SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — It took a fire, several emergency calls and a lawsuit to finally clear a squatter-occupied house in North Park of its uninvited residents and the mountains of trash they had left behind on Friday night.
Jim Avila, lead investigator for Team 10, has been investigating this story for over a month, and he’s here to tell us what Neighbors Hope is the final chapter in this ordeal.
Cleanup crews wore protective suits as they loaded truckloads of trash, and police increased patrols in the area to ensure “No Trespassing” signs were observed.
It’s taken a long time to get to this point, and neighbors told ABC 10News they’re cautiously grateful.
Nearly two months of drama came to an end when the owner of several properties on Dale Street in North Park was forced to help police evict squatters and clean up the chaos that plagued this quiet neighborhood filled with families and children.
“It’s nice to know that they’re boarded up and that incredibly fewer people are going in,” says Andy Laub, one of the neighbors who has been speaking out on the issue from the beginning.
10News’ first story about the occupied homes appeared in early July, when neighbors frustrated with the lack of response from the city or police spray-painted the fence bright red with their display of criminal activity inside, locked the gates and blocked the entrances.
“Someone has to at least make it difficult to get into these houses,” says Laub.
A town hall meeting was then held, during which the police informed officers that they were doing everything in their power without requiring the cooperation of the owner, who refused to sign the papers required by the police to evict and arrest the squatters.
The frustration boiled over.
“We are about to move out of the block with our family,” says Natalie Laub.
“I hope that filing the lawsuit will trigger action,” says attorney Scott Miller.
But what really happened happened on Tuesday: a fire changed everything.
“The flames were all the way up to the roof, and it’s about a meter away from my kitchen window,” says Christi Nail, who lives next door.
It was the fire that literally prompted action. Police ordered the owner, who tried to hide from 10News cameras, to put up “No Trespassing” signs, board up all entrances, and finally sign papers allowing officers to evict the squatters and clean up the mess inside.
Before the cleanup work began, one of the neighbors sent us a video of the misery inside.
“There was so much drug paraphernalia, trash and bike parts in every room of the house,” says Adam Cook, the owner of a nearby bar. “There were like sleeping bags and blankets and it’s… I mean, it’s uninhabitable for you and me. It was just disgusting.”
And that brings us to our fourth installment today: The tired neighbors hope this is the beginning of the end.
“We would be happy if there were real tenants living in these places who paid rent and took care of the properties,” says Nail.
The owner has promised to take the next and final step. 10News will be monitoring this and will be ready to implement it.
