The U.S. Justice Department filed a “statement of interest” supporting a Santa Ana Christian church’s claim the city denied its zoning application.
Anchor Stone Christian Church is suing the city, alleging officials violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act when it denied its zoning application to use a location in a professional district.
“Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said. “Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the federal law “prohibits local governments from treating religious assembly uses like the Anchor Stone Church worse than comparable nonreligious assemblies.
“Zoning codes violate (the federal law) when they make it more difficult for people to gather for religious worship than for secular purposes,” Warner said. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce (the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act) protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship as a community.”
The church includes first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans.
The city issued at statement saying it “:is aware that the Department of Justice has filed a Statement of Interest in the Anchor Stone Church lawsuit. The city is reviewing the statement. The city will not comment further on this litigation.”