God in Me Ministry gets reprieve from LV council

Judy Odierna

Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 | 9:02 a.m.

A ministry that also operates as a transitional living center for homeless men will be allowed to keep its doors open until its fate is decided by the Las Vegas City Council.

Anthony Mosley, who operates the God in Me Ministry at four properties in the 800 blocks of Hassell and Hart avenues, near Martin Luther King and Lake Mead boulevards, is attempting to get a zoning change that would allow him to keep the center in the residential neighborhood.

Mosley had been told by the city that it would have to cease operations by Monday, which could have forced many of the center's residents back into the streets.

But the council granted a stay of that order to allow Mosley to plead his case to the Planning Commission next month.

"I'm so happy," he said. "It's a huge load off our shoulders. God knows the work we've been doing here and God will allow us to be victorious."

City officials say they are trying to find a middle ground for the neighborhood and for the ministry.

"On one hand you have the neighbors who submitted complaints to code enforcement and concerns about licensing and zoning," said Elaine Sanchez, city spokeswoman. "On the other, God in Me Ministry is providing a community service."

Mayor Oscar Goodman, who helped the ministry get the stay, said "the bottom line is that it would be unconscionable to allow 74 people to hit the streets when we have the power to do something about it."

The ministry has been operating at its current location for more than 14 years. Mosley said that when he took over ownership more than three years ago, he didn't know the did not have the right variance to be in that location.

Mosley said the facility houses and feeds about 600 men a year and gives them a place to stay for 90 days while they try to find jobs and get back on their feet. Those who have secured jobs or have other sources of income are required to pay $65 a week to live there.

Mosley said he will not take any new residents until the planning process is completed.

"The two months we have is enough time to graduate the people we have here," he said.

Mosley said if the zoning change is not approved those who are still remaining will be provided with other shelter from the Veterans Administration and other local agencies.

Linda Lera-Randle El, executive director of Straight From The Streets, said if God in Me Ministry were to close the impact on other homeless service agencies would be severe.

"We don't have the resources to take away more programs," she said. "We've lost so much already. There isn't the bed space for 70 more people, everyone is already working at capacity. (The ministry) has been (in the community) too long for it to be too much of a problem."