NAMPA, Idaho — The Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho along Garrity Boulevard is under new management after the City of Nampa took over Monday evening.
"It was news to me this morning," cultural center president Humberto Fuentes said. "To vacate the building, they gave us until 5 p.m. They're gonna change the locks and give us until Thursday to move all [the] stuff out."
While it seemed sudden to Fuentes, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said they did not make the decision lightly. The city has leased the building to the nonprofit for $1 every year since 2002.
The city issued a complaint in December of 2022, outlining all of its concerns. Leadership claimed the center has not been used much recently, saying the nonprofit allowed the building to "fall in disrepair" and "failed to deliver the services to the Hispanic community."
A judge turned the building over to the city in May after the complaint was filed. The nonprofit had 42 days to respond, but Fuentes said their lawyers made a mistake and never did.
Fuentes said the allegations are not true and that anywhere from 100-150 people use the building every month.
"This is the only place for the community to gather for Quinceanera's, weddings, baptisms, all kinds of events," he said. "[The community is] not going to be very happy that the city wants to control this building for business purposes."
At the end of the day, Kling said they are more concerned with the center not meeting expectations outlined in their lease. The lease states, "The Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho exists to improve the quality of life for all people as well as recognize, celebrate, and preserve Hispanic heritage, culture and values.
"Beginning six years ago, Hispanic leaders actually approached me as a mayor and the city about making a change and trying to get the Hispanic Cultural Center back to what it was originally intended to be," Kling said.
Those complaints included PODER of Idaho, executive director Estefania Mondragon said. PODER previously had office space in the cultural center in exchange for helping the nonprofit run more events.
She said management with the Hispanic Cultural Center was unfair and that they were unlawfully evicted. Mondragon believes the city taking over has the potential to liven up the building.
"I remember it, just having so much promise and hope for that building as a young person here in Nampa and hoping to see a lot more cultural events, a lot more art," Mondragon said. "As an adult, just seeing that never came to be, was really saddening."
Fuentes does not see it that way. He said the nonprofit fixed all of the building concerns they could, and that the city's and community members' claims are untrue.
He said they have met every expectation outlined in the lease and believes the city has been after the building for years.
"They want to justify saying that we're not doing the right thing," Fuentes said. "For 20 years, that's what we've been doing, and we've been successful."
Kling said no matter what happens, the city will keep the building within the Latino and Hispanic community. She said she is scheduling meetings with local leaders to talk about what the future looks like.
Fuentes said they still plan on fighting this in court, accusing the city of abusing its power.
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