Apostle Bobby Slaughter will go before municipal court today, Aug. 25, to challenge 15 counts of zoning code violations related to three halfway houses his ministry were operating here as House of Restoration. Miracle Faith Center Coming Together opened what it called a salvation program in June, resulting in an uproar from Atlanta Street neighbors who objected to large numbers of unrelated people living at 306, 315 and 245 Atlanta St. Slaughter and his wife Brenda were in charge of the homes. Slaughter was served with the citations, five for each house, on July 15 following complaints by neighbors and an investigation by the Barnesville zoning department. Water and electricity to the three homes were cut off and he was told to vacate the premises. He argued that the operation, as a church auxiliary, was exempt from zoning laws. Neighbors, who took their complaints to Barnesville city council, said the church did not apply for the proper licensing and zoning permits before moving more than a dozen people into the homes. In addition to people from Barnesville and Butts County, some 60% were from metro Atlanta. There were also complaints of harassment and sexual hanky panky. Reports are that House of Restoration faced similar problems in Griffin, where it originated.
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