LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Lansing City Council voted 5-2 on Monday night to approve a special land use permit and an ordinance to re-zone certain parcels in the downtown area. That paves the way for the Lansing City Rescue Mission to expand its housing services for homeless people despite pushback from certain LGBTQ activists.

Councilmembers Ryan Kost and Brian Jackson voted against the measures. In earlier meetings, they cited problems with the Mission’s statement of faith. In part, the statement says that employees and board members must believe in the Bible, and support marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman. This ruffled the feathers of Kost and some community members, and claimed that is “hateful” for the LGBTQ community.

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However, Mission Director Mark Criss said the organization does not discriminate when it comes to housing or providing services to members of the LGBTQ community.

Attorney David Kallman, who helped give legal advice to the Mission in case the rezoning wasn’t approved, said most of the pushback came from the Mission not allowing males who identify as women in the dorms with women.

“If they want to push the issue, I will push back on anyone who thinks a man should sleep in women’s section of women who are already victims of sex assault,” Kallman said. “They just want to revictimize in name of discrimination and it’s ridiculous.”