Video: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-tenants-sent-eviction-notice-by-mistake/3059772/
San Diego Tenants Sent Eviction Notice By Mistake
Tenants in a 42-unit Linda Vista building were scared and confused after receiving eviction notices nearly three weeks ago, but the owner of the building says those were never sent.
Earlier Thursday, when tenants of the Casa Linda Apartments believed they were being evicted, they were rallying together, demanding protections that would keep them from being pushed out of their homes.
Belinda Ward is one of those tenants. She’s called Casa Linda Apartments home for a little more than two years.
“It’s been, maybe, the most peaceful and joyful two years in my life,” Ward said.
Ward stood by fellow tenants Thursday, despite being served the notice from UIP Linda Vista LLC that tenants had to be out by January.
“Try to put yourselves in our shoes,” Ward said. “This is our home, you know? This is my safe place. This is where I come to when I get home from work and I get to rest my head, knowing that I’m safe.”
However, a representative of the LLC that owns Casa Linda told NBC7 otherwise in the following statement:
“The property was acquired less than one month ago, and we plan to make improvements. No tenant is being evicted to make renovations, nor will there be an attempt to do so in the future. To minimize inconvenience to those tenants who voluntarily wish to move, we have offered relocation assistance. We apologize for any miscommunication suggesting otherwise.”
Upon further questioning, the representative from Venture Strategic told NBC7 there was a miscommunication and the notice the tenants received was, in fact, sent by mistake by an employee of the property.
But earlier Thursday, tenants like Carlos Rodriguez didn’t know the notices were mistakenly sent out.
”They’ve invaded our peace, our tranquility," Rodriguez said. “They’re not even going to let us enjoy our holidays. We have to be under constant stress."
All of this comes as a ban on no-fault evictions in the City of San Diego is set to expire Friday. Without the ban, landlords can legally end leases that don’t have anything to do with scenarios like missing rent payments or even poor behavior. Tenants like Ward and Rodriguez believed that was a driving force behind their eviction notices and were calling on local leaders to support them.
”Please help us,” Ward said. “We are your constituents, we are your people, we are the people voting for you, and we need your help.”
In a news conference Thursday, San Diego City Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera addressed the ban on no-fault evictions, which he proposed in May.
”My office is working urgently to update our tenant protection in a comprehensive way that would include a strengthening of no-fault eviction protections,” Elo-Rivera said.
A representative for the LLC that owns Casa Linda said follow-up notices would be sent to the tenants, declaring they will not be evicted and can stay, despite ongoing construction and repairs.
San Diego Tenants Sent Eviction Notice By Mistake
Tenants in a 42-unit Linda Vista building were scared and confused after receiving eviction notices nearly three weeks ago, but the owner of the building says those were never sent.
Earlier Thursday, when tenants of the Casa Linda Apartments believed they were being evicted, they were rallying together, demanding protections that would keep them from being pushed out of their homes.
Belinda Ward is one of those tenants. She’s called Casa Linda Apartments home for a little more than two years.
“It’s been, maybe, the most peaceful and joyful two years in my life,” Ward said.
Ward stood by fellow tenants Thursday, despite being served the notice from UIP Linda Vista LLC that tenants had to be out by January.
“Try to put yourselves in our shoes,” Ward said. “This is our home, you know? This is my safe place. This is where I come to when I get home from work and I get to rest my head, knowing that I’m safe.”
However, a representative of the LLC that owns Casa Linda told NBC7 otherwise in the following statement:
“The property was acquired less than one month ago, and we plan to make improvements. No tenant is being evicted to make renovations, nor will there be an attempt to do so in the future. To minimize inconvenience to those tenants who voluntarily wish to move, we have offered relocation assistance. We apologize for any miscommunication suggesting otherwise.”
Upon further questioning, the representative from Venture Strategic told NBC7 there was a miscommunication and the notice the tenants received was, in fact, sent by mistake by an employee of the property.
But earlier Thursday, tenants like Carlos Rodriguez didn’t know the notices were mistakenly sent out.
