-NYC Housing Authority Changes Mind and Offers Leases to Churches
by Dr. D ~ January 10th, 2012
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UPDATE: Over the weekend, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) backed off its plans to kick churches out of housing community centers, and decided to prepare new long-term leases instead.
The Authority received a great deal of bad PR from the pastors’ prayer protest and media coverage. Plus hundreds of folks contacted the Authority in support of the churches.
Also, the fact that the churches were serving in poor areas and offering ministry and services that could not be otherwise duplicated helped to bring a change of attitude and a resolution to the impasse.
Meanwhile, dozens of churches in New York City are still getting kicked out of the public schools that they have been renting for worship services. At least those meeting in NYCHA community centers have apparently been saved. *Top
January 10th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Dr D: On December 6, I posted a comment to one of your essays, on the topic of the Supreme Court allowing the Bronx Household of Faith ruling to stand. My comment read:
“I think that there is a realistic danger that, within the next year or so, the city will take additional action against these churches. The action will be “unrelated” to the eviction of the schools from churches, but might involve (for example) new zoning laws to make it more difficult for a church to rent a storefront or a movie theater or similar facility; new parking permit rules that would hinder churches using rented facilities; or similar bureaucratic restrictions.”
I was unaware, when I wrote those words, that the city housing authority was already taking action against churches meeting on other city owned property. I suspect that the victory won in regard to the NYC housing authority is a temporary victory, and the city will respond with some more subtle, and insidious, restriction on churches on public property.
Brian
January 10th, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Brian,
You may be right, however there is a racial and political component involved since most of the churches in the housing authority are serving poor minority communities. The NY politicians behind the administrators are far less likely to want risk alienating an entire minority community when they need their votes.