Dang wrote on Oct 13, 2008 2:30 PM:and tuesdays were my hanging out the wash days:(

Gringo wrote on Oct 13, 2008 4:25 PM:sweep and clear Tuesdays... good idea. let's cleanse Escondido...

Cleanitup wrote on Oct 13, 2008 9:19 PM:I'm glad to hear the city is finally cracking down in Escondido. This place looks terrible!

Escondidite wrote on Oct 13, 2008 9:43 PM:Clean up Escondido and make a real difference in our kids' education!

Vote No on T

Yeah wrote on Oct 13, 2008 10:03 PM:Yeah start with the dirt that Gringo constantly dumps on the city!

The long arm of the council's law is coming to your neighborhood!

Vote the incumbents out of office - our city doesn't need the strongarm chokehold the council has put on the city! Alls they needed to do was regularly enforce code regulations - instead they sat around for years doing nothing - now they have to crack down to make up for lost time. No more chokehold - vote out Abed & Gallo.

Local wrote on Oct 14, 2008 3:21 AM:Yeah, but don't get too excited. Friends still get a pass. The speed and effectiveness of code compares to molasses flowing uphill in January ( back east reference). Don't sweat it - Escondido isn't in that much of a hurry to clen up. And some code employees are very rude.

Jon wrote on Oct 14, 2008 4:33 AM:Great idea. Why hasn't the city been doing its job all along? Recently looking to buy a home in Escondido, I seen at least 25 illegal conversions of homes. What happens is some people will take a three bedroom house and the next thing you know they have 7 bedrooms.Now they have 10 cars parked out front. Usually these homes are going into foreclosure or have already become Bank owned. The same problem in the apartment market. 6 people live in a two bedroom apartment. Where's ICE when you need them.

To Yeah wrote on Oct 14, 2008 5:05 AM:Have to start sometime and somewhere, best be now and your converted garage.

Parking wrote on Oct 14, 2008 5:22 AM:About towing at owner's expense all the cars illegaly parked on every corner of Grand Avenue between Rose and Midway?

the city is racist wrote on Oct 14, 2008 6:08 AM:they're only after the thousands of illegals that live in the city. its not right. I'm filing a complaint with the ACLU. then the city will cave in and back down and it will be business as usual. Thanx ACLU you are the greatest oh yeah viva la raza

ToYeah wrote on Oct 14, 2008 6:17 AM:Have to start sometime and somewhere, best be now and your converted garage.

To Jon wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:19 AM:You really expect the city workers to EARN their paychecks?

Joe wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:23 AM:This racial profiling thing needs to be put to bed. If I can't ask a person for their papers to see if they're legal citizens, then why in the world do I need a passport to get back in my own country?
Why do cops carry guns and not just pick them up when they've identified a criminal? I think that's against my civil rights. And why do cops respond to bank robberies when it's a federal crime to rob a bank?

Thank you Escondido City Council wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:42 AM:Hopefully with more of the code enforcements and MORE check points we will have a cleaner and safer city.

The feds need to start wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:45 AM:deputizing police offices through out the state, once a police office is deputized to become a federal police office, then we can start asking for IDs and clean up California! I have to wonder how many programs are still in place for illegal aliens while California and the Government crashes.

Gringo wrote on Oct 14, 2008 8:04 AM:I witnessed EPD assist Border Patrol agents rounding up alien invaders in front of Home Depot last week and taking them away in Vans. Thank you EPD!! Keep it up.

Karl wrote on Oct 14, 2008 8:45 AM:Great point about bank robberies Joe @ 7:23 AM. I'd love to see el grupo's response to that poser.

Franko wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:00 AM:This isn't a race issue- white people are particularly creative when it comes to tacky crap. Just go anywhere in Kansas.

Man Club wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:06 AM:We need this. I swear, if some of these people mowed their lawns, who knows what they'd find- a bathtub, an old El Camino, the Chupacapra...

To Franko wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:09 AM:if you think white people have the market cornered on tacky crap just look to our friendly neighbors to the south. All I have to say is "TIJUANA".

Karl wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:28 AM:Franko @ 9:00 AM, are you bagging on Dorothy and Toto?

to the city is racist wrote on Oct 14, 2008 11:24 AM:You say "they are only after illegals"
What part of ILLEGAL do you not understand. If it is ILLEGAL, that means it is not LEGAL. Tell them to get LEGAL, then they won't be ILLEGAL. Very simple

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Oct 14, 2008 11:41 AM:And while Escondido is enforcing the city code, they should have ICE, Border Patrol, EPD, SD Sheriffs, DEA, US Marshalls, and the FBI in the wings to arrest and take away the thugs, criminals, gang members, and illegal aliens away.

