 units around the Broad Street Market.

The Harrisburg School Board approved a 2025-26 budget that includes a 2% tax hike, our online story reported. This was the first budget in six years that the board has approved, as the district has just exited receivership.

July 4^th in Harrisburg will include food trucks, live music and family activities, our online story reported. The city will also soon kick off its July Music Series at Reservoir Park.

Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation announced its Keystone Media Awards for the year, and TheBurg claimed 26 awards. Find out which stories were awarded, here.

The Pennsylvania State Museum will undergo a $55 million transformation to create a 21^st-century museum experience, our online story reported. The project, which will close the museum for three years, will add a 16^th-floor observation deck to the former state Archives.

Our publisher shares some of the feedback that he received on his column from last month, which discussed places of community connection in Harrisburg. He also sets the scene for the July issue of the magazine, here.

Sara Bozich has a packed list of weekend events, from music to exercise to artisan markets. Find all the happenings, here.

Theatre Harrisburg is presenting “The Da Vinci Code” through June 29. See what our reviewer has to say about the thriller, here.

Vice Capital, a development company owned by former NFL player LeSean McCoy, cut the ribbon on JMB Gardens this week, our online story reported. The housing complex will offer affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom units.

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Harrisburg council OKs large Midtown housing development, approves safety measure for Governor’s Residence

June 25, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Artist’s rendering of a row of houses for the Midtown Redevelopment’s Market Place project

An expansive housing development in Midtown Harrisburg has the green light to proceed, as it has received a final blessing from the city.

On Tuesday, City Council voted unanimously to approve the land development plan by Midtown Redevelopment LLC to construct townhomes, apartment buildings and commercial space in the area bounded by Reily, Fulton, Sayford and James streets.

A map of Midtown Redevelopment’s Market Place project

In total, the development would include 62 units across over a dozen townhomes and three 12-unit apartment buildings, near the Broad Street Market, some of which will be deemed affordable. The plan would also include 5,500 square feet of commercial space to be used as a “food hall.”

The project includes parking for residents and will have both for-sale and rental units, according to council President Danielle Hill, who added that the developers hope to break ground in November.

At the meeting, council also approved a plan by Commonwealth Charter Academy to partially demolish an old school building at 555 S. 25^th St. and construct a new building for staff and administration.

Lastly, council OK’d a resolution to negotiate and enter into an access control agreement with the commonwealth for the first block of Geiger Street, an alley adjacent to the Governor’s Mansion.

The state requested control of the street after the arson attack at the property in April. The street closure is part of their plan to improve the security of the residence.

“Any action the city of Harrisburg can take to ensure the safety of our governor and his family should be an easy yes,” Hill said, just before the unanimous vote.

All votes were 5-0, as council members Jocelyn Rawls and Ralph Rodriguez were not present at the meeting.

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June News Digest

May 29, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Incumbent Mayor Williams Re-Nominated

Harrisburg voted to retain its leadership in city hall last month, as incumbent Mayor Wanda Williams narrowly claimed the Democratic nomination.

With all precincts reporting in the municipal primary, Williams won 1,725 votes, compared to 1,642 for city treasurer Dan Miller, who came in second in the field of five.

Rounding out the ballot, City Council member Lamont Jones claimed 1,092 votes, community activist Tone Cook Jr. received 312 votes and repeat candidate Lewis Butts won 90 votes.

The race came down to the wire, with the final precincts giving Williams the edge. At a victory party, Williams described herself as “elated” by her win.

“They wanted me back in office, and I’m here and I promise to do everything I can to make this city better,” she said.

Williams is heavily favored to win re-election in the November general election, as no Republicans ran in the primary. It would be her second four-year term.

The race for Harrisburg City Council was hotly contested, with 13 candidates competing for four, four-year seats.

In the end, Democratic incumbents Ausha Green, Jocelyn Rawls and Ralph Rodriguez all prevailed, with challenger and former council member Robert Lawson taking the nomination for the one open seat.

The Democratic challengers who fell short include Leslie Franklin, Lisa Glenn, Sharon Horne, Elyse Irvis, Willie Ross, Rich Sanders, Lori Saulisbury, Karl Singleton and Basir Vincent. Singleton died in March, but his name remained on the ballot. No Republicans ran in the council race.

