Pastor Given 1-Year Delay for Shelter

The Rev. Wiley Drake won city approval Wednesday to delay completion of the homeless shelter that his congregation is building next to his First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park.

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to give Drake a one-year extension after he explained why he could not meet the Dec. 31 deadline to complete the 52-bed shelter.

“I’m happy, obviously, with the extension,” Drake said. “But I’m unhappy with the attitude of the commission.”

Drake explained to the panel that raising money for the project has taken more time than he expected and that he is relying on volunteers to do the actual construction.

But Planning Commission members said they were concerned about making exceptions to city rules for volunteer groups.

“It’s only [because] work is in progress that we’re going to give it that extension,” Commissioner Franki Berry said.

Drake also bristled at a suggestion from the commission that the church take out a loan to expedite the project. He said the church is not wealthy, and having to pay off a mortgage would be a heavy burden for the 100-member congregation.

As a term of the deadline extension, the commission asked for a progress report every three months.

Drake’s congregation has clashed repeatedly with city officials over the policy of offering shelter to the homeless at the church, which allows them to camp in the parking lot and sleep in a patio area. Neighbors have complained about the behavior of some of the people who stay at the church.

Drake has been cited by city code enforcement officers, and was found guilty last year on four misdemeanor counts of violating zoning restrictions.

The church agreed last year to build the permanent homeless shelter after the city filed a lawsuit against Drake and the congregation.