The United States Department of Justice has filed a complaint against a Georgia city for trying to permanently close down a Christian charity that ministers to the homeless.
The DOJ filed a lawsuit against the city of Brunswick on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Brunswick Division, accusing municipal officials of wrongfully trying to permanently close a homeless ministry known as The Well.
Brunswick was accused of violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 when trying to shutter The Well, which is run by FaithWorks, an organization affiliated with the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
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“Through its campaign to shut down The Well, including a mandatory closure order and a nuisance lawsuit, Brunswick imposed a substantial burden on the religious exercise of FaithWorks, and of The Well’s staff and leadership, without a compelling interest and without using the least restrictive means of achieving that interest, in violation of RLUIPA,” read the DOJ complaint.
“Operating The Well is an expression of faith that is substantially burdened by the City’s efforts to permanently close The Well. FaithWorks, which runs The Well, is an extension of the Methodist Church, and providing basic services to the poor and unhoused individuals are cornerstones of FaithWorks’ religious practice.”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ Civil Rights Division said in a statement released Tuesday that the Christian ministry was within its rights to operate in Brunswick.
“Federal law protects the right of religious groups such as The Well to use their land to help others,” said Clarke. “The division will continue to vindicate the rights of groups to exercise their religion and fight local land use laws that unlawfully restrict those rights.”
The Well began operating in downtown Brunswick in 2014, with the facility serving as a place where the homeless can receive meals and showers, as well shelter there during harsh weather.
In April 2023, according to court documents, Brunswick ordered The Well to temporarily close down in response to reports that the homeless brought in by the charity were committing violent acts and otherwise disrupting the community.
During the 65-day closure, staff members at The Well implemented various changes in policies and increased security measures to address local concerns over public safety.
Nevertheless, in July 2023, shortly after the charity reopened, the city filed a “nuisance complaint” against The Well in order to permanently shutter the charity.
The Rev. Wright Culpepper of FaithWorks thanked the DOJ for filing its complaint against Brunswick, saying that the suit should bring “much needed” relief, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“The Superior Court lawsuit — though a temporarily stayed order of the court — created an additional cloud of uncertainty that delayed our ability to continue our services and respond more quickly to the needs of those in crisis,” stated Culpepper, the AJC added.
