Board authorizes lease negotiations with ARIA University for Chavez Building to host proposed medical school

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 12 authorized county staff to enter lease negotiations with ARIA University for the Chavez Building on the San Joaquin General Hospital campus, clearing the way for a private nonprofit medical school to pursue campus space there.

County staff told the board the Chavez Building—an approximately 32,000‑square‑foot two‑story structure at 7329 Cesar Chavez Road—has been unoccupied since 2008 and would require substantial renovation to serve as medical school facilities. Staff said the county does not intend to use the building and that leaving it vacant carries upkeep and safety costs.

Representatives of ARIA University (formerly University of Siliconahondra) described progress on founding leadership and accreditation planning. The university said it had secured a founding dean, Dr. Robert Susskind, and senior associate dean Dr. Alfred Tenor, and retained a vice president to shepherd the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accreditation process. ARIA’s CEO Raju Chamarti told the board medical‑school development could have substantial regional economic and workforce impact and help address physician shortages in an underserved area.

County counsel and staff cited Government Code sections that allow the board to lease real property without competitive bidding when the property is not needed for county purposes and a nonprofit will provide a public benefit. The resolution considered by the board made findings under Government Code §26,227 and directed county staff to negotiate a lease without proceeding to competitive bid, then return to the board for final lease approval.

San Joaquin General Hospital CEO Rick Castro and county officials said a medical school co‑located with the hospital could improve local recruitment and retention of physicians and create training opportunities across nursing and allied health professions. Castro emphasized long‑standing workforce retention benefits from local residency and training programs.

The motion to authorize lease negotiations and to make the statutory findings carried on a unanimous vote. County staff said any negotiated lease would return to the board for approval and that the county would continue to require the university to remain a nonprofit and meet public‑benefit conditions described in the recommended findings.

Speakers at the board meeting praised the project’s potential to address regional health workforce shortages and expand clinical training. No negotiated lease was presented for approval at the Aug. 12 meeting; the action authorized negotiations and a later return to the board for final approval.