The primary race for school board was not contested.

Democratic incumbents Roslyn Copeland, Danielle Robinson, Brian Carter and Jaime Johnsen all won nomination for four, four-year seats, while Annie Hughes was nominated for the lone two-year seat. No Republicans filed to run, meaning the incumbents are likely to win new terms in November.

For city controller, Karen Balaban was uncontested for the Democratic nomination. No Republicans competed for the seat.

Dauphin County has elections for several row offices this year.

For prothonotary, incumbent Matt Krupp of Harrisburg ran uncontested in the Republican primary, as did Harrisburg resident Antonio Carreno in the Democratic primary. They’ll compete in the general election.

The clerk of courts primary was competitive, with Tina Nixon defeating Timothy Pianka, both of Harrisburg, for the Democratic nomination. John McDonald won the Republican nomination running uncontested.

For county coroner, long-time incumbent Graham Hetrick took the Republican nomination running uncontested, as did John Harris Jr. for the Democratic nomination.

The primary results are considered preliminary until certified by the Dauphin County Bureau of Elections. The general election is slated for Nov. 4.

School District Weighs Tax Hike

Harrisburg property owners may see a tax increase in the coming year, as the school district seeks to make up for lost funds.

Harrisburg School District officials proposed a 2025-26 budget last month, while weighing a property tax increase that, they say, is needed to balance a budget impacted by the post-COVID-funding fiscal cliff.

Chief Financial Officer Dr. Marcia Stokes presented a proposed $211.8 million budget, a $5 million decrease from the 2024-25 budget, along with a 2% property tax hike.

The proposal would raise the tax rate from 30.78 to 31.4 mills. Even though the tax would increase, Stokes said that homeowners who qualify for the state’s Homestead Exemption would likely see a decrease on their bill, due to increased relief funds and fewer program participants.

Stokes explained that a tax increase is needed to combat less projected local revenue, due to a drop in taxable properties in the city, as well as less projected federal revenue.

School board directors questioned what would happen if they decided not to raise taxes. Stokes said that the district would likely have to make budget cuts and that the school district would face challenges in the long run, as it needs to begin raising taxes to maintain a healthy, balanced budget.

“From my professional standpoint, small incremental increases are the way to go, because they are predictable for our homeowners,” Stokes said. “They are something that’s slowly building the revenue stream that we have to maintain.”

However, district receiver Dr. Lori Suski wasn’t in complete agreement with Stokes about the tax hike—she believes they may need to raise taxes even more.

Most concerning for Suski, the district has petitioned the state to end its court-appointed receivership, a state oversight program that the district has been in for almost six years. In June, a Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas judge is slated to decide whether Harrisburg is ready to exit and regain local control or remain in the program for another three years.

As part of a potential exit, Harrisburg would be required to follow its Amended Recovery Plan, which details goals and objectives to help the district become financially and educationally stable. Part of that plan includes a need to raise revenue through local sources.

According to an outside financial advisory firm, Public Financial Management (PFM), the district needs to raise its property taxes by 4.81% this year to satisfy the Amended Recovery Plan and to balance the budget. Suski said that she is worried that, if the district doesn’t follow that guidance, it could be placed back under state control.

“We need to look at the long-term goal, and the long-term goal is we’ve worked very hard to exit,” she said.

Currently, Suski said that she expects the court to decide on a possible exit from receivership on June 17. The district is slated to adopt its budget on June 24. So, if the district is granted an exit, the board needs to decide if it strictly will follow the Amended Recovery Plan. If not, Suski said that she believes the state could put Harrisburg back into receivership, as it is required to monitor the district for five years after an exit.

“It’s like rolling the dice. You don’t know what you’re going to get,” Suski said. “I can’t imagine that they would throw you back in, but I don’t know.”

She also pointed out that the difference in the impact on the average taxpayer, if the board approved the 4% hike over the 2%, would be less than $100.

“I would hate to see all the work that has gone on in this district over the last few years to be down the tubes for just over $80,” she said. “I’m not trying to diminish the impact on the taxpayer. But we also need to remember that local control means local effort, local investment in our school district.”

Harrisburg Finances Deemed Stable

Harrisburg’s finances are “stable,” but the city faces considerable challenges moving forward, according to a recent report from a state-appointed financial board.

