What happened to Chris Avell? Ohio pastor files lawsuit against Bryan officials in wake of housing homeless controversy

Chris Avell, a pastor in Ohio, decided to keep a church named Dad's Place open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help the homeless and needy in the city of Bryan. Bryan is situated in the state's northwestern corner, 53 miles southwest of Toledo, with a population of about 8,600 people.

The Associated Press reported that authorities filed 18 criminal charges of breaching city ordinances earlier this month against Dad's Place's Pastor Avell. The rented church building is next to a separate homeless shelter along Main Street in Bryan. The allegations include violating the zoning ordinance, lacking proper kitchen and laundry facilities, and having unsafe exits and inadequate ventilation.

WTOL reported that Pastor Chris Avell pleaded not guilty on 18 counts. Later, on January 22, 2024, the church filed a federal lawsuit and motion to get a temporary restraining order against the city and its officials.

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Chris Avell sued the city, claiming discrimination on the basis of religion

WTOL reported that in March 2023, Dad's Place started helping the homeless. In November 2023, city officials issued an ultimatum to the church to cease operating 24 hours a day or face legal penalties. Attorneys for Dad's Place said that when the church denied the ultimatum, city officials started a campaign to harass, intimidate, and close down the church. Chris Avell's attorney, Jeremy Dys, said,

"They've taken the extraordinary measure of filing criminal charges against a pastor for doing what churches have done for centuries. I would ask the mayor to send her attorneys to come talk to us, to have a conversation about what this church looks like going forward in the city of Bryan, Ohio."

NBC News reported that at his arraignment on January 11, 2024, Pastor Avell pleaded not guilty to all charges. This was followed by suing the city of Bryan for discrimination on the basis of religion and claiming city officials had launched a harassment campaign against the church.

According to the report by NBC News, the local fire chief detected a slew of fire code violations at the church. The city argued that Pastor Chris Avell was allocated time to follow the ordinance after being given warnings, which he reportedly denied.

A news release by the City of Bryan, Ohio, read,

"The only reason this is still an ongoing fire/safety concern is because Chris Avell ignored the City’s notices in the fall, hence forcing criminal charges related to zoning."

The Associated Press reported that the church asks for a federal judge to protect what it claims are violations of constitutional rights to the free exercise of religion and protections against government hostility to religion.

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City officials claim to have received reports of "inappropriate activity" at Dad's Place

A news release by the City of Bryan, Ohio, stated that since May 2023, officials have noticed increased reports to the city's police department about some "inappropriate activity" at Pastor Chris Avell's church. The news release read,

"Beginning in May 2023, the City of Bryan began seeing an increase in calls for service to the Bryan Police Department based on inappropriate activity at Dad's Place. Some of the calls were for criminal mischief, trespassing, overdose, larceny, harassment, disturbing the peace, and sexual assault."

WTOL reported that Pastor Chris Avell said,

"This is what the word of God teaches, to take care of the widowed and orphaned. We have widows in our church. We've had people, who they may not be kids under the law, but they are orphans. This is how I worship my God and I just want to be able to worship my God."

It was also reported that the church asks a federal judge to issue a restraining order or an injunction to prevent the city and top officials from "enforcing or applying the city’s ordinances to burden the plaintiff’s religious exercise." The church also asks for damages and attorneys' fees.