Property Owner Offers Controversial Sacramento Church Option To Immediately Cancel Lease
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The group that owns the land for Sacramento's Verity Baptist Church now says they want to cancel the church's lease and is asking the congregation to consider moving out.
Harsch Investment Properties wrote that their company stands for the rights of individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation and is saddened by the events in Orlando.
And they say while they respect the right of everyone's free speech, even when they disagree with the views, Pastor Roger Jimenez's comments were just too much.
"Like all our tenants, [Verity Baptist Church's] occupancy rights are protected in their leases, but we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives," Harsch Investment Properties wrote in a statement.
Harsch is offering the church the chance to immediately cancel their lease without penalty.
Verity Baptist Church's lease doesn't expire until March 31, 2017. They have not responded to requests for a comment on Harsch Investment Properties' statement.
Previously, Pastor Jimenez has said that his statements were not meant to incite violent action.
The full statement from Harsch Investment Properties is below:
"Harsch Investment Properties, the owner of the Northgate Business Park, and all our staff are shocked and saddened by the tragic events in Orlando. Like all Americans, we grieve for the fallen and injured. In the 66 years since our company was founded, we have stood for the rights of all individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, to live their lives and follow their dreams.
We stand with those who make their voices heard: Intolerance and hate are not the values that have made our country great.
We respect the right of every individual's free speech, even when we disagree with their views. This is certainly the case with our tenant Verity Baptist Church and its Pastor Roger Jimenez.
We have many places of worship and other religious organizations in the properties we manage. Like all our tenants, their occupancy rights are protected in their leases, but we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives.
We communicated our views to Verity Baptist Church, and while their lease does not expire until 3/31/17, we have asked them to consider moving out of our business park, and we would immediately cancel their lease without any penalty to them.
Just as we respect the right of individuals to speak their views, as distasteful as they may be, we also respect the right of others to protest as a reflection of their values. We would ask that any protest be peaceful, have proper permits and respect the rights of all of our tenants at Northgate Business Park. Please do not take this as any less of a commitment on the part of our company to continue to work with Verity Baptist Church to move out of our park. For decades, the owners and staff at Harsch Investment Properties have supported the LGBT community and many other organizations whose missions are to further respect, dignity and the ability for all individuals to live their lives as they wish."