”They’ve invaded our peace, our tranquility," Rodriguez said. “They’re not even going to let us enjoy our holidays. We have to be under constant stress."
All of this comes as a ban on no-fault evictions in the City of San Diego is set to expire Friday. Without the ban, landlords can legally end leases that don’t have anything to do with scenarios like missing rent payments or even poor behavior. Tenants like Ward and Rodriguez believed that was a driving force behind their eviction notices and were calling on local leaders to support them.
”Please help us,” Ward said. “We are your constituents, we are your people, we are the people voting for you, and we need your help.”
In a news conference Thursday, San Diego City Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera addressed the ban on no-fault evictions, which he proposed in May.
”My office is working urgently to update our tenant protection in a comprehensive way that would include a strengthening of no-fault eviction protections,” Elo-Rivera said.
A representative for the LLC that owns Casa Linda said follow-up notices would be sent to the tenants, declaring they will not be evicted and can stay, despite ongoing construction and repairs.
Video: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/applications-for-short-term-vacation-rentals-in-san-diego-open-monday-heres-what-to-know/3060523/
Applications for Short-Term Vacation Rentals in San Diego Open Monday. Here's What to Know
For anyone who hopes to use their property as a short-term rental in the City of San Diego, the application period is set to open on Oct. 3. By May 1, 2023, property owners in the City of San Diego who wish to use their property as a short-term rental will need a license. Before applying, there’s a few things San Diego's city treasurer wants applicants to know.
Step 1: Get a Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate
According to the city’s website, the first step is for applicants to make sure they have a Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate. It’s required for short-term resident occupancy properties, like houses, condos and rooms. That information can be found by clicking here.
Step 2: Make Sure You're in "Paid Status"
Next, applicants need to be sure their rental unit business taxes for their property are in paid status.
Step 3: Decide Which Tier to Apply For
To apply for a license, there are four tiers to consider based on your property and what you wish to rent out in a short-term capacity.
Tier 1 is for properties that are rented 20 days or less per year. While guests are present, the owner doesn’t need to be there.
Tier 2 is for property owners who rent a room or rooms more than 20 days a year as long as the owner or permanent resident is onsite.
According to the city, applications for Tiers 1 and 2 will remain indefinitely and there are no limits on them, but that’s not the case for Tiers 3 and 4. There will be 5,416 licenses available for Tier 3 and 1,081 licenses for Tier 4, according to the treasurer's office, based on the most recent demographic and socioeconomic housing estimates from SANDAG.
For license holders under Tiers 3 and 4, a two-night minimum stay is required, and properties will be rented out more than 20 days out of the year.
Tier 3 is for applicants who do not have their home in Mission Beach, while Tier 4 is for applicants who do have a home in Mission Beach. Under Tier 4, the number of licenses issued will not exceed 30% of the community planning area.
With the above information, applicants can start the application process. Hosts should be prepared to enter information like the address and number of bedrooms in your property, contact information, as well as tax information too. Plus, hosts will be asked to estimate the number days they plan to rent out their property and where guests can book to stay there.
The Office of the City Treasurer provided a checklist for applicants that can be found by clicking here.
Applications for Short-Term Vacation Rentals in San Diego Open Monday. Here's What to Know
For anyone who hopes to use their property as a short-term rental in the City of San Diego, the application period is set to open on Oct. 3. By May 1, 2023, property owners in the City of San Diego who wish to use their property as a short-term rental will need a license. Before applying, there’s a few things San Diego's city treasurer wants applicants to know.
Step 1: Get a Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate
According to the city’s website, the first step is for applicants to make sure they have a Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate. It’s required for short-term resident occupancy properties, like houses, condos and rooms. That information can be found by clicking here.
Step 2: Make Sure You're in "Paid Status"
Next, applicants need to be sure their rental unit business taxes for their property are in paid status.
Step 3: Decide Which Tier to Apply For
To apply for a license, there are four tiers to consider based on your property and what you wish to rent out in a short-term capacity.
