Former Arizona Governor Raul Castro’s family has filed a lawsuit against the University of Arizona for trying to sell Castro’s Nogales, Arizona home in lieu of housing a promised Boundary Studies program.
A civil lawsuit, also filed against the Arizona Board of Governors, alleges that the university violated its contract with the Castro family and used the family’s name and image to unfairly profit. was the only Latino governor in
The lawsuit was filed March 30 in Santa Cruz County Superior Court on behalf of Castro’s daughter, Beth Castro, and Castro’s grandson, Don Dailey III. The complaint seeks a judge to issue an injunction barring the university from selling the home and rescinding the original agreement that gave the university the home.
Built in 1910, the historic house was donated to the university by the family in July 2016. The university has begun developing and funding a border research program sponsored by the house.
The university agreed to convert this home into the Raul H. and Patricia M. Castro Border Studies and Outreach Center. The center was intended to serve as a border community hub for faculty research, student training, and community partnerships.
Family members also allowed their names and images to be used to promote the program.
With the center’s advertisement, the university received significant media attention and excitement from community members and elected officials, the lawsuit says.
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According to the lawsuit, Beth Castro has made appearances in the university’s media, donated artwork for use at the new center, and toured the home multiple times with college students and stakeholders.
In 2018, the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona, which spearheaded the development plan, announced a two-year $350,000 grant From Art Place America. The grant was to fund a youth empowerment program at Castro’s home, alongside home renovation costs.
However, on February 16, the university announced It means selling the house. According to a news release, the university was unable to raise enough money to restore the home and convert it into a center.
Renovation costs have tripled since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the university.
Lori Poloni-Staudinger, dean of the University of Social and Behavioral Sciences, said in a news release:
“But after so much consideration, we decided that our university would be better suited to serve our community by investing in our students and programming than by owning and maintaining a building. .”
Net proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Raul H. Castro Scholarship Fund. The university has announced that the donations raised for the renovation will either be returned to the donors or also added to the scholarship fund, depending on the wishes of each funder.
house was placed Sale on March 27th for $300,000.
The lawsuit says the home is in “serious disrepair” due to the university’s failure to maintain the property. The lawsuit alleges that a water leak in the roof was not patched, resulting in widespread mold, and termite damage rendered the entire exterior of the home “unsafe to use.”
Members of the community believed the family had left the home that way and contacted the Castro family to complain about the home’s dilapidated condition, the complaint says.
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According to the lawsuit, the failure to maintain the home would result in a loss of property value and would require “significant amounts of money” to restore it to its original condition.
When asked for comment, representatives from the Arizona State Board and the University of Arizona said they would not comment on the pending lawsuit.
Castro and his wife Patricia purchased this home in 2003. The house had a view of the United States from the front and Mexico from the back.
Castro was born in Canana, Sonora, Mexico and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was two years old. He was elected governor in his 1974, and he served for two years until then-President Jimmy Carter named him Ambassador to Argentina.
Raul Castro passed away at the age of 98 in 2015, before Patricia died in 2018.
Have news tips or story ideas about the border and its communities? Contact our reporters josecastaneda@arizonarepublic.com or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda.
