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People near and far are weighing in on whether the High Point Housing Authority got it right when officials began denying the use of a common space in a subsidized housing community for religious services.

Most question whether the policy at Elm Tower is being interpreted incorrectly after largely elderly and disabled residents who live there were stopped from meeting with a preacher on Sunday mornings.

That’s prompted the High Point Housing Authority, which operates the complex, to go back to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development for direction.

“We have received feedback and questions, so we have turned it over to HUD so they can make a determination,” said Rachael Matthews, the spokeswoman for the High Point Housing Authority.

Greensboro resident Carolyn Ritter was one of several people from this area to contact the Christian Law Association.

“The HUD management is not correctly interpreting its policy,” Barbara J. Weller, an attorney associated with the association, wrote in an e-mail message, with copies of HUD directives attached.

“It is quite common in all nursing home or HUD situations for outside groups to come in and hold church services for shut-ins,” Weller wrote. “As long as the HUD facility itself is not sponsoring the religious program, it is entirely constitutional.”

HUD’s Atlanta regional office has yet to respond to a request from the News & Record for an interpretation.

Based on conversations with HUD, Matthews had said the gatherings violated HUD policy that forbids organizations receiving HUD funds from “engaging in inherently religious activities.”

Matthews referred to Policy 24, CFR 5.109, which reads: “Organizations that receive direct HUD funds under a HUD program or activity may not engage in inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction or proselytization, as part of the programs or services directly funded under the HUD program or activity.”

Asked at the time whether the regulation refers to the housing authority holding services instead of residents gathering in the common area on their own, Matthews said the policy wouldn’t differentiate.

“It’s on the property belonging to the housing authority,” Matthews said at the time.

“We’ve talked to HUD about this. They said, 'Yes, you are doing exactly the right thing.’”

A copy of the policy was slipped under the doors of residents a few weeks ago after complaints about use of the room for Sunday services. Residents can now only use the room for such group activities as Bingo.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com