THE PROBLEM: Weeds along the north side of Newton Avenue near 16th Street not far from Petco Park grew so tall they provided a great place for a homeless man to lie down and rest.
THE SITE: Newton Avenue near 16th Street in San Diego's East Village.
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Just Fix It recently saw a man walking along the sidewalk between the weeds and a vacant lot. We took a picture before he suddenly disappeared, lying down on a bedroll hidden by the overgrowth.
Chelsea White walks along Newton on her way to church on Sundays. “I walked in the middle of the street because I was worried someone would jump out at me,” she said.
White said she and a friend picked up trash and put out garbage cans for people to use. But at 60, she did not have the stamina to trim weeds, and trash quickly returned.
White complained to the city through Councilman Kevin Faulconer's office, thinking the area was in his district. She was referred to the Storm Water Division, which handles street sweeping. After weeks of waiting, she called us.
STATUS: We called the Street Division and Fire Department.
The Street Division was already aware of the situation and had told the owner of the vacant lot to trim the weeds, said Hasan Yousef, the Street Division's deputy director.
The weeds were cleared before a fire marshal inspection last Friday. Deputy Fire Marshal Eddie Villavicencio said more weeds need trimming and trash needs to be picked up. The property will be added to a list of about 1,600 vacant properties subject to annual fire inspections, Villavicencio said.
Yousef said another property owner has been told to trim weeds. Yousef said trash will be removed on the sidewalks, and Gus Brown, an acting deputy director in Storm Water, said the street will be swept Saturday. He said the city will monitor the area and keep it on a regular cleaning schedule.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE: Eddie Villavicencio, who can be reached at (619) 533-4435 or evillavicencio@sandiego.gov. To report potential vegetation hazards on public or private property, call the Fire Department's brush and weed abatement section at (619) 533-4444.
As for trash removal, the Street Division and the Storm Water Department are coordinating the cleanup.
NEED A PROBLEM SOLVED: Is there a problem government hasn't fixed despite your complaints? Whether it's a missing bus bench or an unkempt park anywhere in San Diego County, Just Fix It might be able to help.
Complaint forms are at justfixit.uniontrib.com, or call (800) 820-8714.
