The latest twist in a battle over an Ohio pastor’s efforts to help the homeless
One month ago, the Rev. Chris Avell was in court defending his efforts to keep members of the homeless community in Bryan, Ohio, warm and safe from inclement weather.
Now, all charges against him have been dropped by city officials, but a related federal lawsuit remains unresolved.
Conflict over church being used as homeless shelter
The legal battle between the Rev. Avell and Bryan officials began last year, when the pastor started welcoming homeless individuals into his church, which is called Dad’s Place.
When the city found out about his efforts, leaders raised safety concerns, noting that the church’s neighbors were calling in to report harassment and other issues.
City officials ultimately decided to charge the Rev. Avell with violating Bryan’s zoning code, which prohibits the church from using its first floor for residential purposes.
“The city said it warned Avell of the zoning laws in November but the church continued its operations,” according to NPR.
In January, the Rev. Avell appeared in Bryan Municipal Court and pleaded not guilty to 18 zoning charges. He then filed a federal religious freedom lawsuit against the city, arguing that officials were interfering with his ability to live out his religious beliefs, as the Deseret News previously reported.
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Charges dropped against Ohio pastor
Earlier this month, the Rev. Avell met with city officials to talk through the conflict. On Feb. 8, they announced that they’d agreed to a plan to address safety concerns and that the charges against the pastor would be dropped.
“The city has agreed to drop all criminal charges against Dad’s Place Pastor Chris Avell. Dad’s Place has in turn agreed to cease residential operations and to seek proper building certifications, and zoning permits for the operations it plans to pursue together with the installation of any necessary safety measures associated with those permits,” explained a Feb. 8 press release from the Rev. Avell’s law firm, First Liberty Institute.
The press release included statements from the Rev. Avell and Carrie Schlade, the mayor of Bryan.
“I am thankful to God, the city, and for everyone who has been praying for this day to come,” the pastor said. “Bryan is my home. I am eager to continue to serve God, my community, and the people I love.”
“The city of Bryan appreciates the willingness of Dad’s Place to work with the city to resolve the parties’ differences amicably and to ensure that the services provided by Dad’s Place are delivered in a safe manner. The parties continue to work together in a concerted effort to bring the case to a final resolution,” Schlade said.
As the mayor noted, the city is still working with the Rev. Avell and his attorneys to resolve some ongoing issues. Most notably, they have to determine what will happen with the federal religious freedom lawsuit.
“The parties ... will continue seeking to find common ground in an effort to settle the pending lawsuit,” the Feb. 8 statement said.
