SAN ANTONIO -- Jim Spicer said he was called on by God to help his fellow man 17 years ago. The construction businesses owner became an ordained pastor and hit the streets to feed the homeless and preach to them.

Spicer opened up the Living Stones Ministry in the 1300 block of North Hackberry and allowed men and women to move into the dorm room he set up. The ministry was listed on pamphlets as an approved emergency shelter and was approved by the state as a half-way house for parolees.

Tuesday afternoon, Spicer was told he could no longer use the building as a shelter.

"There was no warning, everybody showed up and said you got to get everybody out of here," Spicer said.

Spicer's ministry got a surprise visit from the city's Dangerous Assessment Response Team, a rapid response team that addresses code enforcement violations that have been unresolved for more than two years. According to the city, Spicer was only approved to use the building for a church with an open kitchen. He was housing at least 50 people inside the building.

"I don't understand why helping people is so condemnable," Spicer said.

Spicer has been feeding and housing the homeless for 17 years without any trouble from the city. He was given a certificate of occupancy for 120 and has been inspected in the past.

"Whatever the inspectors have told us we have always corrected for 17 years," said Spicer.

The city said the shelter has inadequate fire extinguishers, no sprinkler system and no alarm. They allege the dorm was infested with bed bugs and there was only one shower and two toilets for 50 people. The city also said the shelter racked up 129 calls for service from San Antonio police over the past year. The calls ranged from aggravated assault, sexual assault and drug overdoses.

Spicer said he's unaware of any alleged sex assaults, but admitted most of the calls to police were made by the shelter to keep violent and aggressive people off the property.

"This is a good place, a good home, a Christian place," said Juan Antonio Lopez, a resident at the shelter for the past two months.

Lopez credits Spicer for helping him get his life back on track. Since moving in, he's sober and working on getting his disability benefits approved.

Tuesday evening Lopez and the other residents were scrambling to find a place to go for the night.

"I'm going to take my stuff to my sister's house and spend the night just in case," Lopez said. "You never know what's going to happen, but I plan to be here in the morning to help out and see what I can do to help them out."

Other residents had no choice but to spend the night on the streets. That wasn't an option for a handful of residents who were legally required to live at the ministry as one of the conditions of their parole. If they were caught on the streets they could be sent back to prison.

"They're trying to find places, but I'm not going to force them out I can't do that," Spicer said. "They're going to end up in the streets. What am I supposed to do?"

Spicer said he suspects the surprise visit is somehow related to the Haven For Hope campus that is due to open in the next few weeks. The city wants the homeless population to use the new campus and has been encouraging people like Spicer to help them.

Spicer, who also feeds the homeless from a truck three nights a week said he was warned by city officials to stop.

"They flat out told me, 'You can't feed on the streets,' and I said, 'Wait a minute, I've been doing it for 17 years. Why?'" Spicer said, recalling his interaction with the city at a recent meeting.

Spicer said he was asked to help feed the homeless at Haven for Hope, but he refused. He said he plans to fight the city over its attempt to shut him down.

"I've been called to this," he said. "I'm a licensed and ordained pastor. This is my calling."