Throughout what has been one of the most brutal winters in recent memory, a small church in Rockford, Illinois decided to do the right thing and offer a warm, safe place to sleep for local homeless people. The church provided shelter to 30-50 people a night during the winter months, and probably even saved several lives as a result. For this horrific offense, city officials have zeroed in and told them they must stop this act of charity due to “zoning issues” and “safety hazards.”
This story is just another tale in a recent disturbing crackdown by local municipalities against private citizens and institutions trying to make life a little less painful for homeless people. Recall my very popular post from a month ago titled:Â South Carolina City Implements Law that Requires a $120 Permit to Feed Homeless People.
Now from WIFR 23News:
ROCKFORD (WIFR) — Leaders at a Rockford church say they have been told by the city that they can no longer act as a warming center and temporary homeless shelter because of zoning issues and apparent safety hazards.
Apostolic Pentecostals of Rockford church tells 23 News they were told Wednesday by the city that their facility doesn’t have adequate fire safety equipment and also isn’t zoned to serve the community as a warming center or shelter.
You got people out in the cold,” says church owner David Frederick, “and I think the city should allow us to stay open all night.”
Frederick says he has been warned by the city if his church takes people in he would be doing so illegally.
I’m really glad local “authorities” across America have got their priorities straight.
Full article from WIFR and video here.
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
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You would tend to think that in this time of need, people helping each other would be rewarding and widely accepted but it seems that the level of stupidity has reached unprecedented levels. It would be well worth dissecting which individuals are specifically behind this decision that a church or any other organization for that matter cannot help the poor and needy. Who is Rockord City has come up with this?
This is a clear First Amendment violation, and can rightly be ignored and then fought if necessary.
We all need to begin getting right in the face of baseless, senseless bureaucratic overreach and spit in it’s eye.
Oh, the compassion of our civic leaders.
Bizarro World.
Couldn’t they have the homeless sign a waiver of assumption of risk to get around the “fire hazard safety risk”?