BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- A methadone clinic on Buffalo’s West Side wants to expand but city lawmakers are speaking out against it.
Two Buffalo Common Council members plan to make an official statement on Tuesday against the clinic expanding on Virginia St.
“We’ve already taken the burden on the numbers they have now,” said Council President Darius Pridgen. “I don’t think it’s fair to the residents, I don’t think it’s fair to the West Side.”
It’s a methadone clinic many neighbors and lawmakers protested before it opened.
Pridgen told us the Alba De Vida program wants to increase the number of patients it serves within the Hispanics United of Buffalo building.
The state makes the decision on whether it will expand.
After calls from concerned neighbors, Pridgen and Council Member David Franczyk plan to issue a formal statement opposing it.
“I’m getting reports now of needles being left in the neighborhoods of some drug dealing going on, of some of the clients that are leaving,” said Pridgen. “I just don’t think it’s the right area to increase the services.”
The push to expand isn’t new. The clinic told us in April 2015 it was at capacity and 200 more people were seeking treatment.
We called and e-mailed the program director on Monday to see how long the wait list is now and for more details about the expansion plan. We have not heard back.
We checked the state database and discovered there are only three methadone clinics in Erie County. The Alba De Vida program is within a mile and a half of another methadone clinic.
“I think they do a great job in helping people in need but what we don’t want to see is an oversaturation in one area of the city,” said Pridgen.
If the council approves the resolution at its meeting on Tuesday, it will send copies to the state agencies overseeing methadone clinics, state lawmakers and Erie County officials.
This is only an official opinion opposing the facility, the state has the final say.
