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A group of residents living in a foreclosed Escondido home, most of them previously homeless, are now facing eviction.
Tigist Layne reports that the 2,000-acre home on West El Norte Parkway has been home to several individuals for as long as two years. The residents say they have created a family that looks after each other and respects one another.
One resident said most of them are employed, they all live by a set of rules and they have helped each other stay off the streets. But they have been living there illegally.
The home’s previous owner died in 2019, and last year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) bought the property in a foreclosure sale.
After neighbors started complaining about noise and trash on the property, the city of Escondido filed a lawsuit citing code violations. Soon after, HUD filed a separate lawsuit to have them evicted. A judge ruled in HUD’s favor, and the residents could be evicted any day now.
Now, the residents are telling their story and pleading with the city and the community to help them stay off the streets after their impending eviction.
Read the story in its entirety here.
Voter Turnout Not Looking so Hot
Trends heading into Election day indicate lower turnout contests than California has seen in recent years. Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Intelligence, which provides ballot tracking and voter registration tools to campaigns across the state, estimates turnout is unlikely to reach 40 percent.
One thing to remember is that when turnout drops, it doesn’t drop equally in all groups. That means we end up with an electorate that doesn’t reflect the region’s demographics.
Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts got into what that means for the Primary Election in the latest Politics Report. Also, interesting is that Republicans souring on mail ballots could be a real blunder.
Read the latest Politics Report here. The weekly politics roundup is available to Voice members only. Join our group of incredible supporters by signing up here for as little as $35 a year.
Speaking of elections: Councilwoman Jen Campbell loaned her campaign $25,000. The Politics Report points out it’s not unusual for candidates to do that, but notes that it’s interesting in this case because she’s the incumbent running in the City Council District 2 race. Read more about that here. (We pulled this post from the Politics Report for you. It’s the kind of cool stuff you can expect when you become a Voice member)
Over on the pod: our hosts gave an overview of the races we’ll be watching as the votes in the June 7 primary are tallied. They are county sheriff, Chula Vista mayor, Assembly District 80 and San Diego City Council District 2. We also put together an election guide to all the local contests on the ballot this time around. It includes links to our stories and other media outlets.
Brews, News and Hanging with the Voice Crew
Join Voice of San Diego this Thursday for our first live podcast in YEARS. It’s happening June 9 at Novo Brazil Brewing in the Otay Ranch Town Center at 6 p.m.
Get your tickets now to hear directly from our editors and special guests Chula Vista Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas and Steve Garcia, host of the Emo Brown Podcast and local businessman. They will chat about South Bay politics, chisme and more.
Trust us, you won’t want to miss this. Secure your ticket here.
City-Owned Motel Now Temporarily Housing Homeless Seniors
Mayor Todd Gloria’s office revealed Friday that the city’s using a South Bay hotel it bought in 2017 to temporarily shelter homeless residents who are awaiting permanent housing.
The city previously sheltered homeless families at the motel. The city announced last year it would be moving families out to pursue its earlier vison for the facility to house participants in a diversion program for misdemeanor offenders.
Gloria’s office said it decided to temporarily use the 42-room facility as a non-congregate shelter that prioritizes homeless seniors linked with housing assistance, supportive housing or a housing voucher who have not yet secured their permanent home.
The city plans to use the hotel as a non-congregate shelter until City Attorney Mara Elliott’s office and the county re-launch the so-called San Diego Misdemeanants At-Risk Track (S.M.A.R.T.) program, which is now expected to happen this fall.
More city shelter additions are expected in coming months. Gloria’s office said this spring it plans to pursue a new safe haven project and two non-congregate sites for families later this year. A new women’s shelter and Midway District tent shelter are already moving forward.
In Other News
- More than seven months after allegations surfaced that college football players had sexually assaulted an underaged girl, SDSU officials have not launched an internal investigation. They told the Los Angeles Times that police had asked to delay an internal investigation to avoid compromising the criminal investigation.
- A judge declined to throw out a nearly $4 million verdict in favor of former prosecutor Marlea Dell’Anno or order a new trial. Dell’Anno was allegedly fired for mishandling domestic violence cases but claimed that the real reason was for refusing to proceed with cases she deemed political. (Union-Tribune)
- Port and city of Chula Vista officials have secured $275 million in public bond funding for construction on the Chula Vista Bayfront, which is expected to break ground this summer. (City News Service)
- The U-T has advice on how to knock a few bucks off your SDG&E bill this summer.
The Morning Report was written by Tigist Layne, Jesse Marx, Lisa Halverstadt and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.