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 incorre