Last month, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) submitted its annual report to the commonwealth, offering a generally positive view of the city’s finances, but noting several concerns and, especially, urging the city to move ahead aggressively on developing an economic development plan.

“In the report, the ICA finds that the City of Harrisburg’s financial condition is currently stable, with progress toward many individual objectives,” according to the ICA, tasked since 2018 in helping to oversee Harrisburg’s financial progress. “The report, though, continues to advocate for a more comprehensive approach to economic redevelopment, as well as work toward reentering the credit marketplace.”

The report emphasizes three issues of note.

First, it “encourages” the city to work with other stakeholders, including businesses, residents, developers and neighborhood groups, to “adopt and implement a wide-ranging economic development strategy.”

“Such a plan would help significantly with the city’s vitality and preventing future downturns in the local economy,” according to the ICA.

The ICA, in its report, states that the city is the preferable entity to lead such an effort and that, in fact, the city administration has begun to put together a working group to develop a plan.

Secondly, on a related note, an economic development plan would help address the negative impact of the post-pandemic local economy, as many state and other office workers now work remotely. These impacts include higher commercial vacancy rates, reduced property taxes, less parking revenue and lower income from worker taxes.

Thirdly, the ICA remains “concerned” that the city maintain adequate fund balances both in its general fund and its neighborhood services (sanitation) fund. For years, the ICA has urged the city to improve its collection of sanitation fees, which it repeats in its current report.

The ICA stated all three of these issues as “areas of concern” in last year’s report, as well.

In the current report, the ICA notes that city is on “the cusp” of exiting from Act 47, the state’s program for financially distressed municipalities. However, it’s been prevented from doing so because of ongoing, unresolved litigation involving the city’s former incinerator, which it sold in 2013 as part of the recovery plan from its financial crisis.

Once the longstanding litigation is resolved, the city would be able to quickly exit Act 47, an important step to be able to re-access the credit markets, which it’s been unable to do since entering the program about 15 years ago.

Home Sales, Prices Higher

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices both moved higher in April, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 501 homes sold versus 496 in April 2024, while the median sales price rose to $289,900 from $255,000, said the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 253 houses changed hands compared to 227 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price increased to $264,261 from $230,000, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 205 home sales, a drop from 227 the prior April, as the median sales price rose to $315,000 from $287,600, according to the GHAR report.

In Perry County, 34 houses sold in April, a decrease of one from the prior year, as the median sales price grew to $292,450 from $230,000, stated GHAR.

The pace of sales slowed in April, as “average days on market” rose to 33 days from 26 days in April 2024, said the report.

So Noted

Hannah Ison last month was named the executive director of the Brewers of Pennsylvania, a statewide trade organization for brewers. Ison has served as the head of brewing operations for Harrisburg-based Zeroday Brewing Co.

Jon C. Stuckey has been named interim president of Messiah University, replacing Kim Phipps, who is slated to retire at the end of this month. Stuckey will serve until a permanent president is appointed, according to the university.

Plants + Pints raised $7,000 for Downtown Daily Bread, a Harrisburg shelter. The check was presented in Strawberry Square, which hosted the day-long festival in April featuring vegetable-based products and local craft beer.

Sycamore Homes last month cut the ribbon on a 23-unit affordable apartment complex at 1400 Sycamore St. in Harrisburg. The $4.8 million project began construction in October 2022 as a partnership of the Latino Connection Foundation and Fernandez Realty Affordable Homes.

William (Bill) Habacivch, a former executive director of Veteran’s Outreach of Pennsylvania, has passed away. Habacivch helped establish the recently opened Veteran’s Grove community in south Harrisburg, also serving as long-time director of the business department at Central Penn College.

