Ocean City Church Refuses to Stop Housing Homeless, Attorney Threatens Lawsuit

Ocean City, MD - A dispute between the Town of Ocean City and a local church is heating up after the town issued a zoning violation notice ordering the church to stop sheltering homeless people inside its building.

St. Paul's By-the-Sea, located at 302 N. Baltimore Avenue in Ocean City, Maryland, has been providing shelter to homeless individuals on its property. The church first housed people in temporary outdoor shelters before moving them inside Dewees Hall, a 2,960-square-foot Assembly Hall on the property.

On May 8, 2026, Ocean City Planning and Community Development Director George Bendler sent a formal letter to Pastor Jill Williams and Senior Warden Dan Harris. The letter stated that the use of the Assembly Hall for sleeping and overnight occupancy violated the Town of Ocean City Zoning Code.

The violation notice described bunk beds installed in the hall and a communal living space with minimal separation between occupants. The town said the setup was consistent with barracks-style housing, which is not a permitted use in the R-3 General Residential Zoning District where the church sits.

The town gave the church a deadline of June 8, 2026, by 9:00 a.m. to comply. The letter warned that failure to comply would result in municipal infractions and that each day the violation continued would be considered a separate offense.

The church did not back down. Attorney Robin R. Cockey of Cockey Brennan and Maloney P.C. responded on behalf of St. Paul's By-the-Sea on May 12, 2026. In the letter, Cockey made it clear the church had no plans to remove the homeless individuals from its property.

"Please inform Mr. Bendler the Church has absolutely no intention of turning these folks out," Cockey wrote. "Providing shelter for the homeless is a fundamental tenet of the social gospel espoused by the Episcopal Church of America, of which St. Paul's is a parish."

The attorney also stated the church would not pay any fines. Cockey pointed to the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act as legal protections for the church's actions.

Cockey closed the letter with a direct warning to the town. "If you disagree, tell me so, and I will initiate suit in Federal Court seeking declaratory and injunctive relief."

The situation puts Ocean City officials in a difficult position as the church stands firm in its mission to serve those in need. It remains to be seen how the town will respond before the June 8 deadline.