The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a complaint against the city of Brunswick, Georgia, for its attempts to permanently shut down a Christian charity that provides services to the homeless.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, accusing municipal officials of wrongfully trying to close a homeless ministry known as The Well.
Brunswick has been accused of violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) of 2000 in its attempts to close The Well. The Well is operated by FaithWorks, an organization affiliated with the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The complaint stated, “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.”
The DOJ emphasized that operating The Well is an expression of faith that is significantly hindered by the city's efforts to close it. “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,” the department stated.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ Civil Rights Division also stated on Tuesday, asserting that the Christian ministry has the right to operate in Brunswick.
“Federal law protects the right of religious groups such as The Well to use their land to help others. 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,” he stated.
The Well began its operations in downtown Brunswick in 2014, providing meals, showers, and shelter for the homeless, particularly during harsh weather conditions. However, in April 2023, Brunswick ordered The Well to temporarily shut down after receiving reports that individuals brought in by the charity were allegedly committing violent acts and disrupting the community.
During the subsequent 65-day closure, The Well's staff implemented various policy changes and increased security measures to address safety concerns. Nonetheless, shortly after the charity reopened in July 2023, the city filed a “nuisance complaint” against The Well in an attempt to permanently close the charity.
The Rev. Wright Culpepper of FaithWorks thanked the DOJ for filing the complaint against Brunswick, stating that the suit should provide “much needed” relief.
“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,” Culpepper appealed.
