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Overtown, FL – March 9, 2010. The modest Apostolic Revival Temple sits in a block surrounded by what the city calls drug dens. Pastor Amos Allen hopes it continues being a beacon of hope right where it is. An inner city Miami church has been granted a ten day reprieve from the wrecking ball. In an emergency hearing Tuesday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Judge Valerie Manno-Schurr granted the church’s pastor a ten day stay but also said because of safety issues, no one will be allowed to enter the building during that time.
Pastor Amos Allen admits the building which houses his church is in rough shape and needs a new roof. The City of Miami has urged Allen to set up his church in a building across the street, but the pastor says that’s not really an option. After the city threatened to tear down the building that has housed his Apostolic Revival Temple for a dozen years, he asked for Tuesday’s hearing.
City officials want to raze the 87 year old building housing the church because it sits next to a known drug den. Allen says he spends his days locking up the drug den next door and calling the police on drug dealers and addicts.
Even though Allen’s attorney did not come to the hearing, Judge Manno-Shurr agreed to give Allen 10 days to try to find a solution. However, she banned anyone from entering a building she is worried may be unsafe.
“The demolishing is stopped. However no one can enter the building,” she said.
“In a sense we won and we lost,” said Allen, who now has no place to preach due to the conditions of the judge’s order. “I have a service scheduled Wednesday night, Friday night which I have to cancel, and Sunday morning I guess we are going to have to have services on the street.”
The City of Miami claims the building has three years of unresolved code enforcement issues, and can’t be saved. Assistant city attorney Victoria Mendez said despite the delay, the city is not giving up.
“The city will try to get a date and get this demolished as soon as possible due to the public’s safety and health welfare,” she said.
Advocates for Allen and his church attended the hearing Tuesday. They claim the city’s charges of neglect and disregard of code violations and bogus, and they can prove that.
“You will see that when Reverend Nevin was served with the code violations he took immediate action to rectify and bring the building back into code compliance,” said supporter Dorris Hall. She claims the nearly 9 decade old buildings are historic and should be preserved.
Allen says the building the city wants him to move into will need a lot of work, and he just doesn’t have the money to pay for it.
“At least about $40,000 or $50,000,” he said.
Allen’s church has its supporters.
“If it weren’t for that preacher, this place would be a mess,” said Overtown resident Arthur Miller.
Churchgoer Berry Moore says Pastor Allen has helped bring people off the street and into the church.
“They come here, and they get their life together,” said Moore.
CBS4
