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Religion & Law

: Religion Clause

Public Housing Authority Says No More On-Site Church Services

By Howard M. Friedman

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According to yesterday's Dallas News, the Dallas (TX) Housing Authority has ordered a halt to Sunday morning worship services in one of the public housing complexes it administers. For the past 14 years, Lake Highlands United Methodist Church has brought Sunday services to elderly residents of Audelia Manor. Now, however, MaryAnn Russ, Dallas Housing Authority CEO, says the worship services violate the DHA's contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as well as church-state separation principles. She says that worship services amount to agency endorsement of religion. New Housing Authority agreements with religious social service groups prohibit them from holding worship services in public housing units. However a HUD spokesman in Washington says that the Fair Housing Act does not prohibit religious activity in common areas of public housing as long the activity does not result in unequal treatment of residents.

UPDATE: The Dallas News reports that on Thursday, the Dallas Housing Authority reversed its decision. Religious services at Audelia Manor will resume on Sunday.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on March 04, 2010 (boomark / email).