Tier 1 is for properties that are rented 20 days or less per year. While guests are present, the owner doesn’t need to be there.
Tier 2 is for property owners who rent a room or rooms more than 20 days a year as long as the owner or permanent resident is onsite.
According to the city, applications for Tiers 1 and 2 will remain indefinitely and there are no limits on them, but that’s not the case for Tiers 3 and 4. There will be 5,416 licenses available for Tier 3 and 1,081 licenses for Tier 4, according to the treasurer's office, based on the most recent demographic and socioeconomic housing estimates from SANDAG.
For license holders under Tiers 3 and 4, a two-night minimum stay is required, and properties will be rented out more than 20 days out of the year.
Tier 3 is for applicants who do not have their home in Mission Beach, while Tier 4 is for applicants who do have a home in Mission Beach. Under Tier 4, the number of licenses issued will not exceed 30% of the community planning area.
With the above information, applicants can start the application process. Hosts should be prepared to enter information like the address and number of bedrooms in your property, contact information, as well as tax information too. Plus, hosts will be asked to estimate the number days they plan to rent out their property and where guests can book to stay there.
The Office of the City Treasurer provided a checklist for applicants that can be found by clicking here.
Two South Bay San Diego School Districts ‘Strongly Encourage' Mask Wearing for Start of School Year
Two school districts in San Diego's South Bay are not requiring students and staff to wear masks indoors, but they are strongly encouraging it.
They confirmed their stances on the heels of San Diego Unified School District reintroducing its indoor mask mandate for students and staff, which it says was triggered when San Diego County's COVID hospitalization data met the criteria for the CDC's highest "community level."
"At this time, the Chula Vista Elementary School District is not mandating masks but is strongly encouraging all students and staff to wear a mask. The district will continue to monitor and assess.” CVESD said in a statement to NBC 7.
At Sweetwater Union High School District, a similar protocol was in place. Jamie Ruiz, who has a daughter enrolled at Chula Vista Middle School, is ultimately looking forward to returning to normalcy but supports the district's recommendations.
”Everybody, to each to each their own,” Ruiz said. “You feel comfortable wearing it, I’m fine with that, if not, as long as it’s not necessary I’m OK with it, too.”
The district said they’ll revisit their policy in 30 days, but for now, the following recommendations apply:
Tri Gonzalez’s son Michael is behind the recommendation, too.
”I think it’s a good thing that they wear their masks,” Gonzales said “I’m not picky about it but I think it’s the safest thing for them to wear their mask.”
For several other school districts, summer break is still in full swing, and so are summer camps. The YMCA of San Diego County is still holding several camps across the area. The organization sent the following statement to NBC 7 regarding its face mask policy.
“The YMCA of San Diego County continues to operate under the guidance of public health recommendations from the County of San Diego and CDC, which currently states masks are highly recommended indoors. Our team is in constant communication with local authorities to follow any changes to the evolving guidance.”
Two school districts in San Diego's South Bay are not requiring students and staff to wear masks indoors, but they are strongly encouraging it.
They confirmed their stances on the heels of San Diego Unified School District reintroducing its indoor mask mandate for students and staff, which it says was triggered when San Diego County's COVID hospitalization data met the criteria for the CDC's highest "community level."
"At this time, the Chula Vista Elementary School District is not mandating masks but is strongly encouraging all students and staff to wear a mask. The district will continue to monitor and assess.” CVESD said in a statement to NBC 7.
At Sweetwater Union High School District, a similar protocol was in place. Jamie Ruiz, who has a daughter enrolled at Chula Vista Middle School, is ultimately looking forward to returning to normalcy but supports the district's recommendations.
”Everybody, to each to each their own,” Ruiz said. “You feel comfortable wearing it, I’m fine with that, if not, as long as it’s not necessary I’m OK with it, too.”
The district said they’ll revisit their policy in 30 days, but for now, the following recommendations apply:
- When indoors, vaccinated staff and all students are strongly recommended to wear a face mask.
