Overview

• 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.