Southwestern Assemblies of God Rental Properties

As people of faith and decency, and as alumni, students, and friends of SAGU, we know the following facts: SAGU owns 12 rent houses across the street from the campus. These rental properties are in serious disrepair with many code violations (exposed wiring, holes in the exterior walls that expose the interior of the house, etc.). Many have no heating or air conditioning, and the plumbing has had several problems, some of them lasting the better part of a year without being fixed. Southwestern charges $395.00 per month as part of a for-profit organization, a dba of Southwestern called Nelson Investments. The rental payments are made in the 4th floor of the administration building each month. SAGU has refused on several occasions to do the necessary repairs to bring the houses up to code. They intend to tear them down in two years to build high-end student housing. The few repairs that have been made were done by caring individuals affiliated with the school who volunteered their time and money, or employees (maintenance people, etc.) of SAGU (non profit) as part of their jobs.

As people of faith and decency, and as alumni, students, and friends of SAGU, we know the following story: there are people who are poor, who possibly cannot afford to speak out in their own defense, and Southwestern has chosen not to speak for these people, not to treat them as followers of Jesus should treat the poor, but instead to sit contentedly.

As people of faith and decency, and especially as alumni, students, and friends of SAGU we are ashamed to be affiliated with this story. We request Southwestern Assemblies of God to take one of the following actions: fix all the houses, bringing them up to code, or tear them down and help the tenants find affordable housing in code; honor the faith you claim by treating the poor as Jesus did, as most important. Live in the light of the words of Micah by doing justice. Or if this cannot be accomplished, if you cannot do even this, then please leave God out of the school. If you cannot live up to your name, then do not take the Lords name in vain.