- Unvaccinated staff and adult visitors must wear masks when in the presence of others indoors.
Tri Gonzalez’s son Michael is behind the recommendation, too.
”I think it’s a good thing that they wear their masks,” Gonzales said “I’m not picky about it but I think it’s the safest thing for them to wear their mask.”
For several other school districts, summer break is still in full swing, and so are summer camps. The YMCA of San Diego County is still holding several camps across the area. The organization sent the following statement to NBC 7 regarding its face mask policy.
“The YMCA of San Diego County continues to operate under the guidance of public health recommendations from the County of San Diego and CDC, which currently states masks are highly recommended indoors. Our team is in constant communication with local authorities to follow any changes to the evolving guidance.”
Video: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-unified-enrollment-down-from-last-year-state-down-for-5th-straight-year/2918961/
San Diego Unified Enrollment Down from Last Year, State Down for Fifth Straight Year
Enrollment has declined in California public schools for the fifth year in a row, including a 1.8% decrease from this year to last, according to new data released by the Department of Education.
In the San Diego Unified School District, total K-12 enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is 114,467 students compared to 118,523 students last school year.
The decline across the state can be attributed to multiple factors, including families not having children, a slowdown in immigration and Californians moving out of state, as well as students enrolling at charter and private schools or even turning to homeschool options, according to Troy Flint, a spokesperson with the California School Boards Association.
Prior to the start of the current school year, Eric Moten’s two daughters were enrolled at an elementary school in the district.
"You can see the decline in learning with the kids online and trying to keep their attention span up," Moten said.
He says he took issue with the district's mask mandate and enrolled his kids at a charter school before the start of this year.
"You can get access a lot quicker to the teacher. That was the quickest thing I noticed, because even with picking my daughters up at school, if the teacher didn't have an appointment, she didn't care too much about talking with you,” Moten said.
Flint says, like Moten, families across the state have opted for alternatives to public schools.
"There's been a lot of turmoil in public schools related to the pandemic, and that has also increased frustration and perhaps driven some people away at public schools,” Flint said.
The decrease in enrollment has an impact on how school infrastructure is supported and the resources that are offered to students, according to Flint. He says there are a few proposals that are on the table that address enrollment decline, including averaging three years of enrollment so that enrollment in public schools is not defined by the most recent years where it has been at its lowest.
“CSBA’s proposal is to include the 2019-20 year in that enrollment calculation, the last year before everything went haywire,” Flint said. “And so that should give schools a softer landing as they try to adjust to a lower enrollment while still using those enrollment figures before the pandemic to give them a little easier transition.”
Not every school has seen a decline. Kevin Eckery, the spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Dioceses of San Diego, says local Catholic schools have seen the largest increase in enrollment in two decades. Eckery says the K-8 enrollment is up by 15% while high schools have seen a 4% increase.
Jenny Passarelli who was vacationing with her family in San Diego Tuesday said it’s been a positive experience for her kids who attend an Inglewood-area elementary school.
"But, getting back to public school has been more exciting for my kids just because they get to see their friends again and their teachers and have their interaction,” Passarelli said.
Natalia Briggs feels differently and is considering alternatives for her daughter.
“I was one of the moms thinking about pulling my kid out of school,” Briggs said.
Moten questions if he’ll ever go back.
“The way it's set up now, it would take a lot to get them back into a public school,” Moten said.
Video: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/high-rise-planned-for-downtown-san-diego-features-434-units-52-parking-spaces/2971973/
Planned Downtown San Diego High-Rise Would Have 52 Parking Spaces for 434 Units
Another downtown high-rise apartment complex got the green light from the City of San Diego’s Planning Commission with a surprising detail — it would have about eight times more housing units than parking spots.
According to a report to the city’s Planning Commission, developers are planning to build 434 live-in units, but only have 52 parking spaces. There is still a 10-day appeal process before developers can move forward.
So, why is there only a fraction of parking for this towering development?
