Amanda Veasy, executive director of One Love World, speaks during a press conference at City Hall on Saturday. (Jordan Green/Longview News-Journal Photo)

The head of a Longview homeless outreach organization claims city officials are using zoning laws to keep her organization from operating.

Amanda Veasy, executive director of One Love World — formerly One Love Longview — repeated claims Saturday during a news conference at City Hall that city officials have targeted her organization and treated her unfairly by blocking it from opening at a new location.

“Until we are able to meet with the city and discuss the next steps and what they are going to allow or disallow, we’re at a standstill,” Veasy said. “We’re unable to function. Our clients are still out there needing services.”

One Love World staffers opened a new administrative office and distribution center this past week in a home at 907 Reel Road on the property of St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church. The new location was announced publicly, and within three days, city development officials told Veasy the nonprofit could not operate there because the home is not in the proper zoning designation.

Veasy said the organization could face fines of up to $2,000 per day for operating there.

The location of the home is zoned for single-family dwellings, making it a residential area. According to the city’s Unified Development Code — which details Longview’s zoning ordinances — rescue missions can operate only in areas zoned for heavy commercial usage, light or heavy industrial usage or planned development districts.

The nearby church is in the same residential zone as the home, but churches are allowed to operate in any zoning designation, according to the Unified Development Code.

Veasy said she did not check the zoning of the Reel Road home before moving there. She said she believed churches and nonprofit organizations alike were exempt from zoning regulations.

Unlike One Love’s former location at 1015 McCann Road, which closed in February, the Reel Road home would not serve as a day shelter or provide several other services, Veasy said.

Veasy said city officials declined her request to have a meeting discussing solutions.

“Despite our attempts to bring One Love into compliance with the city, they declined to provide recourse or remedy, informing us that the only solution was to vacate the premises,” Veasy said. “This has effectively rendered our organization unable to function at this time.”

City officials always prefer to work with residents to find a solution rather than resort directly to enforcing penalties for ordinance violations, said city spokesman Richard Yeakley. He said he was aware that a request for a meeting with city officials was made late during the week and that city officials did not have the scheduling capacity to accommodate it.

“The city’s duty is to enforce our rules and regulations, including our zoning ordinances, without prejudice across the community, and when we are made aware or become aware of a potential issue, it is our responsibility to work with the residents or the organizations to address those concerns,” Yeakley said.

City officials administer the city’s zoning ordinances proactively and reactively, Yeakley said. Traditionally, when people are looking to open a business, they meet with the city’s Development Services staff to discuss their plan and resolve any issues.

“We do rely on both property owners to inform themselves of the zoning they are in and what they’re allowed to do there through the zoning regulations and also community members making us aware when there is a concern,” he said.

Founded in 2020, One Love has provided food, medical care, counseling, addiction recovery services and more to the city’s homeless population. In 2022, the organization moved to its now-former McCann Road building, where it operated a day shelter. However, issues arose when nearby business owners complained that the organization’s clients were harassing customers, vandalizing property and more.

In 2024, Veasy was charged with violating the city’s anti-camping ordinance by allowing One Love’s clients to sleep outside the McCann Road facility. Veasy has claimed the City Council amended the anti-camping ordinance in 2024 “specifically to target our organization.”

One Love closed its doors in February on McCann Road because of a lack of funding — and because of what Veasy characterized as an attempt by city officials and business owners to close the facility. However, city officials have vehemently denied those claims.

One Love World staffers are “doing everything that we can” to continue the organization’s operations, Veasy said.

“Just like good Samaritans, we can go out and try to meet with our clients, and that’s where we are right now — just trying to keep those relationships going and continue to pour into them and meet what needs we can,” Veasy said. “But the reality is the services that we provide, they require a roof over our head, and right now, the city has made it their goal to make that impossible for us.”

One Love World needs “more support than ever” from the community, Veasy said, and she is asking community members to send respectful emails to the city’s elected officials.

Attorney Mary Lou Tevebaugh, who is representing Veasy in the camping ordinance case in municipal court, said city officials have “forced” One Love out of business. Tevebaugh said she was speaking not in her capacity as a lawyer, but as a supporter of One Love World. 

“We have to stand together to protect the right to serve and support our community without unjust interference and retaliation,” Tevebaugh said.

Ryan Ralston, national volunteer director of the nonprofit You Are The Power, said city officials should work with Veasy to resolve the issue.

“There is a solution to this, and it involves human respect,” Ralston said.