性视界传媒

The head of a Longview homeless outreach organization claims city officials are using zoning laws to keep her organization from operating.

Amanda Veasy, executive director of One Love World聽性视界传媒� formerly One Love Longview聽性视界传媒� repeated claims Saturday during a news conference at City Hall that city officials have targeted her organization and treated her unfairly by blocking it from opening at a new location.

"Until we are able to meet with the city and discuss the next steps and what they are going to allow or disallow, we're at a standstill,性视界传媒� Veasy said. 性视界传媒淲e're unable to function. Our clients are still out there needing services.性视界传媒�

One Love World staffers opened a new administrative office and distribution center this past week in a home at 907 Reel Road on the property of St. Michael and All Angels性视界传媒� Episcopal Church. The new location was announced publicly, and within three days, city development officials told Veasy the nonprofit could not operate there because the home is not in the proper zoning designation.

Veasy said the organization could face fines of up to $2,000 per day for operating there.

The location of the home is zoned for single-family dwellings, making it a residential area. According to the city性视界传媒檚 Unified Development Code聽性视界传媒� which details Longview's zoning ordinances 性视界传媒� rescue missions can operate only in areas zoned for heavy commercial usage, light or heavy industrial usage or planned development districts.

The nearby church is in the same residential zone as the home, but churches are allowed to operate in any zoning designation, according to the Unified Development Code.

Veasy聽said she did not check the zoning of the Reel Road home before moving there. She said she believed churches and nonprofit organizations alike were exempt from zoning regulations.

Unlike聽One Love性视界传媒檚 former location at 1015 McCann Road, which closed in February, the Reel Road home would not serve as a day shelter or provide several other services, Veasy said.

Veasy said city officials declined her request to have a meeting discussing solutions.

"Despite our attempts to bring One Love into compliance with the city, they declined to provide recourse or remedy, informing us that the only solution was to vacate the premises,性视界传媒� Veasy said. 性视界传媒淭his has effectively rendered our organization unable to function at this time.性视界传媒�

City officials always prefer to work with residents to find a solution rather than resort directly to enforcing penalties for ordinance violations, said city spokesman Richard Yeakley. He said he was aware that a request for a meeting with city officials was made late during the week and that city officials did not have the scheduling capacity to accommodate it.

"The city's duty is to enforce our rules and regulations, including our zoning ordinances, without prejudice across the community, and when we are made aware or become aware of a potential issue, it is our responsibility to work with the residents or the organizations to address those concerns,性视界传媒� Yeakley said.

City officials administer the city性视界传媒檚 zoning ordinances proactively and reactively, Yeakley said. Traditionally, when people are looking to open a business, they meet with the city性视界传媒檚 Development Services staff to discuss their plan and resolve any issues.

"We do rely on both property owners to inform themselves of the zoning they are in and what they're allowed to do there through the zoning regulations and also community members making us aware when there is a concern,性视界传媒� he said.

Founded in 2020, One Love has provided food, medical care, counseling, addiction recovery services and more to the city性视界传媒檚 homeless population. In 2022, the organization moved to its now-former McCann Road building, where it operated a day shelter. However, issues arose when nearby business owners complained that the organization性视界传媒檚 clients were harassing customers, vandalizing property and more.

In 2024, Veasy was charged with violating the city性视界传媒檚 anti-camping ordinance by allowing One Love性视界传媒檚 clients to sleep outside the McCann Road facility. Veasy has claimed the City Council amended the anti-camping ordinance in 2024 性视界传媒渟pecifically to target our organization.性视界传媒�

One Love closed its doors in February on McCann Road because of a lack of funding 性视界传媒� and because of what Veasy characterized as an attempt by city officials and business owners to close the facility. However, city officials have vehemently denied those claims.

One Love World staffers are 性视界传媒渄oing everything that we can性视界传媒� to continue the organization's operations, Veasy said.

"Just like good Samaritans, we can go out and try to meet with our clients, and that's where we are right now聽性视界传媒� just trying to keep those relationships going and continue to pour into them and meet what needs we can,性视界传媒� Veasy said. 性视界传媒淏ut the reality is the services that we provide, they require a roof over our head, and right now, the city has made it their goal to make that impossible for us.性视界传媒�

One Love World needs 性视界传媒渕ore support than ever性视界传媒� from the community, Veasy said, and she is asking community members to send respectful emails to the city性视界传媒檚 elected officials.

Attorney Mary Lou Tevebaugh, who is representing Veasy in the camping ordinance case in municipal court, said city officials have 性视界传媒渇orced性视界传媒� One Love out of business. Tevebaugh said she was speaking not in her capacity as a lawyer, but as a supporter of One Love World.聽

"We have to stand together to protect the right to serve and support our community without unjust interference and retaliation,性视界传媒� Tevebaugh said.

Ryan Ralston, national volunteer director of the nonprofit You Are The Power, said city officials should work with Veasy to resolve the issue.

性视界传媒淭here is a solution to this, and it involves human respect,性视界传媒� Ralston said.