”This project is really situated to take advantage of all the recent infrastructure investments the city has made in downtown San Diego when it comes to mobility infrastructure to provide people with those options to bicycle, to walk, to take transit,” Brian Schoenfisch, the Deputy Director of the Urban Division for the City of San Diego, said.
Schoenfisch says while parking for cars will be limited, there will be ample space for bicycle storage, including a bike lounge for easy access to commute using two wheels instead of four.
The development, which is backed by Cresleigh Homes, is located on the 600 block of Island Avenue near Petco Park in the Gaslamp Quarter. The building there, Ballpark Self Storage, is considered historic and the façade of the building will be protected as the new complex is constructed, according to Schoenfisch.
The project is in the appeal period. Schoenfisch says that period will last for 10 business days.
“If this project isn’t appealed, then developers can proceed to the next step which would be the building permit processing step, and then they can start construction once they have the building permit,” Schoenfisch said.
Deana Ellis, the Vice President of Land Resources for Cresleigh Homes, told NBC 7 over the phone that no one has appealed the project. Schoenfisch says an appeal would send the project to City Council, which could be a months-long process. Ellis says even if it does get final approval, high-level plans will take about a year to develop, which would likely be followed by two to two-and-a-half years of construction.
That construction is sure to kick up some dust. Robert Romero, owner of Tivoli Bar and Grill directly across the street, says he isn’t opposed to the project, but his business will likely be impacted.
”Yeah, we will be affected, obviously with them building a 37-story building, and probably our road will be periodically closed down, and a lot of dust and traffic,” Romero said.
Other neighbors, like Julie Geary, are all for it.
“I love what they’re doing downtown.” Geary said. “It helps all of us, and it just cleans up the street, and it brings more money in, and it brings more people in and more money coming in downtown is great.”
Planned Downtown San Diego High-Rise Would Have 52 Parking Spaces for 434 Units
Another downtown high-rise apartment complex got the green light from the City of San Diego’s Planning Commission with a surprising detail — it would have about eight times more housing units than parking spots.
According to a report to the city’s Planning Commission, developers are planning to build 434 live-in units, but only have 52 parking spaces. There is still a 10-day appeal process before developers can move forward.
So, why is there only a fraction of parking for this towering development?
”This project is really situated to take advantage of all the recent infrastructure investments the city has made in downtown San Diego when it comes to mobility infrastructure to provide people with those options to bicycle, to walk, to take transit,” Brian Schoenfisch, the Deputy Director of the Urban Division for the City of San Diego, said.
Schoenfisch says while parking for cars will be limited, there will be ample space for bicycle storage, including a bike lounge for easy access to commute using two wheels instead of four.
The development, which is backed by Cresleigh Homes, is located on the 600 block of Island Avenue near Petco Park in the Gaslamp Quarter. The building there, Ballpark Self Storage, is considered historic and the façade of the building will be protected as the new complex is constructed, according to Schoenfisch.
The project is in the appeal period. Schoenfisch says that period will last for 10 business days.
“If this project isn’t appealed, then developers can proceed to the next step which would be the building permit processing step, and then they can start construction once they have the building permit,” Schoenfisch said.
Deana Ellis, the Vice President of Land Resources for Cresleigh Homes, told NBC 7 over the phone that no one has appealed the project. Schoenfisch says an appeal would send the project to City Council, which could be a months-long process. Ellis says even if it does get final approval, high-level plans will take about a year to develop, which would likely be followed by two to two-and-a-half years of construction.
That construction is sure to kick up some dust. Robert Romero, owner of Tivoli Bar and Grill directly across the street, says he isn’t opposed to the project, but his business will likely be impacted.
”Yeah, we will be affected, obviously with them building a 37-story building, and probably our road will be periodically closed down, and a lot of dust and traffic,” Romero said.
Other neighbors, like Julie Geary, are all for it.
“I love what they’re doing downtown.” Geary said. “It helps all of us, and it just cleans up the street, and it brings more money in, and it brings more people in and more money coming in downtown is great.”