HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – A proposed substance abuse treatment facility in Harrisonburg remains at the center of a dispute between developers and the city. Mainspring Recovery has filed for a temporary injunction in the case, saying construction on its planned recovery center was stopped by the city after work had already begun.
Mainspring Recovery planned to establish a new recovery center for people experiencing substance abuse on a five-acre property in Harrisonburg off Maryland Avenue. However, Yitzy Halon, CEO and co-founder of Mainspring Recovery, said plans came to a halt after the city ordered construction to stop.
“We began construction, and a few weeks later we heard from them that we were to cease all construction and that our building permit was verbally revoked,” Halon said.
Halon said the facility would address what he calls a major gap in care in Harrisonburg.
“Over the past 10 years, the local hospital here has been releasing reports stating that one of the highest unmet health needs is treatment for substance abuse and mental health,” Halon said. “We really believe that we can provide that and meet the people here where they are and provide the treatment that they need.”
In the Valley, the 2025 Sentara RMH Medical Center Community Health Needs Assessment found that behavioral health, including mental health and substance use, is the top health concern in the Shenandoah Valley. Eighty-nine percent of surveyed community leaders identified behavioral health as a priority issue.
According to that assessment, drug overdose is one of the top health conditions driving hospitalizations at Sentara RMH. More than 2,000 people visited the Sentara RMH emergency department for behavioral health concerns in 2024, including 1,962 adults and 125 youth.
The Valley also has fewer mental health providers per capita than the state and national averages, contributing to gaps in treatment access. Community members identified major barriers to getting care, including cost, lack of insurance coverage, long wait times for appointments and transportation challenges.
Halon said the facility would support up to 120 patients and create 100 jobs in the area, with programs lasting anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Halon said each patient is assigned a caseworker to help plan what happens after treatment.
“No one is ever discharged into homelessness and no one is ever discharged onto the street,” Halon said. “I think some of these ideas about what treatment is come from a misnomer that somehow substance use treatment facilities create an unsafe environment. The reality is just the opposite.”
Halon said his own personal experiences are why he continues to fight for the project.
“I didn’t get into this to fight City Hall. Believe me, that is not my intention and it’s not fun,” Halon said. “That being said, I’ve seen the miracle of recovery and what it can do to rehabilitate lives and relationships. To me, that is something worth fighting for.”
Halon said he hopes to work with city leaders to resolve the dispute and continue the project. In the meantime, the developers have filed for a temporary injunction to be able to make the structure safe.
WHSV reached out to the city of Harrisonburg for comment, but the city declined to conduct any additional interviews because of the ongoing litigation.
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