Homeless shelter battles the county again

Saidah Simon has been homeless since October.  That's when her job hours were drastically cut and she experienced a falling out with her family.

With nowhere else to turn, Simon came to Westgate Tabernacle, a church near West Palm Beach that houses the homeless

Now eight months pregnant, Simon is among the 60 to 65 people currently staying at Westgate.  "Being here has really helped my walk with Christ," said Simon.  "Just fixing my life up."  She's also making plans to take care of her baby.

But housing homeless people like Simon has landed Westgate in repeated trouble with Palm Beach County Code Enforcement.  

Thursday morning, Westgate's pastor, Bishop Avis Hill, and the church's attorney, Barry Silver, went to the Palm Beach County Courthouse, to file a lawsuit against the county.
"In Palm Beach County, we've seen a lot of corruption," said Silver.  "But even by Palm Beach County standards, we've seen a new low."

The church sued the County before-  on religious grounds--  and lost.  This time the suit accuses the County of a criminal conspiracy and cover-up.

The suit claims while the county was trying to shut down Westgate, the officials were secretly sending people there.  Specifically, the suit alleges the head of Code Enforcement at the time, Terry Verner, took his own brother-in-law to Westgate, dropping him off a couple blocks away to avoid being seen.

"There's so much hypocrisy here in this county," said Bishop Hill.  "We feel we have just cause to bring this suit."

Reached at his home, Terry Verner, would not confirm or deny bringing his brother-in-law to Westgate.  He said he could not comment because of the lawsuit.

County Administrator Bob Weisman said the County has always tried to treat Westgate respectfully.  He said the county's concern all along has been the welfare of both the people who stay at Westgate, and those in the surrounding neighborhood.