A pastor in Bryan, Ohio is now suing the city after he was charged with violating ordinances when he opened his church to house homeless people.
Chris Avell, the pastor of Dad's Place church, was charged with 18 counts of violating the city's zoning ordinance, lacking a proper kitchen and laundry facilities, having unsafe exits, and improper ventilation. The church is located in the city's C-3 business zoning district, which prohibits people from eating, sleeping, or washing their clothes on property grounds.
On Monday, the church filed a 43-page complaint in the U.S. District Court for Northern Ohio. In the complaint, the church accused city officials of waging a months-long harrasment campaign in an attempt to bully the pastor into evicting the homeless people sheltering in the church.
In an interview with The Associated Press, an attorney for Avell and the church, Jeremy Dys, also accused city officials of inventing problems.
"Nothing satisfies the city," Dys told the outlet. "And worse - they go on a smear campaign of innuendo and half-truths."
In response, Bryan City Attorney Marc Fishel said officials were only trying to enforce the law on Dad's Place and alleged that the church also violated fire codes in addition to zoning ordinances.
"Throughout this process, the City has merely tried to get Dad's Place to comply with laws that apply to everyone," Fishel said, as quoted by the Washington Post.
What Is the Court's Verdict?
During an initial meeting with the federal judge and lawyers for Bryan, both sides agreed to maintain the status quo. This means the church will be allowed to remain open to people who seek their religious services until March 4, when the judge is expected to make a decision on the complaint.
The church first opened in 2018 and only began operating 24 hours a day in March 2023. The church is offering haircuts for free for people within the community. In addition, the church also offers bible study nights and a warming center for people without a home, per its Facebook page.
The church has since created a GoFundMe page which asks for donations to help the church.
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