Church Opens Parking Lot to Homeless

The First Presbyterian Church in Dallas opened its parking lot to homeless people, allowing up to 150 to sleep on the pavement under the watch of a security guard. The church began this as a response to the police crackdown on people sleeping in public spaces.

“Most churches close their doors at night and flee to the suburbs,” Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, told the Associated Press. “They should be applauded.”

The church’s Reverend Joe Clifford told reporters that he sees the homeless issue as a criminal issue and a society problem. Opening his church parking lot as a sort of campground is a temporary solution until more options are available, he said. The National Coalition for the Homeless labeled Dallas one of the “meanest” cities in the country for its approach to those without homes. City officials have passed recent laws that panhandling and ban shopping carts on city streets. Feeding homeless people is restricted to certain areas.

The church’s actions were in response to recent harsher crackdowns. The city has more than 5,000 homeless people, according to Census data, and only 1,300 available shelter beds. But the church may not have the appropriate permits to continue offering their parking lot as sleeping space, said Deputy Police Chief Vince Golbeck, who also told reporters that he understands the church's mission, but authorities must enforce the law.