Patapsco United Methodist hit with potential $12,000 citation for housing homeless
After months of complaints from neighbors about homeless individuals taking residence in the back yard area of Patapsco United Methodist Church (PUM), the church, located at 7800 Wise Avenue in Dundalk, has been slapped with a $12,000 citation and order to appear in court on Dec. 21.
Baltimore County code enforcement has been out to inspect the church multiple times this year, with complaints being lodged against the church in June, July, August and November. The first three visits yielded no violations against the church. But the last one, dated Nov. 22, found that the church was in violation of county zoning codes for “failure to cease exterior use of property as housing units.”
According to neighbor complaints, homeless persons in the area had set up tarps on concrete slabs to create makeshift shelters at the back of the church. The complaint filed in June cited the shelters and noted that trash and waste were being created. The July complaint referred to the June complaint, while the August complaint noted that a local business owner had started to get upset due to the homeless “urinating on his trees.”
For many churches, turning away the homeless population is in direct conflict with their faith according to Pastor Katie Grover, who heads up PUM. “The business of the church is to serve God, and God says, ‘Whatever you’ve done for the least of these you’ve done unto me,” said Grover. “We want to care for these people the best we can.”
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