OCEANSIDE, Calif. — CBS 8 is staying on top of a story centering on an eye-catching house in Oceanside that many neighbors are calling an eyesore, but even more serious concerns have surfaced.
While the paint job on the exterior of the Creekside Estates home is an eyesore for many neighbors, more serious concerns are mounting for the underage teens who are being allowed to stay there.
CBS 8 reached out to the San Diego city council member whose district includes the Oceanside house that's attracting so much attention. Not only for what's going on outside, but possibly inside as well.
"Top priority is what is happening behind closed doors from my perspective," said District 2 Council member Christopher Rodriguez.
Angelo Pamintuan is the renter behind the paint job on the front of the house, which he sees as art.
CBS 8 spoke with Pamintuan, who goes by "AP." He said that he is turning the rental into a place of worship.
"I opened my house," Pamintuan said. "It's a home, it's a church, it's a home church."
A 'church for artists' which Pamintuan said he has opened to young people, as many as 20 at one time: many of them runaways, some of them underage.
"God spoke to me and said 'you got a whole freaking house.. let 'em stay there'!" he added. "I knew, I am not going to close my door to these kids."
This open house, though, has opened Pamintuan to accusations that the safety and welfare of the teens staying here are in danger.
When asked directly what he thinks of the accusations against him, he stated, "None of them are true."
Not everyone is convinced, though. While CBS 8 was interviewing Pamintuan, the mother of a child staying at the house showed up, attempting to bring her child home.
"He's a frickin' adult -- she's a minor," said the irate mother.
"I don't know what you do," she screamed at Pamintuan. "I don't need to talk to you about nothin'... All I know is that you are housing my daughter who should not be here!" she said.
Councilmember Christopher Rodriguez, a father of seven, said that he is committed to getting justice for all involved.
"It makes my blood boil, just the thought of it," Rodriguez said.
He added that an active investigation is underway by Oceanside police.
"I can ensure the public that they are doing everything possible to get into that house with all legal means to ensure that there's nothing going on behind closed doors and those children are not being exploited," Rodriguez said. "That is a top priority for the city of Oceanside and the police department."
Oceanside Police are urging anyone who sees any criminal activity connected with the house to contact them so that they can take immediate action.
In the meantime, the home's owner and property manager have said that they also doing everything they can to have Pamintuan evicted from the house.
WATCH RELATED: Art or eyesore? Neighbors want the 'paint job' on the front of a North County home removed (Aug. 2022).