Mr ED wrote on Oct 14, 2008 2:25 PM:Escondido is not the only city with immigration woes,gangs,criminals and thugs. Why just look at Oceanside.
I went to Encinitas this weekend. I saw plenty of streets lined with day labors.Even LaCosta had them.
I don't understand Greg in Oceanside always raggin on Escondido when other cities have much the same.Just look around your city Greg.

Liz wrote on Oct 14, 2008 2:30 PM:Barn door, see that horse off in the distance?

To Joe wrote on Oct 14, 2008 3:36 PM:Police officer are not allowed to respond to federal crimes, per their Cheif of police. This means no interfering in bank robberies or kidnappers that cross state line. The local officers have enough to do with keeping the population of doughnuts down.

CalHvyMetl wrote on Oct 14, 2008 4:09 PM:I left Escondido 17 years ago, now raising a son in the midwest. I was checking out the fires (my brother still lives in Fallbrook) and found this article. I was a bass player in a metal band when I left and never planned to be a dad. But reading these comments... it's just as bad now as when I left. Sooo glad I waited to have kids.

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Oct 14, 2008 4:21 PM:Mr ED, I "rag" on any city, including Oceanside Vista, and San Marcos etc.

In fact I wish Oceanside would do some of the same things Escondido's doing. I like the things the City of Escondido is doing to combat gangs and crime, including checkpoints to get unlicensed, uninsured, intoxicated, and illegal drivers off the roads.

Since most cities in North County have neighborhoods where there are multiple families are living in single family residences, and illegal garage conversions are constructed to accommodate more people, all cities desparately need to conduct more code enforcement sweeps and campaigns.

If we look at the problem realistically we have to ask the questions, who's guilty and why. 'Who' is pretty easy to determine and let's not kid anyone. Illegal aliens, and immigrants are most likely to live like this. The reason 'why' is pretty straightforward too, and it can be due to economics.

As long as hordes of illegal aliens continue to settle in our communities we're going to be faced with urban decay. This further supports the need for an impenetrable fence and wall along our entire southern border with Mexico.

toGreg in oceanside wrote on Oct 14, 2008 5:57 PM:All I have found so far is Jim Woods and Jim Gibson have strong positions against illegal aliens. They did e-mail me on their positions.
Dave from Oceanside

Clayton wrote on Oct 14, 2008 6:11 PM:Escondido's phony crackdown on illegally converted garages is just that, a farce. During these code compliance sweeps they have found and violated hundreds of illegally converted garages. In order to legalize the illegal conversions the violator has to provide equal off street parking to substitute for the lost garage space. So city staff brings a new proposition to the council, legalize off-street parking next to driveways, and the bozo council people are leaning in favor of this. Don't they realize by doing this they replace the lost garage space legalizing the illegal garage conversion? Only Waldron and Pfeiler have said they do not favor this "illegal garage converters bailout" plan.

Oceanside wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:50 PM:Jim Woods of Oceanside against illegal immigration??? Since when? Why hasn't something positive in Oceanside like a code enforcement check been conducted years ago????

To Greg wrote on Oct 14, 2008 8:48 PM:Have you ever been out of your small safe zone you live in? Try traveling the country. If you can't then drive around Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Ramona,Murrieta,Valley Center and even Fallbrook. Plenty of white trash there to make this country look bad.You make it worse by ignoring our own citizens who prefer to be on welfare than working. STOP trying to divert attention from that and stop trying to focus only on immigrants, legal or illegal.

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Oct 14, 2008 10:25 PM:To, TO GREG; Thanks for the lesson on geography and demographics. And yes, I'm well aware of the "white trash" in other parts of the county. Being middle aged, trust me, I've been around (and around the world), so I don't live in a bubble.

But, my concern is North County (San Diego) and surrounding communities, not somewhere else that I don't live near or around.

We need to focus on our own problems, not someone else's. And given our close proximity to the border, we have a disproportionate amount of illegal aliens.

Yo people wrote on Oct 14, 2008 11:15 PM:I really dont understand some of you.. Illegal is ILLEGAL.. Esco does need change and more to be shipped back to mexico or canada. If they dont register and follow through with paying the fees... Say sorry ya gotta go...

Local to Clayton wrote on Oct 15, 2008 3:21 AM:I don't doubt what you say. It is a digusting copout and will be called out. The lack of ethics in the code dept are no doubt, aligned with the status quo. They can run but they can't hide.

Larry wrote on Oct 15, 2008 6:42 AM:Let's get rid of the idiots who insist on having their five cars and water toys parked in their front yards!