Changing Hands

Benton St., 606: G. & C. Hetes to C. Dailey, $145,000

Berryhill St., 1623: A. Pichardo to Unique Homes Group LLC, $145,000

Boas St., 104: R. Wambach to D. Shemory, $225,000

Boas St., 414: Berlin Group LLC to S. & G. Davis, $275,000

Brookwood St., 2117: E. Davis to Puzzle Properties LLC, $75,000

Brookwood St., 2424: R. Patterson to Blessed Investments LLC, $111,033

Brookwood St., 2432: D. Crawford to G and W Rentals LLC, $115,000

Brookwood St., 2445: B. & C. Roach to M. Kernizan, $126,000

Calder St., 215: M. Woolley & L. Evans to VNS LLC, $125,000

Chestnut St., 1200: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to Penn Me Properties LLC, $112,858

Chestnut St., 1202: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to Penn Me Properties LLC, $112,857

Chestnut St., 1204: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to Penn Me Properties LLC, $112,857

Chestnut St., 1206: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to Penn Me Properties LLC, $112,857

Chestnut St., 1208: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to Penn Me Properties LLC, $112,857

Chestnut St., 1909: R. Goldberg to Vantage Estate LLC, $140,000

Chestnut St., 1919: K. Brown to GW Rentals LLC, $80,000

Chestnut St., 2116: R. Pattillo to G. & T. Casner, $305,000

Derry St., 2145: R&K Realty Group LP to L. Tiburcio, $180,000

Derry St., 2233: D. & J. DePastino to Soul House LLC, $91,928

Division St., 423: Archie Group LLC to Upscale Properties LLC, $100,000

Emerald St., 232: D&F Realty Holdings LP to Chavdar Jade LLC, $290,000

Emerald St., 627: M. Braxton to Alpha Royal Lounge LLC, $87,000

Evergreen St., 26, 28: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to Penn Me Properties LLC, $112,857

Geary St., 622: D. Peralta to A. Mauricio & Y. Trinidad, $55,000

Green St., 805: J. Cowden & K. Edwards to A. Fontaine, $285,000

Green St., 1207: Arc Realty & Property Management LLC to J. Brenize, $212,500

Hanover St., 1318: B. Rodriguez to E. Forney, $108,000

Harris St., 204: T. Burke to J. & M. Cameron, $259,900

Holly St., 1830: J. Montiel & A. Salgado to R. Vidal, $171,000

Howard St., 1347: Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC to Amazings Rentals LLC, $256,000

Hummel St., 410: M. Hernandez to R. Gutierrez & A. Ortiz, $50,000

Hunter St., 1715: Side by Side 365 LLC to A. Caceres, $149,000

Kelker St., 632: D. Villalona to M. Jobczynski, $143,000

Logan St., 1730: B. & W. Bechtel to C. Fox, $243,000

Mercer St., 2472: K. Dodson to S. Rubinstein & H. Choi, $133,000

Mulberry St., 1160: E. Gonzalez & M. Castro to F. Luciano & D. Canario, $50,000

Mulberry St., 1809: D. & M. Patrick to D. Boyer, $149,900

Mulberry St., 1916: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to BAJ Holdings LLC, $90,000

