Supporters march to protect Knightdale halfway house for men recovering from addiction, at risk of closing

The head of a Knightdale halfway house says after years of operating with no issues it is now being unfairly targeted by the town.

Town officials, however, say the organization is in violation of zoning laws and needs to make changes or risk being shut down.

Supporters and clients of I Am Outreach, which is a faith based rehab program, walked three miles today from their halfway house to town hall – sending a message to officials that they won’t go easily.

"I went through this program, and it radically just changed my life," said Brent Sellers, who was formerly addicted to drugs. Wanting to help others in his shoes, he has spent the last three years of his life rehabilitating men struggling with drug addiction at this home on Secondary Road in Knightdale.

"I’m not a boarding house. I’m a faith based program," he said.

Town officials disagree. They are asking Sellers to cease operations, saying that this property is zoned only for single-family use and farmland.

Town officials tell WRAL News that they’ve given Sellers ample warning and time to make adjustments, but he hasn’t.

Sellers came to town hall on Thursday in protest, saying he shouldn’t be forced to file paperwork to operate as a boarding house because he doesn’t charge guests.

Sellers believes town officials are only going after him now because of the formerly drug addicted people he’s trying to help and his religious affiliations.

"This has got to stop guys. People are dying," he said.

The town sent Sellers a letter on May 14 warning him that he has 15 days to come into compliance of the current zoning or risk a fine of $250 per day for each day he’s out of compliance afterwards.