Ohio Pastor Faces Charges for Sheltering Homeless in Church

Despite legal action, Pastor Chris Avell vows to continue providing shelter amid growing homelessness crisis.

Pastor Chris Avell of Dad’s Place in Bryan, Ohio, has been charged with 18 zoning law violations for sheltering homeless people in his church during extreme cold weather.
The church, located in a central business district, is not zoned for residential use, which includes sleeping and eating, according to Ohio law.
Despite the charges, Avell has stated he plans to continue housing the homeless in his church this winter.
The charges come as the nation's homeless population grew sharply by 12% in 2023, with nearly 654,000 people without housing.
Avell's attorney, Jeremy Dys, has called the city’s prosecution of the pastor “unconscionable” and alleges the charges are a form of “lawfare harassment” against the church.