North St., 1822: R. Burgos & JFDIECIOCHO22 LLC to R. Vazquez, $130,000

North St., 1838: T. Bauserman & J. Hoskins to Breneman Properties LLC, $91,000

North St., 2014: C. Brooks to Famous Achiever LLC, $98,000

N. 2nd St., 404: A. Weinstock to Family Tires V LLC, $435,000

N. 2nd St., 1833: Glanzair Properties LLC to Elite Remodeling Realty LLC, $99,000

N. 2nd St., 1915: Apple Tree Community Development Company to Capital Acres LLC, $322,500

N. 2nd St., 2215: R. Hall to A. & A. Ferguson, $415,000

N. 3rd St., 904: Ramsden & Ramsden LLC to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $390,000

N. 3rd St., 1419: Midtown Development LLC to Heinly Homes LLC, $320,000

N. 3rd St., 3007: V. McCray to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $100,000

N. 4th St., 1719: J. Blymier & C. Fox to C. Corrado, $240,000

N. 4th St., 2611: J. Runion to MDR Homes LLC, $97,000

N. 5th St., 2652: Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to J. Holmes, $170,000

N. 5th St., 3135: G&W Rentals LLC to J. Vega, $275,000

N. 6th St., 1716 & 1718: 3N Consulting Services LLC to 1720 N 6th St PA LLC, $85,000

N. 6th St., 1720: 3N Consulting Services LLC to 1720 N 6th St PA LLC, $85,000

N. 7th St., 2624: S. Reid to Kapp Property LLC, $113,000

N. 14th St., 1201: R. Burgos & Doceuno LLC to Bedon Flooring LLC, $105,000

N. 14th St., 1203: R. Burgos & Frdoce03 to Bedon Flooring LLC, $105,000

N. 15th St., 18: Sunnyside RE Enterprise LLC to E. Esh, $190,000

N. 17th St., 56: F. Gomez to My Majesty LLC, $87,000

N. 18th St., 902: S. Marshall & J. Colbertson to W. Renesca, $190,000

N. 18th St., 916: M. Castro to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $88,000

N. Front St., 1101: S. Krevsky to D. Aldous, $260,000

Park St., 1631: E. Torres to Goods Creekside Properties LLC, $80,000

Paxton St., 1700: N. Akhter to Paxton Mart Co., $765,000

Penn St., 2333: Adonis Real Estate LLC to M. & C. Fleming, $155,000

Penwood Rd., 3116: A. Hollinger & E. Shellhamer to G. Haffner, $175,000

Penwood Rd., 3214: R. & S. Holloman to I. Trost, $195,000

Radnor St., 618: M. Temba and C. & J. Liu to D. Glick, $125,000

Radnor St., 672: Rivas Property Investments LLC to N. Chisolm, $155,000

Randolph St., 1614: R. Augustin to L. Chavez & L. Morales, $91,000

Reel St., 2414: J. Ford to C. Woods, $75,000

Regina St., 1810: R. Bedon to A. Perez, $170,000

Reily St., 215: Calders Street Development LLC to Velocity Capital Group LLC, $290,000

Rumson Dr., 2842: R. & D. Bratina to Sunnyside RE Enterprise LLC, $171,000

Rumson Dr., 2983: C. Caraballo to E. Jimenez, $174,000

Showers St., 612: J. Forry to F. & D. Vaughn, $230,000

S. 17th St., 523: Philadelphia Macaroni Co. to Couscous Co. LLC, $4,250,000

S. 18th St., 157: B. Vincent to Blue Trust Investments LLC, $60,000

S. 19th St., 28: M. Slabonik to VTF Dylle Properties LLC, $130,000

S. 29th St., 708: Culcay Remodeling Guagua LLC to C. Lozano, $195,000

S. Cameron St., 1325: M. Khan to J. Finefrock, $52,000

State St., 1414: A. & M. Collins to Aybar Bonilla Investment LLC, $224,900

State St., 1508: Vernon St Apartments LLC to JG Family Trust, $236,000

Susquehanna St., 1336: Green Scapes Investments LLC to E. & R. Clammer, $440,000

Susquehanna St., 2005: D. Witmer to H. Martinez, $230,000

Sylvan Terr., 125: Triple S Real Estate LLC to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $290,000

Verbeke St., 1613: R. Sanchez to A. & D. Bolinger, $220,000

Vernon St., 1348: D. Boyle to Unique Homes Group LLC, $75,000

Vernon St., 1435: Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC to O. & A. Ogunfowora, $159,000

Vine St., 113: C. Friedel to S. & M. McGarvey, $151,000

Walnut St., 1732: A. Lovo to A. Bouhach, $83,000

Wiconisco St., 420: Sky Resort Investments LLC to H. & A. Fisher, $585,000

Wiconisco St., 529: Taylor Made Bizzness LLC to C&C Homes LLC, $80,000

Woodlawn St., 2312 & 2317 Luce St.: Zieger Son Inc. and Zieger & Sons Inc. to 2300 Woodlawn Street LLC, $1,115,000

Harrisburg property sales, April 2025, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams wins re-nomination in a tight race; general election ballot set

May 20, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Incumbent Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams (center) raises her hand in victory after narrowly winning the Democratic nomination for a second term late Tuesday night.

Harrisburg voted to retain its leadership in city hall on Tuesday, as incumbent Mayor Wanda Williams narrowly claimed the Democratic nomination.

With all precincts reporting in the municipal primary, Williams won 1,725 votes, compared to 1,642 for city treasurer Dan Miller, who came in second in the field of five.

Rounding out the field, City Council member Lamont Jones got 1,092 votes, community activist Tone Cook Jr. received 312 votes and repeat candidate Lewis Butts won 90 votes.

The race came down to the wire, with the final precincts giving Williams the edge.

At a victory party after the last results came in after 11 p.m., Williams described herself as “elated” by her victory.

