Homeless man evicted from nook in UA building

Ryan A. Mihalyi Arizona Daily Wildcat This UA-owned residence at 1209 N. Fremont Ave. has been occupied for the last two years by a homeless man, Aristides Veranes. The 74-year-old man was evicted by University Police after complaints were received.

Veranes, a homeless man, was living in a 10-by-20 foot structure behind a UA-owned house at 1209 N. Fremont Ave.

Mark Perry, an architecture department program coordinator offered Veranes the small guest house, which was converted into office space for the department.

"I found him in the streets again," Perry said, adding Veranes had also stayed in a College of Law building for the previous two years before being forced out.

Veranes had served as a watchman and custodian for the college in return for his shelter.

Perry said Veranes is a Cuban native who has lived in the United States for more than 25 years and worked for the university in the early 1980s.

"He still has his UA ID card," he said, "He's just had some hard luck lately."

Neighbors and even security officers knew he was living there, but didn't do anything because no one had complained, he said.

Until someone did last week.

Space Management Director Mercy Valencia said her office received a call about Veranes last Wednesday.

"It sounds like he was living pretty cushy over there," she said.

State regulations prohibit the UA to allow people to live in its buildings because of fire codes and other safety regulations, Valencia said.

"Where he was staying was designed to be office space and wasn't appropriate for living," she said.

The university is liable if it continues to allow him to stay there, Valencia added.

Although Veranes had been given permission by the architecture department to live there, space management has precedent over all UA buildings, said Sgt. Sal Celi, of the University of Arizona Police Department.

UA space management requested UAPD remove Veranes, which prompted the Friday visit, he said.

When police went to the house, they discovered Veranes had an outstanding warrant stemming from a suspended driver's license.

He was arrested and taken to Pima County Jail where he was released by Pre-Trial services to Perry.

"That's the last time I saw him, but I'm sure I'll see him around," Perry said.