City Says Naperville Woman Can't Run Church Out of House

NAPERVILLE, IL — A complaint from a Naperville homeowners association has resulted in the city ruling against a Naperville woman using her house as a church.

Debra Richmond has been holding a small weekly gathering out of the basement of her home, according to a report from the Daily Herald. The meetings last for around two hours and have three regular visitors.

While Richmond said having the services in her home “will not have any negative effects on the neighborhood,” a neighbor and a leader of the Sawgrass Winds homeowners association complained to the city over rules regarding signs and on-street parking, according to the report.

Richmond uses a sign in her window that says Life Reach Ministry and some of the churchgoers have parked on the street, according to the Daily Herald.

But the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission ruled against Richmond’s request to operate a church out of her townhouse.

"I don't believe it's possible to prevent you from having a group of people at your house and conducting a religious service," Commissioner Robert Williams said in the article. "But when you make an institutional change, and thereby in essence run a business from your home, then it's subject to control by the municipality."

Williams added, "I hope your congregation prospers, but you ought not to do it in a residential setting because that's loaded with legal and business problems."

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