“My excitement is for the residents of the city of Harrisburg,” she said. “I’m here to do another four years for them. They’ve given me a vote. They believe in me. They trust me, and I am so grateful for the fact that they put me back in.”

Williams is heavily favored to win re-election in the November general election, as no Republicans ran in the primary. It would be her second four-year term.

“They wanted me back in office, and I’m here and I promise to do everything I can to make this city better,” she said.

The race for Harrisburg City Council was hotly contested, with 13 candidates competing for four, four-year seats.

In the end, Democratic incumbents Ausha Green, Jocelyn Rawls and Ralph Rodriguez all prevailed, with challenger and former council member Robert Lawson taking the nomination for the open seat.

The Democratic challengers who came up short include Leslie Franklin, Lisa Glenn, Sharon Horne, Elyse Irvis, Willie Ross, Rich Sanders, Lori Saulisbury, Karl Singleton and Basir Vincent. Singleton died in March, but his name remained on the ballot.

No Republicans ran in the council race.

The primary race for school board was not contested.

For city controller, Karen Balaban was uncontested for the Democratic nomination. No Republicans competed for the seat.

Dauphin County also has elections for several row offices this year.

For county coroner, long-time incumbent Graham Hetrick took the Republican nomination running uncontested, as did John Harris Jr. for the Democratic nomination.

The primary results are considered preliminary until certified by the Dauphin County Bureau of Elections. The general election is slated for Nov. 4.

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Harrisburg Council approves funds to help Governor’s Square, moves to start police advisory board

March 11, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council meeting

Harrisburg will help an affordable housing development in the city improve after years of neglect.

City Council on Tuesday voted in favor of giving $250,000 towards assisting the Residences at Governor’s Square, a bankrupt and dilapidated complex near N. 5^th and Maclay streets.

The money will go to a court-appointed receiver, who is slated to take over operations of the development and bring the properties into code compliance.

Last October, Governor’s Square’s owner Uptown Partners, Harrisburg and other parties to the bankruptcy case agreed to have the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas appoint a receiver to take over control of the property. The owners first filed for bankruptcy in May 2023, having received hundreds of city code citations and condemnations. While in bankruptcy court, the owner has struggled to find an owner with the necessary funding and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development approvals.

The money from the city will help get the receivership started, with the expectation that the funds will be reimbursed to the city eventually.

The court has yet to appoint a receiver However, the city has proposed Justin Heinly, owner of Harrisburg-based Midtown Property Management.

Also on Tuesday, council took a step forward towards kickstarting the Citizen’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board (CLEAC). Council approved the creation of the board in 2020, but the board has not yet met.

At its meeting, council made an amendment to the board, removing Mayor Wanda Williams’ two required appointments to the board. Now, council will have the power to appoint seven board members, instead of its previous five.

In March 2023, council appointed Brent Miller, Quinton Davis, Adrian Selkowitz, Gia Johnson and Lakichia Carrier to the board. The board is not able to function without all seven appointees. Once appointed, the board will select another two members for appointment.

During the public comment portion of the meeting on Tuesday, Harrisburg resident Vivian Brandler presented council with a petition related to the Broad Street Market. The petition included signatures from around 500 community members opposed to Harrisburg’s proposal to construct a new building in the market’s courtyard, between the two market buildings.

Brandler told TheBurg that she collected signatures over four days at the market, hearing from residents and out-of-town community members who were shocked and disappointed by the city’s proposal, one of several possible ideas for the future of the courtyard.

“There’s something to be said about a third space,” Brandler said. “It’s a meeting place.”

Brandler said that she also plans to deliver the petition to the mayor’s office and the Broad Street Market Alliance board “so they can understand what a representation of the general population thinks. People were really mad.”

Finally, council moved to reallocate $59,000 in the city’s budget to fund a new Harrisburg Youth Sports Association. The association, created by several community members, will help city youth pay for costs associated with local sports teams and memberships to the Harrisburg Area YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg.

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Large field of candidates to run for Harrisburg mayor, City Council, as nominating deadline passes

March 11, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Campaign signs outside of Harrisburg city hall last November

Harrisburg voters soon will cast ballots in highly competitive primary races for mayor and council, as the deadline passed on Tuesday for candidates to submit their nominating petitions.

