Blenman Elm residents and Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church must decide if they're willing to try mediation or a settlement conference, a judge has ordered.
In January, a group of residents of the midtown neighborhood who have dubbed themselves the Friends of Blenman-Elm filed a lawsuit against the church that cited safety concerns brought about by the services the church regularly provides to homeless and needy people. They asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction shutting down or moving the services that happen three times per week at the church, 2331 E. Adam's St.
During a packed court hearing on Nov. 5, several of the residents gave sworn testimony about how the services have made the residential neighborhood an unsafe environment.
Residents say they have been subject to violent threats and frequently see drug use out in the open, homeless people sleeping on private property and even fires.
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They argue that the church's services, known collectively as Joseph’s Pantry, have become a nuisance under the law due to the negative impact.
A Pima County judge has ordered Blenman-Elm residents and Tucson’s Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to consider mediation or a settlement conference in a lawsuit over Joseph’s Pantry. Residents allege the church’s services for homeless and needy people create safety problems, while church leaders cite security measures and some neighbors dispute the complaints.
That impact hits the direct neighbors of the church the hardest, a civil complaint filed in the case says. Other parts of the neighborhood, especially east of North Tucson Boulevard, don't have the same experience.
Not all nearby residents side with Friends of Blenman-Elm, though. During the Nov. 5 hearing, a series of people who live within blocks of the church testified they frequently pass by and haven't faced significant problems.
Steve Keplinger, the priest who leads the church, testified that they have put safety measures in place, including security services, daily trash cleanups, banning drug users and moving encampments when they appear.
Pima County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Kuhn on Friday ordered the two parties to meet and decide if they're willing to try mediation or a settlement conference.
Contact public safety reporter Griffin Salkowski at GSalkowski@tucson.com.
Griffin Salkowski
Public Safety Reporter
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