HOUSTON — The city of Houston must allow the non-profit group Food Not Bombs to continue feeding the homeless without penalty following a court order that came down Wednesday.
A U.S. District Court judge ordered Houston city officials to stop enforcing a law that requires permission before anyone can serve more than five people in need on public property.
Court documents also show that the non-profit must pay up. The ruling states that Food Not Bombs must pay a bond of $25,000.
The bond will be lowered to $2,500 if the group provides trash-storing materials and hand-sanitizing stations.
Then the order states the group has to ensure people don’t block the street and sidewalk during meals. Those members who serve food must also take a food safety training session.
The organization spoke for the first time Thursday since the ruling.
"These things that they are saying are required for us are not even required for the city and all the other organizations that are serving.
"This is a freedom of speech issue, and that the city is exercising unconstitutional prior restraint by saying there’s only one location in the entire city on 61 Rising Street where you’re allowed to share food with the homeless. The judge rightfully recognized that’s absurd."
This is a win for the non-profit group. They have provided free meals outside of the central library downtown for nearly 20 years.
Since the city of Houston’s ordinance against this last year, they’ve been ticketed 100 times since 2023.
The ruling allowing them to feed the homeless, for now, without fines is a part of the group’s federal lawsuit against the city claiming that food service is a form of constitutionally protected protest.
Their lawyers proved to a judge that they were likely to win at trial and that irreparable harm could happen if the court did not intervene.
Houston's city attorney responded to the injunction by stating:
“Mayor Whitmire is committed to working together to resolve differences and agree upon an ordinance that provides a safe and healthy environment at the central library and elsewhere for the homeless and their neighbors.”