Complaint Review: Southwestern Institute - Bisbee Arizona

In approximately 2000, the County of Bisbee, Arizona sold a condemned due to asbestos 1950s school building located in the Historic District of Bisbee to a group of people who were going to run a non-profit 501 (c) 3 non-profit. They named the organization the Southwest Institute for Art and Culture. This building is zoned commercial. They immediately received $50,000 in grant money from the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office. They put on a hypolar (I believe it is called roof) which looks like a plastic roof and then immediately built themselves an apartment and moved in. We believe that the apartment and material were built with this grant money.

The people who are running the Institute we believe are on Economic Security. There has never been any building inspection by the City, there have never been any building permits applied for by the Institute through the City, there has never been any acceptable cleanup of the Asbestos according to EPA regulations. The place is an eyesore. There are old toilets, stoves, etc. sitting outside. These people have never had anything Art or Culture going on. This past summer they advertised a class being offered on "Intro to Ping Pong". They are trying to get Federal Grants; however, they have no wheelchair access.

They have their friends living in and out of the building. A non-profit is suppose to mess with the community, compliment the community, be something the community needs. The two people who are running the Institute have never once contacted the community to let the people of the City know what they are doing. There is a mysterious Board of Directors--no one seems to know who they are. The Istitute is filled with Building Code violations aside from probably still is technically condemned. The Institute is now advertising for Performers, Artists, Organizations to use their available space.

Also, to take advantage of their kitchen, heating, lighting, etc. They are also advertising non-profit rates. The Bisbee Women's Transition Project had been utilizing space and moved out because they were being charged $500.00 a month and they were in there 3 days a week. Plus, the Director of the Institute (and I say that loosely) wanted $146.00 from them each month for the electric bill.

We now see that the Institute is being referred to at Southwestern Institute yet for their non-profit status they are still under Art and Culture. We have notified the City of Bisbee about the building violations and asked for an investigation. The City of Bisbee is playing lip service to us. This Institute is clearly a scam. It is set up so these people can live somewhere tax free, get any other non-profit benefits and still collect monies from people utilizing their space. There has never been any health inspection of the restroom facilities, kitchen, etc.

Who is there to audit these people? I did email the Arizona State Historical Preservation Office--no response. So, hey, the taxpayers are getting ripped off. These people think grant money is for pocket money. This is clearly not an non-profit for the community.

sarah

bisbee, Arizona
U.S.A.