ST. CLOUD — A St. Cloud church has gone to court to keep a “tiny house” it uses to shelter a homeless person.

City officials said the trailer, belonging to St. John’s Episcopal Church, violates residential code requirements and must be removed. The church filed a complaint against the city of St. Cloud in federal court on Thursday.

Church attorney Robert Feigh said St. Cloud is discriminating against the church because similar structures are allowed in other parts of the city.

Feigh says if the city prevails, a homeless person now living in the trailer will be forced to live outside in the “Minnesota winter.”

The “tiny house” is 132 square feet and sits on wheels.

St. Cloud officials did not respond to requests for comment Friday.