Castle Rock church

A federal judge has ruled that The Rock Church in Castle Rock, Colorado, can continue providing temporary shelter to homeless individuals using RVs and trailers parked on its property, despite the town's zoning regulations. U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico issued a preliminary injunction, stating that the town's actions may violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which protects religious institutions from discriminatory zoning laws. The church has been sheltering the homeless since 2019, but faced attempts by the town to block its efforts since 2021. Judge Domenico emphasized that it is not the town's place to define the church's religious beliefs, and noted that there have been no reported safety issues with the church's sheltering practices. The town has stated it will review its options following the ruling, while The Rock Church expressed gratitude for the court's decision to uphold its constitutional rights.