By Chris Gill – Christ Church, Binghamton
In the fall of 2025, Christ Episcopal Church was at the center of controversy in the City of Binghamton. The Vestry unanimously voted to allow unhoused persons to camp on its campus, and the Mayor’s office threatened legal action. Those sleeping at the church elected to leave so that the church would not get into trouble. Since then, the Very Rev. Dr. Scott Parnell, Rector of Christ Church, has built a network of local clergy to lead change in the city.
The first gathering of the Coalition of Congregations of Binghamton (CCB) was held in December 2025. Five churches, including Trinity-Memorial Episcopal Church, gathered at Christ Church to begin a joint discernment process on how the congregations might work together to serve the unhoused of Binghamton. Seven months later, four additional congregations and three nonprofits have begun attending the meetings, along with representatives from a local mosque and temple. Through ongoing training and collaboration, the coalition has begun to impact life in Binghamton.
Parnell speaking with those who had been camping at the Church.
In January and February, United Presbyterian Church hosted a “pop-up shelter” on weekends because Broome County does not have an emergency shelter operational on weekends (all funded shelters operate Sunday through Thursday, even in winter). The coalition quickly came together and provided volunteers, food, and support to keep nearly 40 people sheltered during some of the coldest nights of the year. Despite the efforts of the congregations, 88 individuals were unsheltered on the night of the PIT Count (Point-in-Time Count—the annual survey and census of those facing housing insecurity). It was -5° that night.
The coalition’s work has extended beyond supporting a member congregation. With leadership from Teddy Aribisala, Senior Warden of Trinity-Memorial, the coalition is working on a plan to fund and provide mobile phones. Likewise, the congregations have come together to support United Presbyterian’s operation of a seven-night-per-week overnight center beginning in July. They are working together to help staff, volunteer, and cook for fifty beds.
This cooperation has occurred while the challenges facing the city continue to grow. Binghamton currently has a poverty rate of 32.9%, with an additional 12% considered ALICE families (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—the acronym given to individuals and families whose income exceeds the threshold for social support but still does not constitute a living wage). The city also has a severe affordable housing shortage, lacking an estimated 2,800 units for ELI (Extremely Low Income) individuals.
Councilwoman Rebecca Rathmeth provides training on housing resources in the community.
In April, the coalition hosted a training for local congregational leaders and volunteers on how to assist individuals in need of housing. “People want us to help find unhoused individuals a place to go,” said Parnell. “The problem is that there are physically no houses available—there is nowhere for people to go.”
The pattern in the city is for developers to purchase homes and renovate them into student housing. Since 2012, the development of student housing has outpaced affordable housing by 5-to-1, and a 2017 study found that any further development would saturate the market—yet such housing continues to be built. In addition to decreasing the availability of family and single-occupancy housing, this practice drives up rent prices throughout the area.
The area’s housing challenges were brought into the public eye in April when Peter Bennedum was brutally attacked by a group of teenagers. They allegedly targeted him because he was unhoused. Mr. Bennedum would later die from the injuries sustained in the attack. He was a regular at both the UPC Shelter and Christ Church’s Katie’s Clothing Closet, and his family has had a longtime affiliation with Christ Church.
This tragedy sent shockwaves throughout the City of Binghamton and prompted the coalition to act.
The Celebration of Life for Peter Bennedum
“Pete’s death showed us all why and how housing is not just a public issue, but a moral issue,” said Parnell. “A man lost his life because we have prioritized turning a profit over serving the common good.”
At the beginning of June, Parnell appeared before City Council to request legislation establishing a temporary moratorium on high-density shared residential units. He provided three potential starting points for the council to deliberate.
Parnell presenting to City Council.
“To continue building student housing when there is no longer a need for student housing is an indulgence and no longer a social good,” said Parnell in his address to Council. “We must choose the harder right over the easier wrong.”
Parnell’s request was accepted and referred to committee for discussion.
When asked about the role of the church and the coalition in addressing city legislators, Parnell said: “Our baptismal covenant compels me to act. To not raise the moral issue facing Binghamton through the legislative pathways available to us is to neglect my vow as a baptized follower of Jesus to strive for justice and peace. We have a living faith, one in which the life and teachings of Jesus have real ramifications for how we live and engage the world around us.”
In the meantime, Christ Church continues to welcome anyone onto its campus—housed and unhoused alike. Parishioners take time to learn their names and hear their stories. They have invested in a supply cart that can be wheeled out for anyone to take what they need.
As the summer has progressed, members of Christ Church have begun seeing familiar faces, from last summer, except this year they are housed and not living in a tent.
