ESCONDIDO, Calif. — The pool at an Escondido apartment complex for seniors was closed for repairs for nearly a year and then residents called us last month for help.
It’s fixed now but tenants are still waiting to dive in. We’re Working for You to find out why the seniors can’t swim just yet. Our questions in July led to helping seniors living at Birchmont apartments to get their pool repaired.
The work is finished but the pool gate is still locked. We continue to Work for You to get some clarification on why they have wait to cool off in this summer heat.
“I couldn’t get any straight answers as far as I’m concerned,” said Dana Matzen, tenant.
This is the second time Matzen reached out to CBS 8 for help.
“It had been ten months and we got nowhere, and I decided to call Channel 8 News and you guys were on it immediately,” said Matzen.
Working for You, CBS 8 called and emailed property managers last month to find out why work on a swimming pool was abandoned for ten months. The day after our inquiries, crews arrived to repair the existing pool.
“One of the construction guys told me it wasn’t about permits it was about money,” said Matzen.
Management told CBS 8 the delay was because of permits but the Escondido deputy city manager told us they couldn’t find any permit applications. Three weeks later we’re back to find out why there’s water in the pool but it’s closed.
CBS 8 called the management office, the person who answered the phone declined an on-camera interview but did say on the phone, they are waiting for the pool to cure and the County’s final inspection.
CBS 8 confirmed with a pool expert and an informational card from the National Plasterers Council there is a recommended 28-day waiting period for a pool to cure and balance chemicals.
A spokesperson for the County sent a statement:
The Department of Environmental Health and Quality implements state regulations pertaining to the construction, maintenance and water quality of swimming pools. This swimming pool is undergoing a renovation. The plans have been approved by DEHQ, as well as a mid-construction inspection. When the pool is complete and before opening for swimmers, the operators will call DEHQ and schedule a final inspection to ensure its safe.
The County also says the plans for the Birchmont improvements were submitted on April 29, 2024 and approved on July 1. This is long after residents say the pool work was abandoned.
“It sucks and showing no respect for the tenants,” said Matzen.
If all goes well the pool could be inspected and approved by mid-August.
“Summer is over in a month, and we would have waited over a year,” said Matzen.
He also adds that during the pool closure his rent went up $200.
The County says the Birchmont pool is considered a public swimming pool. Private, individual residential pools are not required to get County approval to do normal pool replaster or resurface work.
WATCH RELATED: Residents of Escondido senior living facility say pool was closed 10 months for construction