SAN DIEGO — New action was taken Tuesday morning against an Ocean View Hills property that neighbors say has been an eyesore for more than a decade.
A civil court judge ordered the home, located on Mariner Drive, be inspected by the court-appointed receiver, Richardson Griswold. The outcome of that inspection will determine if the receiver needs to go back in and clean it up again.
Before the hearing was under way, CBS 8 learned a sheriff's deputy would be joining the bailiff with a body-worn camera, because there were security concerns after what had taken place during a previous hearing.
Tuesday, a deputy asked the property owner, Lisa Golden, to step outside the courtroom to make sure no recording devices were in her bag. She returned and said she didn't have any.
The hearing was called by Richardson Griswold to get direction from the court on how to proceed. Neil Sheaffer, an attorney for the firm, said it cleaned up the property in 2021 and brought it up to code. He said in light of renewed violations, it wants the court's guidance on what steps to take next, if any.
Golden's attorney told the judge there are some ongoing issues with her insurance company.
"It seems like there’s some options here for Ms. Golden to get relief, either through an insurance policy or some other way to accommodate if things need to be cleaned up," said Golden's attorney, George Gedulin.
He also told the judge his client suffers from health issues, including cancer, that make cleaning up the property difficult.
"I am not making light of any health conditions that she may have, but the receiver cleaned up the property in 2021. It is now 2024, that is several years," argued Deputy City Attorney David Miller.
Golden's attorney told the court, since last week, his client has attempted to clean up the front yard. He asked the judge to delay making a ruling until he could take a look at new documents he filed on Golden's behalf.
Deputy City Attorney Miller said part of the problem with this case, is things constantly get delayed.
"We've had experiences with Ms. Golden where she's refused to allow the inspectors to come into the house," he said.
"The receivership would need to get into the interior and find out if the health and safety issues continue," said Miller.
He told the judge the last time the city went in, the conditions were "horrendous."
"We saw piles of garbage four feet high in her bedroom. The hallways were impassable, the stairs were covered in it. This was a house swimming in trash. It needed to be fixed and it needs to be fixed again," he added.
According to court records, the problems at the property date back as far as 2009. CBS 8 counted more than 30 interactions between the city and the property owner since then.
The judge set an inspection for Monday, March 18. He scheduled another hearing for Friday, March 22.
Outside the courtroom, Golden agreed to talk to CBS 8. She continues to claim the receiver is the cause of all the problems.
"The mess that everyone has been complaining about has been there the past two years since the receiver failed to do his job," said Golden. "He came in, took all of my personal property out of my home, he had unlicensed movers, contractors, pack it all up pretending to be a moving company."
Golden showed us more photos of what she claims was damage to her house back in 2021. She also blames neighbors for causing issues. At least three neighbors have filed restraining orders against Golden over the years, accusing her of harassment.
Also in the courtroom Tuesday, an attorney for the bank that Golden has a mortgage with, as well as an attorney for the homeowner's association where she lives.
Three neighbors of hers also sat in on the court proceedings.
"I'm not happy with the judge's decision," said neighbor Eddie Mead. "The criminal insanity that goes with following this case is unacceptable. To her, everybody else is at fault."