For mayor, incumbent Wanda Williams faces a large field of Democratic competitors, including city Treasurer Dan Miller, City Council member Lamont Jones, community activist Tone Cook Jr. and former candidate Lewis Butts Jr., according to the Dauphin County Bureau of Registration & Elections.

Williams is vying for a second term in office, following a long tenure on city council. Miller, in his third term as treasurer, also has served on city council and as city controller. Jones is serving his second year on council. Cook hasn’t held elected office previously but is known as an anti-crime and anti-gun violence advocate. Butts has run unsuccessfully for mayor several times before.

All candidates are Democrats. No Republicans filed to run for mayor for the May 20 primary.

For city council, three incumbents, all Democrats, submitted nominating petitions for re-election for the four, four-year seats: Ausha Green, Jocelyn Rawls and Ralph Rodriguez. Three-term incumbent Shamaine Daniels did not file for re-election, leaving one seat open.

In addition to the incumbents, challengers Leslie Franklin, Lisa Glenn, Sharon Horne, Elyse Irvis, Robert Lawson, Willie Ross, Rich Sanders, Lori Saulisbury, Karl Singleton and Basir Vincent filed to run in the Democratic primary for council.

Like in the mayoral election, no Republicans chose to run for council in Harrisburg, an overwhelmingly Democratic city.

For city controller, attorney Karen Balaban filed for the Democratic nomination. Notably, long-time controller Charlie DeBrunner did not submit for re-election. No Republicans filed to run.

The Harrisburg school board has four, four-year seats and one, two-year seat up for grabs this year.

At the petition deadline, Democratic incumbents Roslyn Copeland, Danielle Robinson, Brian Carter and Jaime Johnsen filed for the four, four-year seats, while Annie Hughes, appointed to the board last year, will run for the two-year seat. No Republicans filed to run.

Dauphin County also has elections for several row offices this year.

For prothonotary, incumbent Matt Krupp of Harrisburg is seeking re-election, running as a Republican. Harrisburg resident Antonio Carreno is the sole Democrat seeking the office.

The clerk of courts primary is competitive, as Tina Nixon and Timothy Pianka, both of Harrisburg, are vying for the Democratic nomination. John McDonald is seeking the Republican nomination for the office.

For county coroner, long-time incumbent Graham Hetrick is seeking another term, running as a Republican. John Harris Jr. filed for the Democratic nomination.

The candidate fields are preliminary, as petition signatures can be challenged through March 18. The ballot will be finalized on March 26, with the primary election slated for May 20.

The candidates in this story are those listed by Dauphin County as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday. We will update the story if candidates are added or removed. Click here to see the full list of candidates running for office in Dauphin County.

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Year in Review: The most popular stories of 2024, click by click

December 26, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

When reporters sit down to write a story, they never know how it will be received.

Will it go viral—or will it fall flat?

TheBurg’s most popular online stories of 2024 are a case in point. I never would have guessed that most of these would rank among the top 10 most-read stories of the past year.

But who am I to second-guess our readers? We report stories, publish them, and the rest is up to you.

So, without further ado, here’s our annual list of our most-read online stories of 2024, as voted by your clicks. These stories garnered the most page views out of over 600 stories we published over the past year.

Owners Jason Crocenzi & Jennifer Draisey-Crocenzi

No. 10. Toy Story. As you may know, TheBurg operates on two tracks: daily, online news reporting and a monthly print magazine. The daily reporting tends to dominate this annual top 10 list, probably because those articles can only be read online. This past year was no exception. An August feature on the Treasure Trove Toy Store was the sole print magazine story to make the 2024 list. The story featured the greater mission of the owners, who not only sell toys and other goods, but make their store a hub for helping the homeless in Harrisburg.

Dan Snow

No. 9. Engineer Exit. City hall experienced a fair amount of churn in its top leadership in 2024. Harrisburg’s engineering department arguably had the most turmoil. After 1½ years without a full-time city engineer, Harrisburg hired Dan Snow in August 2023. However, he lasted only until the following March, as we detailed in our ninth most-read story of 2024. A few months later, Harrisburg hired a replacement, Joel Seiders, who, as of this writing, is still in the post.

