Burien: The small South King County city is being sued in federal court by a Methodist church in Burien; this is the seventh lawsuit related to the city’s efforts to reduce homelessness. However, in contrast to the previous cases, this one centers on religious freedom, a fundamental American value.
According to James Lobsenz, “people came here and left England so that they could not be told what kind of religious things they could or could not do.” He is one of the principal legal representatives for the Oasis Home Church, Pastor Mark Miller, and the plaintiffs.
According to spokeswoman Devin Chicras, the city of Burien—along with two of its employees—refused to comment on the legal dispute. The case’s facts are not too complicated. Following the passing of Burien’s camping legislation, Miller and the Oasis Home Church allowed the Burien Community Support Coalition, a local group, to set up camp on their land.
Religious freedom
About 100 individuals were provided with a temporary location to dwell at the property from November 2023 to the beginning of February. After Burien cleared the sizable median encampment on December 1, 2023, the majority moved to the location.
The church claims that providing housing for the homeless is an act of its religious freedom that is guaranteed by the Constitution. However, it also makes use of the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which shields places of worship from prejudice in zoning regulations.
A recent study published by the Burien Community Support Coalition states that during the site’s existence, there have been no violent incidents, arrests, or fatalities on the property. “Those who lodged at Sunnydale Village did not sleep on walkways, in alleys, or in doorways,” stated Cydney Moore, the Burien Community Support Coalition’s director.
According to a monthly report by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office and local coverage by the B-Town Blog, at least four persons who were living outside in Burien have passed away from overdoses since the camp was disbanded.
Furthermore, there have been no significant efforts to address the issue of unsheltered homelessness, which has spread like wildfire. At the moment, a sizable camp is located not far from Burien’s downtown.
People are not permitted to sleep
Early in March, things took a drastic turn when the City Council of Buren imposed further regulations. These included a map that showed many “buffer” zones delineating the areas where people were not permitted to sleep.
Buren responded by filing a countersuit, claiming that by failing to enforce the city’s homelessness policy, the Sheriff’s Office had broken a contract with the city. The matter is still pending.
Furthermore, the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness and three homeless individuals are contesting Burien’s camping rule in King County Superior Court, arguing that it “banishes” homeless individuals and amounts to “cruel punishment” that is unconstitutional in Washington.
This is still an ongoing case. In addition, Burien is named as a defendant in a fifth case filed in King County Superior Court, which alleges that in April, City Council members broke the Washington Open Public Meetings Act.
