SAN DIEGO — A contentious legal battle over a dilapidated home in Ocean View Hills will soon be decided by a judge.
On Tuesday, November 19, a Superior Court Judge heard arguments to expedite the resolution of this long-standing community issue. Lisa Golden's property on Mariner Drive has been frustrating for neighbors who claim it has been an eyesore and health hazard for years.
A city inspector's report filed earlier this year painted a stark picture of the home's condition. The inspector found piles of trash up to four feet high, rotting food scattered throughout, clothes and random items strewn about, and signs of rodents.
During Tuesday's hearing, lawyers representing the community pushed for an earlier resolution, arguing that the March 2025 hearing date was too distant given the property's long-standing issues.
They emphasized the urgent need to determine whether the house should be sold. Golden, however, wants more time to prepare her case. Golden tells CBS 8 that problems with her property began in 2021 after a court-appointed receiver was tasked with cleaning up the home. She claims that the receiver and the hired cleaning crew left the property worse than they found, leading to ongoing insurance claims and disputes.
Despite her objections, the judge sided with the community's lawyers and moved the decisive hearing up to January 2nd.
Adding to the controversy, neighbors allege that Golden is living in the boarded-up and uninhabitable home.
"She is living in that home, as I say, as a squatter," said neighbor Eddie Mead. "She's not allowed to be there. She's running a gas-powered generator, which is her form of electricity. She continues to talk about the windows and the doors being boarded up, unscrews them, and removes the wood. I've seen her in the house. I've seen her in the backyard. I've seen her in the front yard."
Golden denies living in the home. She maintains that the city is attempting to seize her property and is determined to fight back.
The January 2nd hearing will be crucial in determining the fate of this property.