No. 8. Thriving. In 2024, several affordable housing projects opened, with more planned, certainly a bright spot for Harrisburg over the course of the year. Our story about one of those projects, an apartment building specifically for homeless young adults, made our top 10 list. In November, Thrive Housing Services debuted a newly renovated, 16-unit building for 18- to 24-year-olds on the 200-block of S. 13^th Street in Allison Hill. With it, young people now will have a place to live as they develop life and job skills, headed for a more promising future.

Sonya McKnight

No. 7. News Judgment. At TheBurg, we don’t usually follow the crowd. If a story is being covered by every other news outlet in town, we often will take a pass, saving our scarce reporting resources for less-followed news. That said, we will jump into the scrum if a local story is especially newsworthy. In our view, the case of suspended Magisterial District Judge Sonya McKnight, charged for allegedly shooting her ex-boyfriend, is one of those exceptions. In 2024, we wrote several stories on McKnight, including one from August that made our most-read list. Expect more coverage in 2025, as the case proceeds towards a possible springtime trial.

No. 6. Vending Essentials. Like many cities, Harrisburg has long had a homelessness crisis, a subject we wrote about many times in 2024. Just one of those stories made our top 10 list—and it was only indirectly related. In July, UPMC and Penn State College of Medicine launched a “Health to Go” vending machine outside of the UPMC Harrisburg emergency room, giving 24/7 access to free health items such as naloxone, fentanyl test strips, wound care kits, personal care items and pregnancy tests, among other items. The story was widely read and shared, a testament to the need in our community.

No. 5. Recycle Vibe. In late June, we published a short online article about a new recycling initiative from three local groups: Ngozi’s Let’s Get Dirty!, the Bridge and Harrisburg Area Camp Curtin YMCA. They partnered with Harrisburg-based Precision Recyclers to create two sites for the free disposal of end-of-life electronics. At TheBurg, we often write these types of community stories: concise, informative, impactful—I’d say we specialize in them. But did I expect this one to be among the most popular of the year? No, I did not.

No. 4. Sliced Wrong. So, this has never happened before. Back in May, we published a story about how two well-known local restaurateurs were combining forces to open a new pizza shop called Slice of Midtown, thus creating tons of buzz for the business. And then we waited and waited and waited some more for the place to open. Each year, we write stories about planned businesses, and, over our history, only a few have ultimately failed to open. None of those, though, has been among our most popular stories of the year—until right now.

No. 3. Dive In. In November, we broke the story about a new restaurant and bar headed to Midtown Harrisburg—the High Dive. This is the latest concept from veteran restaurateur Josh Kesler, who promises an artsy take on the traditional dive bar, a comfortable venue where you can get both a cheap beer and a craft cocktail. Incidentally, Kesler is a veteran occupant of our annual list. Last year, his purchase of Cork & Fork in Harrisburg was the seventh most-popular story of 2023. As long as Kesler keeps opening restaurants, we’ll continue covering them.

No. 2. Thanks Des! At TheBurg, we still believe in nuts-and-bolts reporting, so we cover most Harrisburg City Council meetings. Rarely does a meeting story count among our most popular, but a July story proved to be an exception. Most of the online article involved the rather mundane issue of council denying a building demolition—boring, huh? But the story’s popularity may lie more with our second topic. Scrolling down, readers found out that council had approved a ceremonial street-name change to honor long-time super-volunteer Destry “Des” Mangus. That, plus the picture we published of Des with council members, may have elevated the story into the runner-up spot for 2024.

Nelson Mena, the managing partner of Karma

No. 1. Great Karma. Our No. 1 story of 2024 came as no surprise to us. Simply put, it had it all. In May, we broke the story that the old Stallions nightclub would be bought, renovated and rebranded as “Karma.” This online story, then, had all the elements of a very popular story for TheBurg. It was a new business (check), a restaurant/bar (check) a building project (check) and headed by well-known local people (check). The fact that we had the story first, before other local media, further secured its status as our most popular story of 2024. So, let that formula be a lesson to anyone hoping to top our charts in 2025.

For a different take on 2024, I will have my annual list of top local news stories in the January magazine, which drops on Dec. 30. Does my list differ from that of our readers, who voted with their clicks? Return on Monday to find out!

Lawrance Binda is publisher/editor of TheBurg.

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