Displaced families of Periwinkle Mobile Home Park

Hi, my name is Kate Lezama, and I am fundraising in support of my close friend and local activist Alondra Ruiz Vasquez and her neighbors at the Periwinkle Mobile Home Park. In April the residents of Periwinkle were informed by Grand Canyon University who acquired the park 6 years ago that they must vacate their homes by October.

 

The residents of the mobile home park own their mobile homes, but the homes are too old to be relocated. The University has offered residents no compensation other than furniture donations and pretend support from Habitat for Humanity and other city service agencies who simply have explained to residents how they can be added to years long lists for section 8 housing and other housing programs. In the meantime, the city is in an affordable housing crisis and these home owners are going to be homeless in a matter of months.

 

For those who don’t know, Grand Canyon University (GCU) is located in a low income area of the city. They have rapidly bought up land surrounding their campus. In fact a release put out upon GCU’s purchase of the Periwinkle Mobile Home Park states, “‘Over the last several years, and to accommodate surging enrollment numbers (upwards of 25,000 students are expected by 2020) GCU has pursued an aggressive acquisition policy purchasing upwards of 100+ acres in the last 2 years alone,’ states John Kobierowski, Senior Managing Partner at ABI. ‘The Seller was offered a very attractive price for the land and GCU is one step closer to controlling the entire area surrounding its main campus, definitely a win-win for both parties.’ The Seller was a private multifamily investor based out of California.”

 

So there you have it. A Christian university that states on their own website that they believe they are “... a community of people strategically united in carrying out a mission that centers on following Jesus Christ in word and in deed, and in sharing the love of Christ generously to all who participate in the life of the community. Following Jesus in this way requires selflessness, sacrificial service and an ever-increasing love of the Lord and our neighbors.” And they are showing that by stripping their neighbors of their homes and leaving them with nothing, no compensation and pretend support to make themselves not look so bad.

 

Therefore since GCU won’t do anything with their millions, I am hoping we can collectively provide the 45 families of Periwinkle Mobile Home Park $4,000 each in order to help ease their financial burden in trying to find other housing options. Please share, especially to those who are familiar with or attended GCU Let’s be the real hands and feet of Jesus.