Town Agrees To Church Shelter, Pays $225K In Legal Fees
A town in Colorado has reached a legal settlement with a local church, allowing the congregation to continue offering shelter to the homeless on its premises and agreeing to cover $225,000 in legal costs. The Town of Castle Rock and Rock Church issued a joint statement confirming the end of their legal dispute, which began in 2023 over zoning restrictions that impacted the church’s ability to house individuals experiencing homelessness.
Under the terms of the settlement, the church is now permitted to operate its On-Site Temporary Shelter Ministry using units located in its current parking lot. Castle Rock also retains the right to install additional screening, such as fencing or landscaping, to limit visibility of the shelter from neighboring areas in accordance with the agreement. The town will pay the church’s legal fees as part of the resolution.
Jeremy Dys, senior counsel with First Liberty Institute—which represented Rock Church—praised the outcome. He called the settlement a positive example of collaboration between government and religious institutions seeking to help vulnerable communities. The church has a history of providing temporary shelter in RV-style campers and has expressed interest in expanding to include more formal short-term housing.
In a previous statement from November 2023, Castle Rock officials explained that the church’s property was not zoned for residential use and that any changes would require public meetings and a formal application process. This prompted Rock Church to file a lawsuit, arguing that the restrictions violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, thereby limiting its ability to carry out faith-driven outreach.
U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the church, affirming its religious freedom to shelter the homeless on its property. In December, the town revised its stance and issued a new letter formally authorizing the shelter ministry, including the church’s ability to work with the Red Cross in emergency situations. This revision played a key role in bringing the legal battle to a close.