Sanctuary, Segregation, and Struggle: Land Use Enforcement, Religion, Racial Justice, White Supremacy, and the Collective Action Dilemma in the United States

This article explores the enduring entanglement of land-use enforcement, religion, and racial stratification in the United States, centering the historical evolution of zoning as both a tool and a battleground for white supremacy. Building on Alicea Williams-Peyton’s foundational analysis of the Religious Storefront Church Movement, I bring the story forward to the present, incorporating recent scholarship and events at the nexus of racial justice and religious freedom. I apply Marc Smith’s Collective Action Dilemma as a theoretical lens, illuminating why marginalized religious communities face chronic obstacles to collective resistance and how these dilemmas are shaped by race, faith, and power. The study concludes by proposing legal, policy, and grassroots strategies to overcome these dilemmas and advance genuine equity.