Tampa Homeless Charity Closing Over Violations

A homeless charity that filed a federal lawsuit resulting in the partial overturning of Tampa's panhandling ban will be shut down.

Officials for the city and the charity say Homeless Helping Homeless will shut down today.

Code enforcement officials told the shelter's owner that he had five days to clear out the homeless men and women from a makeshift shelter behind the nonprofit's headquarters.

Officers raided the charity's headquarters last week, seizing computers, phones and financial records.

According to records, investigators were looking for evidence that charity president Adolphus Parker and two of his employees were violating Florida statutes regarding towing and storing vehicles, scheming to defraud, failure to return leased vehicles and unlawful subleasing of motor vehicles.

Parker said the city is retaliating over the lawsuit.

Copyright 2015 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7