SAN DIEGO — Neighbors on Murray Ridge Road in a Liberty Housing neighborhood are breathing a sigh of relief as a group of vagrants have vacated a home in the area.
On Monday, neighbors reached out to CBS 8 with concerns about what they said were squatters living nearby and dealing drugs.
“It was like seeing somebody I had actively seen on a mattress behind CVS go into a housing unit four doors down from me,” said a neighbor and active-duty member of the U.S. Navy on Monday. “It was like, ‘Woah, what’s going on?’”
Several neighbors reported the problem multiple times over several weeks to Liberty Housing and their private security provider, Allied Universal.
“Nothing’s changing. Nothing’s getting better,” said the neighbor to CBS 8 on Monday. “If anything, it’s going downhill. And it’s like you’re taking 4,000 dollars a month from me for this? I’ve got people living down the street rent-free and selling drugs.”
Neighbors told CBS 8 that the family living there, including an active-duty service member, apparently hadn’t been seen there since October.
Neighbors said they noticed a group of about five vagrants staying there.
“I’m obviously on edge at all times of the day. You know, in military housing, you’re supposed to feel like you’re somewhat safe,” said another neighbor and mother of two. “You know, I have young kids, and I don’t want them to be exposed more to this.”
On Monday, CBS 8 visited the Liberty Housing District Office about the situation and later received the following statement:
"LMH is fully committed to ensuring our residents live in a safe and healthy environment every day and that our communities provide a safe and comfortable living experience for all of our residents. For the privacy of our residents, Liberty Military Housing (LMH) cannot go into specifics regarding the circumstances of individual residents, nor are we permitted to discuss the specifics of any pending litigation. LMH is aware of resident complaints regarding this address and has policies for criminal or disturbing behavior in our neighborhoods. LMH has been working with our private security provider and local law enforcement to address the situation and will continue to do so."
In a phone call with CBS 8 Monday night after the story aired, LMH claimed that squatters were not living in the unit. A spokesperson said the leaseholders were still living there at the time, and the 4-5 people in question were staying there with the family, but LMH did not dispute illegal activity was taking place there. Neighbors disagreed with LMH’s version of events and insisted that a group of squatters had been living alone since October.
On Tuesday morning, after CBS 8’s story aired, neighbors observed the troublemakers being kicked out by the LMH District Office Manager and Allied Universal Security personnel.
“I saw the squatters moving out, packing boxes, putting them in the black truck,” said the neighbor. “We were later notified that all the locks on the doors had been changed, and there was a new alarm system put in as well.”
Lt. Matthew Botkin with SDPD’s Eastern Division confirmed, “the house is vacant and no longer a concern.” With the unit cleared out, neighbors rest easier and sigh in relief.
“It’s nice that we can go outside, that we can go out back. We don’t have to worry about anything that’s going to happen, you know, my son, he feels safe now,” said one neighbor.
Other neighbors agree and say now; they’re sleeping better at night.
“Unfortunately, it had to get to this point, but man, what impeccable timing that the story aired and the next day, I guess some magic paperwork went through or something, you know, so that was just such relief to have something done,” said the neighbor. “I feel like many neighbors will sleep better at night.”
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