Justice Department Files Religious Liberty Lawsuit Against Troy, Idaho for Discriminating Against a Small Christian Church

By Editorial Team

The Justice Department has taken legal action against the City of Troy, Idaho, by filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. The lawsuit alleges that the city violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied a conditional use permit (CUP) application from Christ Church, a small evangelical church.

Christ Church, which had outgrown its worship space and was unable to find a suitable rental space, applied for a CUP to operate in the City’s C-1 zoning district. Despite nonreligious assembly uses being allowed in that area, local residents opposed the Church’s application, with many expressing discriminatory animus against the Church’s beliefs. The City cited public opposition as the reason for denying the CUP.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized that RLUIPA prohibits local governments from making zoning decisions based on their dislike of certain religious groups. The lawsuit alleges that the City’s denial of the CUP imposed a burden on Christ Church and was motivated by discriminatory animus. It also claims that the City’s zoning code treats religious assembly use worse than nonreligious assembly use, violating RLUIPA’s provisions.

RLUIPA is a federal law that protects individuals and religious institutions from burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. The Department of Justice has launched the Place to Worship Initiative to ensure compliance with RLUIPA. Individuals who believe they have faced discrimination in land use or zoning decisions can contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.

For more information about RLUIPA and the Department’s efforts, visit the Department of Justice’s official website.