I-Team Finds Donald Sterling's Charitable Promise Unfulfilled

In 2007, the Donald T. Sterling Charitable Foundation promised a $50 million medical and legal center for the city’s homeless.

A $50-million promise to help the homeless in the city of Los Angeles has yet to be fulfilled by Clippers owner Donald Sterling, an NBC4 I-Team investigation has found.

Sterling has been known to take out large advertisements in the Los Angeles Times, promoting his charitable donations to the city of LA.

An ad in 2007 announced the purchase of property located at 600 Wall St. for what the Donald T. Sterling Charitable Foundation promised would be a $50 million medical and legal center for the city’s homeless.

"The purpose of this purchase is to develop the state-of-the-art $50 million dollar Donald T. Sterling Homeless, Rehabilitation, Medical Center and Courthouse for over 91,000 homeless people living in Los Angeles," the ad stated.

Records show The Sterling Trust paid nearly $8.5 million dollars for the property at 6th Street and Wall Street in downtown LA.

Seven years later, the building remains a collection of small businesses and abandoned store-fronts. According to city building records, no plans or permits to build or renovate the building have ever been submitted.

"People make promises on Skid Row all the time," homeless advocate Rev. Alice Callaghan said. "I never thought that that phantom shelter was going to be built and indeed it never was."

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The NBC4 I-Team called Sterling’s office for comment. The receptionist who answered said she would pass the message along to him. The NBC4 I-Team has not yet heard back.

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