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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Salvation Army Accused of Creating a Nuisance

NORFOLK, Va. (CN) - Two commercial real estate businesses claim The Salvation Army and the Norfolk Catholic Worker Inc. are nuisances that attract too many rowdy vagrants to the neighborhood.

In a complaint filed June 23, Threebee Associates LLC, and Cap Atlantic LLC, companies involved in the development, sale, leasing and management of commercial property, claim the defendants offer food and shelter to vagabonds who "regularly leave excessive amounts of trash, and even human feces, on site of Threebee's property which is interfering with CapAtlantic's management of the property."

Among other things, the plaintiffs claim, the situation is "attracting rodents and animals to the property ... creating obnoxious and offensive odors and otherwise creating unsanitary and threatening conditions on the property."

The plaintiffs go on to claim that homeless individuals served by Catholic Worker's food truck and Salvation Army's homeless shelter, "routinely trespass and loiter on Threebee's property, harass the staff and patients of the tenant [a dialysis center], shout and argue with each other and otherwise conduct themselves in a matter causing fear and distress to the employees and patients of Granby Dialysis Center, and therefore, interfering with CapAtlantic's management of the property and Threebee's ability to provide the quiet enjoyment of the premises required by its lease with Granby Dialysis Center."

Threebee's and CapAtlantic claim in that if Salvation Army and Catholic Worker didn't provide services to the homeless, then they wouldn't be attracted to the property.

They also say they've tried to get the defendants to voluntarily address the situation, but that these efforts have been unsuccessful.

The plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief and damages in excess of $600,000.

They are represented by Glen Robertson of Wolcott, Rivers, Gates in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Representatives of Catholic Worker and The Salvation Army were unavailable for comment.

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