This appears to be a clear first amendment violation to me.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
HUD is part of the Federal government and it has enacted an anti-religion rule that prohibits free exercise.
Religion is expected to be in communities. The Federal government cannot encourage low income communities and then deny basic rights.
Thomas More center would probably be interested in this case.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The common area is the town square for this community. I’ve held many services in such places, and they’re used for any number of community events and used for scheduled events by subgroups. To deny religion when others are permitted is to discriminate on the basis of religion. Again, there’s a prohibition of free exercise and a denial of equal protection and free speech.
Thomas More center would probably be interested in this case.”
Agreed and agreed, Padre! The ACLU might be interested in taking that one on.
Ironically, just today the state civil liberties union filed suit against one of our cities because the city has told a group of Mohammedan refugees they can't have a mosque in an auto repair garage because it violates zoning restrictions. My very quick read tells me they may be right. Predictably several well known and loud mouthed “conservatives”, the sort who lately have been publically professing their loyalty to the Constitution, are shrieking already about the leftists making common cause with the Mohammedans.