A Houston lawyer filed a lawsuit last week seeking a permanent injunction to shut down the operation of The Beacon, a day center for homeless people.  Citing it as a "private nuisance," lawyer Harry C. Arthur claims the shelter's increased popularity is negatively impacting his nearby office.

“What started as a good and noble idea has instead grown and turned into a danger to the health and safety of others in the adjacent areas,” the lawsuit states. “The individuals sing, play music, dance, fight and (do) other undesirable activities. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, when The Beacon's operation is closed, things are once again quiet and pleasant.”

Arthur also seeks a minimum of $250,000 in damages from defendants Christ Church Cathedral and The Beacon to compensate him for loss of rentals and loss of market value on the property.
 
“This is nothing new,” Reverend Joe Reynolds said of the church's commitment to helping the homeless. “We don't want to go about it in a cavalier way, but the Christian community has been in the business of feeding the hungry for 2,000 years. We're not going to stop.”
 
—Source:  Houston Chronicle