Hundreds of San Bernardino tenants of dilapidated American Sports University dormitory ordered to vacate property, at risk of homelessness

On September 28th, nearly 200 tenants were informed that they must vacate the American Sports University dormitory that was neither zoned for residential use nor maintained by the owner of record.

The American Sports University, founded by Dr. Harry Hwang in 2006, remained unaccredited through 2016 when the Department of Consumer Affairs did not approve its license. 

On September 30th, the city garnered a temporary restraining order that was issued against the property owner and the property manager, urging them to notify all of its tenants about the court order, pay relocation benefits, and vacate the property within 21 days. 

“The bad actor here is the property owner. The property owner had been warned for the better part of a year that the American Sports University dormitory was not adequate housing, almost like a refugee camp, and in no condition to house tenants. Still, they didn’t care,” said Councilman Theodore Sanchez. 

According to the city’s Public Information Officer Jeff Kraus, the 340 W. 4th Street building, which is located in Sanchez’s first ward, will not be red-tagged. 

“With the condition of the building, code enforcement could have had it red-tagged, and everyone would have had 10 minutes or so to vacate the property, but that is not what is happening. Right now, the city is working around the clock with homeless outreach and permanent housing groups to find the tenants permanent housing,” continued Sanchez. 

Living conditions were reported to include an infestation of rats, cockroaches, black mold, no hot water, broken windows and holes in walls. 

“The owner has never notified me that they’re closing the building, and that’s why we continued to take rent. There was no prior notification that the building was going to be closing,” said Property ManagerJeffrey Young. 

“The property owner is Fox Property Holdings with an address in Irwindale. The principals are Ji Li and Josef Anthony Vittal. The property management company is Polar Lite Inc., in Eastvale. The building was citied on June 22, 2022. At that time, the owners began accruing fines of $1,000 a day. A hearing was held in August with the owners, and it was determined that no repairs had been made and the fines would continue,” Kraus said. 

The building is said to include 150 dorms, which are being rented for about $700 a month, and tenants have yet to live with a proper kitchen, having to provide their electric stove, microwave, and water. 

 “We are all going to be homeless. The help they’re trying to give us is not enough; 14 days in a motel – what will that do? After 14 days, everyone here and their kids are going to be on the streets,” said Tenant Darren Woodson. 

It is still determined precisely how many Juanita Blakely Jones Elementary and Captain Leland Elementary school students have occupied the dormitory. Still, all its tenants are low-income, disabled, and seniors. 

The property owner has since garnered $95,000 in fines for failing to transition tenants out of the property. 

Inland Counties Legal Services and Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino will lead a community meeting for tenants on Wednesday, October 5th, at 4 PM, at New Beginnings United Methodist Church, 785 N. Arrowhead Ave.