Anchor Stone is a Chinese and Taiwanese-American Christian church that endeavors to spread the gospel to other first-generation Taiwanese -Americans in Santa Ana and throughout Orange County. Since its inception in 2018, the church has grown from an in-home prayer group to a larger congregation needing additional space.
Prior to purchasing a property to hold their religious services, Anchor Stone met with the City’s Planning and Building Agency to discuss whether Anchor Stone could use the Property as an office and church campus for worship services. During the meeting, the church leaders made it clear to city officials that the property was located in a professional district which would require a conditional use permit (CUP). The city assured them there would be no obstacles for using the property for their intended purpose so they proceeded with the purchase.
After the church closed on the property, the city rejected Anchor Stone’s CUP—a complete reversal from what they had been told during the initial meetings.
Anchor Stone appealed this decision to the Planning Commission, citing the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (“RLUIPA”). The Commission rejected the appeal, asserting that “assembly” was not permitted in the area and that RLUIPA was “outside the scope” of the inquiry.
Since the denial, the property has been vacant for two years and the church has been unable to renovate or hold worship services in it. Because of this, the church has suffered monetary damage to date, in the amount of at least $575,000.
In February, First Liberty Institute and the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP, filed a federal lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction against the City of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana City Council for their violation of the First Amendment and RLUIPA.
“The First Amendment and federal law protect the right of churches to operate free from unreasonable and intrusive government interference,” said Ryan Gardner, Counsel at First Liberty Institute. “Preventing a Chinese- and Taiwanese-American church from worshiping in a facility they purchased is a flagrant denial of the free exercise of their religious activities.”
“It’s gross favoritism and discrimination when the city grants a permit to one church across the street from the location where Anchor Stone was denied,” said Timothy Durst, partner at O’Melveny & Myers. “The city’s repeated efforts to prevent churches and religious institutions from engaging in their religious missions cannot continue.”
News Release
For Immediate Release: 2.6.25
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Chinese and Taiwanese American Church Sues California Town for Denying Permit to Conduct Religious Services on Church Property
City denies permit after church purchases property for its congregation.
Santa Ana, CA—First Liberty Institute and the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP filed a federal lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction against the City of Santa Ana (CA) for refusing to grant Anchor Stone Christian Church’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to use church property to conduct religious services.
You can read the complaint here and the preliminary injunction here.
“The First Amendment and federal law protect the right of churches to operate free from unreasonable and intrusive government interference,” said Ryan Gardner, Counsel at First Liberty Institute. “Preventing a Chinese- and Taiwanese-American church from worshiping in a facility they purchased is a flagrant denial of the free exercise of their religious activities.”
“It’s gross favoritism and discrimination when the city grants a permit to one church across the street from the location where Anchor Stone was denied,” said Timothy Durst, partner at O’Melveny & Myers. “The city’s repeated efforts to prevent churches and religious institutions from engaging in their religious missions cannot continue.”
Anchor Stone is a Chinese- and Taiwanese-American Christian church that endeavors to spread the gospel to others in Santa Ana and throughout Orange County. Since its inception in 2018, the church has grown from an in-home prayer group to a 50-member congregation needing additional space. With assurance from the city that there would be no obstacles for using the property they intended to purchase for religious assembly, they proceeded with the purchase. It was only after closing on the property that the city rejected Anchor Stone’s CUP. Since the denial, the property has sat vacant for two years and the church has been unable to renovate or hold worship services in it.
In the complaint, attorneys state: “The City’s stubborn and uncompromising refusal to allow the free exercise of Anchor Stone’s fundamental religious rights has left Anchor Stone no option but to seek [a] Court’s assistance to protect those rights.”
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
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