Homeless

Colorado Church Wins Court Approval to Continue Sheltering Homeless on Its Grounds Amid Zoning Dispute

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Castle Rock, CO – A Colorado church has won a preliminary legal victory allowing it to continue offering shelter to the homeless on its property, despite objections from local authorities over zoning regulations. The federal court issued an injunction in favor of the Rock Church, located in Castle Rock, which had been prohibited from hosting the homeless since December due to a zoning dispute. The church, led by Pastor Mike Polhemus, has used its facilities, including two RVs, to provide temporary housing for those in need. This service was halted when the town’s board of … Read more

Homeless Woman vs. Grants Pass: Supreme Court to Decide Landmark Case on Criminalizing Survival

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Portland, Oregon – Ed Johnson, a prominent lawyer and tour guide at the U.S. Supreme Court in the late 1980s, is set to return to the iconic building on April 22. However, this time he won’t be giving tours. Johnson, the director of litigation at the Oregon Law Center, will be involved in arguing “Grants Pass v. Johnson,” a significant case that could shape how cities address the issue of homelessness. In this case, Johnson will be representing Gloria Johnson, a homeless woman who alleges that the Grants Pass police attempted to force her out … Read more

Federal Judge Upholds First Amendment Rights, Rules in Favor of Oregon Church in Homeless Meal Service Case

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Brookings, Oregon – A federal judge has ruled in favor of a church in a First Amendment case, preventing a southern Oregon city from shutting down the church’s homeless meal service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke deemed an ordinance passed by the city of Brookings to be a violation of the religious freedom rights of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. The church has been providing meals to the homeless since 2009. The ordinance required a permit to serve free food in residential areas and limited the church’s meal services to only two days a week. In … Read more

Blind Man Wrongfully Evicted and Rendered Homeless Due to Lack of Reasonable Accommodation, Attorney Appeals Dismissal

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Wilmington, Delaware – A wrongful eviction case in Wilmington, Delaware has been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly, prompting an appeal from the plaintiff’s attorney, Thomas S. Neuberger. The plaintiff, William Murphy, who is 56 years old and in poor health, had moved to Maryland instead of returning to his Wilmington home. Neuberger argues that the judge failed to recognize the duty of local governments to provide “reasonable accommodations” to individuals with disabilities, including court constables carrying out evictions. Neuberger contends that the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that reasonable accommodations be made … Read more