To Greg wrote on Oct 15, 2008 7:31 AM:Basically, what you're saying is that it's ok for our citizens to run our country down but not anyone else. All the lazy hillbillies on welfare, fraudulent workman's comp cases, frivolous lawsuits which use up or taxes, junk yards in the front lawn, marijuana smoking, drunk driving,..the list is endless. As long as it aint them darn illegals. You truly are a jackarse.

To To Greg wrote on Oct 15, 2008 8:13 AM:You have to be kidding right? do you think that the number of "lazy hillbillies on welfare, fraudulent workman's comp cases, frivolous lawsuits which use up or taxes, junk yards in the front lawn, marijuana smoking, drunk driving" comes anywhere near the total of illegal aliens in our North county cities? You seem to be excusing one bad behavior by citing another, two wrongs don't make it right.

I don't care who get's caught in these code compliance sweeps, come one come all. I'll bet that there are a lot of neighbors who are happy these sweeps are happening.

To To Greg wrote on Oct 15, 2008 8:18 AM:You are the Jack Arse! Listen to yourself! The laws are in place to deal with the "white Trash" as you are calling it, and are enforced. You're making Greg's argument for him. The laws in place to deal with Illegal Immigrants are not being enforced. That's the Whole friggin Point!!! Please tell me your point was a joke, because if you muddle your way through life with that kind of logic I feel sorry for you and your family.

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Oct 15, 2008 12:45 PM:I'm gettng mixed up by who's making comments and to whom.

Nonetheless, statistics don't lie, and illegal aliens cost the State of CA billions annually. This tells a troubling story and speaks volumes. We have too many illegal aliens and immigrants here who bring their negative living conditions and habits to our communities.

Certainly, all cultures have their lower-class, who live differently than the rest of us. But you see neighborhood after neighborhood with a significant immigrant population here in San Diego who are violating city/county code. It's time to fix it, and one way to start is to stop the flow of illegal aliens into our country and communities, period.

Enough is enough!

doi wrote on Oct 15, 2008 1:21 PM:My mom did it the legal way and this was way back in the 50's. She gave up her country to become an american citizen because that was her dream and she has succeeded! I was 7 years old and helped her through the test. Illegal is illegal and right is right. She did not come to this country and demand that they give her everything. She worked hard and my dad stood beside her. Everyone needs to do it the right way!

esco wrote on Oct 15, 2008 3:07 PM:right on escondido keep it up!

bogie wrote on Oct 15, 2008 3:18 PM:How about a follow up story on the in fractions found?

crazy wrote on Oct 15, 2008 5:05 PM:Sometimes after reading all of the comments I forget what the article was even about!!! Most of you who comment say nothing about the article. I am sorry... where in this article does it say anything about illegal immigration or Latinos? It doesn't. Give me a break... both sides of the issue commenting on this article have clearly lost their minds! This article is simply a public announcement that the code enforcement team is working to clean up our city (date and locations included). I have seen code enforcement going through the alley where I live and they are NOT looking for Latino homes... they are not looking for illegal immigrants... they are look for code violators!

bogie wrote on Oct 15, 2008 5:21 PM:Well said crazy @ 5:05 PM.

ToCrazy wrote on Oct 15, 2008 5:57 PM:And the majority of the code violations are from, take a guess.
Read "Greg in Oceanside" comments you might learn something.

Simple solution ---- wrote on Oct 16, 2008 7:04 AM:Only allow legal residents to own property. Make the lenders verify status of the buyers. That would solve a lot of problems -- more housing for the AMERICAN worker, less crowding in homes, fewer forign licensed, uninsured vehicles, lower crime rates, and maybe even some pride in home ownership !!

To Crazy wrote on Oct 17, 2008 11:13 AM:RE: I have seen code enforcement going through the alley where I live and they are NOT looking for Latino homes... they are not looking for illegal immigrants... they are look for code violators!

You know I have said the exact same thing about Driver's License Check Points. The Police are NOT looking for Latino drivers... they are not looking for illegal immigrants... they are look for divers with NO LICENSES!

Thank You for illustrating my point.

R/ Skip

To to Crazy at 557 wrote on Oct 19, 2008 12:25 PM:I actually live in these neighborhoods being hit with the code enforcement. I know there are many violators both white and Latino. Trust me... several of my white neighbors have been cited. The point I was making with my earlier comment is that our city has so much divisiveness... with both sides feeling angry to the point of sounding racist. Where is the middle? I am tired of a certain group of Latino's feeling entitled to their rights and I am tired of a certain white population feeling the same thing. Again... where is the middle?