Gainesville churches that nourish the homeless will be able to continue their work undeterred.
The city commission voted 6-1 Monday against part of a proposed amendment that would have required religious assemblies in single-family residence zones to obtain a special-use permit and pay a ,1,000 fee before being allowed to feed or shelter homeless people.
More than a dozen citizens and homeless advocates turned out to speak in favor of the old system, which allows churches to get permits through a request made to the city manager.
Arupa Freeman, leader of Home Van, a community volunteer group, said the proposed ordinance shows a growing fear of homelessness.
"There's not poor people waiting in the bushes to jump out and strangle you," she said.
Commissioner Ed Braddy, who voted against the amendment, disagreed.
"There was another homeless person who came to Gainesville named Danny Rolling," he said, in reference to the 1990s serial killer.
"There is a middle ground we are trying to find, which has nothing to do with whether we care about the poor or downtrodden," Braddy added
The proposal to change the system was part of a larger ordinance to bring the city closer to complying with the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
