280 San Bernardino tenants searching for new housing as city looks to close decrepit dormitory

The tenants of an unpermitted apartment building in San Bernardino said that the City of San Bernardino is making the matter worse by forcing them out of the dilapidated former dormitory.

"Truth is that you have to be a qualified applicant in order to redeem those resources so it's useless," said resident Angel Villanueva. "It seems like the system is set up for failure."

With rent between $600-700 a month and no credit check required, many like the mother of four only came to the former American Sports University building, many like Villanueva moved into the unpermitted apartment as a last resort. 

"This was a last resort and we had to make do with what we had," Tamara Cantarell said last week.

Villanueva said when his family moved into the former college dormitory three years ago, the building was pristine. However, as more people began to move in during the pandemic, its condition deteriorated. Now, the former dormitory is infested with mice, roaches and flies as well as littered with trash. Additionally, the city has found stagnant water and toxic mold within the building.

Now, 280 residents, including Cantarell and Villanueva, are scrambling to find new homes after the city announced they were red-tagging the building on Oct. 24. 

Even though the city received a temporary restraining order against the owner, pushing him to pay for his residents' relocation costs, Villanueva is concerned that he and his six kids will be forced to live on the streets.

"On Oct. 24 if these programs don't help us find a place, me and my six kids and my wife will be out on the streets," he said. "We have absolutely nowhere to go. 

However, several nonprofits came to a community meeting Tuesday to help the soon-to-be former residents,

"We have lots of voices fighting for you guys," said Kristen, a nonprofit spokesperson. 

They also encouraged the tenants to apply for their programs as well as take free food and housing vouchers for short-term hotel stays.

"I don't think none of that's happening to be honest," said resident Max Daniels. "I think that's just to pacify people for the time."

Despite trying, Daniels has struggled to save money to move without a 30-day notice.

"If you don't have food stamps and you don't have kids, there's no help for you," he said. "Even these other people, you're putting them in a room, but where do you go from there?"