A pastor in Bryan, Ohio has agreed to stop housing homeless people in his church until he has the proper permits and certifications.
In exchange, the city of zoning violations against him.
The agreement follows a months-long dispute over whether the church, called Dad鈥檚 Place, has a right to house people experiencing homelessness overnight.
鈥淭he city of Bryan appreciates the willingness of Dad鈥檚 Place to work with the city to resolve the parties鈥� differences amicably and to ensure that the services provided by Dad鈥檚 Place are delivered in a safe manner,鈥� said Bryan鈥檚 mayor Carrie Schlade in a statement. 鈥淭he parties continue to work together in a concerted effort to bring the case to a final resolution.鈥�
The dispute started last spring, after the city鈥檚 police department started receiving phone calls about inappropriate activity around the church, like trespassing and harassment.
The city discovered the church had been housing homeless people overnight.
Chris Avell, the church鈥檚 pastor, said in an earlier conversation with the Ohio Newsroom, that the church keeps its doors open 24/7. It wouldn鈥檛 ask anyone to leave unless they pose a threat to the congregation.
鈥淥f course, people who have nowhere else to go, they found sanctuary,鈥� Avell said. 鈥淭hey found a place where they can come and be cared for, loved, not judged.鈥�
But the city claimed the building was unsafe for overnight guests and that allowing people to stay there violated zoning rules. A fire code inspection found 18 violations, ranging from inadequate exit areas to a gas leak from a dryer that was installed incorrectly.
Avell and his lawyer had said they have been working with a landlord to fix those issues, but that the city鈥檚 expectations were unclear.
They sued the city of Bryan on the grounds of religious discrimination.
That suit is ongoing, but a press release stated the parties are working to 鈥渇ind common ground鈥� and settle it.
Avell has said would prefer to find solutions outside of the courtroom.
鈥淢y hope is we'd be able to sit down together and talk,鈥� he said in an earlier conversation. 鈥淚 think that's what people are called to do according to the word of God. But there's good news for me either way, because I know for sure God will be glorified no matter what the result.鈥�
"I know for sure God will be glorified no matter what the result.鈥�Chris Avell, pastor of Dad's Place
Across Ohio, homelessness is on the rise. An annual count found the state鈥檚 unhoused population between 2022 and 2023.
The rise impacts small communities like Bryan differently than big cities.
鈥淚n some communities, they may only have five or 10 people a year who experienced homelessness,鈥� said Amy Riegel, the executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. 鈥淣ow they might be seeing five or 10 people on any given night.鈥�
There鈥檚 only one homeless shelter in Williams County, where Dad鈥檚 Place is located, and it鈥檚 very busy.
鈥淲e don't have a slack season or a heavy season because we're full virtually all the time,鈥� said Mike Kelly, who runs it.
He routinely sent people to Dad鈥檚 Place, next door, if he didn鈥檛 have the space. Avell said Dad鈥檚 Place cared for about eight to 12 people each night.