Ohio Pastor Who Helped Homeless Brave Ice Storm Is Suing

Chris Avell, a pastor in Bryan, Ohio who opened his church to the city's "vulnerable" residents to give them a place to stay amid freezing winter weather, is suing city officials over what he says is "discrimination" and "harassment" stemming from criminal charges he faced for providing housing for homeless people.

Avell filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the city of Bryan, Mayor Carrie Schlade, Police Department Capt. Jamie Mendez, zoning official Andrew Waterson, and Fire Chief Doug Pool.

In court filings, Avell said he hosted an average of eight unhoused people per night at his church, Dad's Place, "without incident" for several months before the city tried to stop him from keeping the facility open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As Common Dreams reported last week, city officials told Avell he could no longer house people in the church because it lacked bedrooms and was zoned as a central business, in which Ohio prohibits residential use.

Authorities arrived at the church during a New Year's Eve service and issued 18 zoning and fire code violations.

read more