ESCONDIDO, Calif. — A North County judge has issued a preliminary injunction against people living on an Escondido property in “occupied recreational vehicles and trailer coaches connected to public utilities on the Property.”
The property off West El Norte Parkway has a long history of code compliance issues, according to a lawsuit filed by the City of Escondido.
Last month, people living on the property held a news conference organized by the San Diego chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL San Diego).
“The reason that we're here today is that the people on this property are being forced out,” said PSL San Diego organizer, Juliana Musheyev during the briefing.
“The narrative about them being a nuisance or a blight on this neighborhood is dehumanizing and lacks compassion that is sorely needed in this country,” Musheyev said.
Three residents spoke during the May 26 briefing, some expressing anger with neighbors who had filed complaints against them.
“I hate the neighbors. I really do,” said one resident identified only as Karen, who said the people living on the property have welcomed her.
“All these people here are friends. They're family and to see them go is really hard,” she said.
Organizers said there was an affordable housing crisis in San Diego county.
“I hope all the neighbors that have participated in this are happy that they cleaned up the neighborhood, because all they did was add to the homeless crisis here in North County,” said Teresa, a resident on the property.
The property at 2130 W El Norte Parkway fell into foreclosure in September, and currently is owned by the U.S. Department of Urban and Housing Development.
Neighbors contacted CBS 8 in April asking for assistance.
“It’s extremely frustrating to live next to a property that continues to accumulate not only trash, vermin [are] starting to show up. There are lots of fights on the property,” neighbor Michelle Gaano told CBS 8 in April.
On Friday, a judge ordered a preliminary injunction against several people living on the land, stating:
“Immediately enjoining Defendants, and each of them, and their representatives, guests, agents, officers, employees, trustees, tenants, heirs, assigns, and anyone acting on their behalf or in concert with them, from using, allowing, maintaining, and depositing trash, junk, debris, inoperable vehicles, and occupied recreational vehicles and trailer coaches connected to public utilities on the Property and/or using the Property in violation of the law.”
Even though the injunction is in place, it remains unclear when or if eviction papers will be served.
A City of Escondido spokesperson emailed CBS 8 the following statement:
“The preliminary injunction is a court order for the Defendants to be enjoined from using the property in violation of the law. The eviction is a separate and distinct matter from the preliminary injunction.”
WATCH RELATED: Escondido neighbors fed up with ‘squatters’ on property owned by HUD (May 2022)