SAN DIEGO (KGTV): A vacant lot next to the College-Rolando area library has become a dumping ground for homeless people and their trash. Now neighbors are fed up and want the owners to do something about it.
"My house is not even this trashy," says Erin Webster, who visits the library every day. "I keep my house clean. I think we should keep this whole community clean."
The lot, at 6650 Montezuma Road, is owned by 52 Blue Falcon LLC, an investment group. They've filed paperwork with the city to build a 4-story Holiday Inn Express on the property. They're still waiting for final city approval.
"Everybody's trying to get through this process as quickly as possible," says Jeannette Temple with the Atlantis Group, who is a consultant on the project.
In the meantime, homeless people have broken through the fence blocking off the lot. There are piles of mattresses, food, tents, electronics and other garbage piled up on every side.
Temple told 10News the owners hired a cleaning company to come this week and remove the trash. She also says they have contracted with a security company to come twice a day and kick out anyone who doesn't belong.
She says they welcome the complaints from the community and the owners want to know when things aren't right.
"We appreciate their eyes and ears because we don't want anything bad to happen at the property either," says Temple.
Temple says the owners hope to start construction on the hotel at the start of 2019 and it should take about 18 months to finish.
City of San Diego representatives say there are ways people can report problem properties in their neighborhood. You can request an investigation through code enforcement at this website: https://www.sandiego.gov/ced/report/investigation.
You can also search to see if an investigation is underway here: https://aca.accela.com/SANDIEGO/Cap/CapHome.aspx?module=CE&TabName=CE&TabList=Home.
