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GREENSBORO — When the sick and shut-ins at Elm Towers couldn’t attend  Sunday services at church, the church came to them. They worshipped and read the Bible in a community room where they play Bingo.

Robert Jackson liked the convenience.

He has lived in Elm Towers for 12 years and has attended the services provided by volunteers just as long.
The convenience ended recently when the High Point Housing Authority shut down the religious services.
 It said that U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development policy wouldn’t allow them.

But the services could return soon. HUD said Tuesday that the housing authority, which operates the subsidized apartments, might have misinterpreted the policy.

Jackson misses the services in the common area. 

“I would love for it to be back,” he said. “And a lot of us do, too.”

Jackson, who has diabetes, just had cataract-removal surgery on both eyes. He no longer drives.

He said his children sometimes take him to church, but he can’t be out long because he has to take medicine.

Others didn’t find the common area being used for Sunday services as convenient as Jackson did. Their complaints reached the housing authority.

The authority said the gatherings violated a federal policy that forbids organizations receiving HUD funds from engaging in religious activities.

Racheal Matthews, spokeswoman for the housing authority, previously cited 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.

“If any organization conducts such activities, the activities must be offered separately, in the time or location, from the programs, activities, or services supported by the direct HUD funds, and participation must be voluntary for the beneficiaries of these programs, activities, or services.”

Matthews could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Howard Embler, an Elm Towers resident who had attended the services, said the worship leaders weren’t paid for their work. He called the barring of Sunday services in the apartments “unconstitutional.”

“It should’ve been turned around,” he said.

Embler said people have offered legal help and rides to churches for the tenants since the controversy gained attention.

After criticism from tenants and Christian-based law firms, the authority  appealed to HUD for clarification.
Joseph J. Phillips of HUD’s Atlanta regional office said religious groups generally are given the same access as nonreligious groups.

The housing authority received notification by telephone of HUD’s policy interpretation Tuesday and would receive it in writing, he said.

“The HUD regulations found at (Policy) 24, CFR 5.109 may not be interpreted to justify the housing authority’s issue to prohibit use of the common area for religious activities,” Phillips said.

Phillips said that this is a longstanding policy that probably would not change.

“Religious discrimination should not find a home in public housing,” he said.

Contact Dioni L. Wise at 373-7090 or dioni.wise@news-record.com