GASTONIA, N.C. — A Gastonia church’s legal battle with the city of Gastonia could soon be behind them.
The city of Gastonia and Faith Hope and Love Community Enrichment Ministries have come to an agreement to forego financial penalties accrued against the church if it can meet the guidelines of the consent order, filed Tuesday.
The city filed a lawsuit against the church for violating several city and zoning ordinances while allowing a homeless encampment on their property.
The deal forgives $116,000 in penalties so long as Faith Hope and Love Community Enrichment Ministries cleans up and gets its property up to city code. The church has 30 days to get into compliance.
"It’s kind of heart-wrenching, but it’s a win because now we can move forward and do great things," Moses Colbert, lead pastor at the church, said.
Church leaders agreed not to bring back a homeless encampment nor allow people to sleep on the property overnight.
"The city code does allow for several transitional housing for the homeless, opportunities for children who are homeless, other relief-type organizations if they are properly zoned," Assistant City Attorney Charles Graham said.
On Tuesday, heavy machinery was at the site assisting with cleanup.
The Gastonia church closed its encampment in August. The camp housed dozens of people. Some of the residents had been living there for months, some even a year.
"We think everything went well, and as far as the cleanup, most of it has already been completed," Monica Colbert, a pastor at Faith, Hope and Love Community Enrichment Ministries said.
The city also had a big issue with two large trailers that were on the lot, without the proper permits. Those were demolished.
"That court case hanging over our head... was lots of sleepless nights," Moses Colbert said. "Now we can breathe a little."
"I think this is as ideal as we can get at this point," Graham said. "The city was more concerned about the compliance of city codes and the health and safety of the people on the property."
Between May of 2022 and August of this year, police, fire, and EMS responded to over 600 emergency calls. An argument on Aug. 20 led to a deadly shooting on the property, Gastonia police said.
The pastors said this is not the end of their hospitality.
"This problem is not going to go away -- we know it because this is just the world we live in," he said. "We just want to do what is right by them and do the best we can for them."
The Colberts said the encampment was only supposed to be a temporary solution. They will continue to provide meals and showers to those in need.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.