East County Magazine
Reduced Santee Council approves 285-unit condo project near Town Center Community Park
By Mike Allen October 5, 2025 (Santee) — The vacant lot behind the Cameron YMCA will soon be vacant no longer. The Santee City Council voted 3-0 to approve a 285-unit condominium project on the 22.17-acre site which had long been used by dog walkers, model car and plane users, and overspill parking during big events at the Town Center
Harmony Grove Village South development approved by Board of Supervisors despite controversy
By Paul Levikow Photo, left: Brenda Wright October 2, 2025 (San Diego) — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Wednesday unanimously approved a housing development in the North County community of Harmony Grove, despite objections by several residents who expressed concerns about the lack of a second evacuation route during wildfires. The Harmony Grove Village South development will be
Jones’ mobile home insurance bill passes Legislature: measure would protect owners in case of disaster
East County News Service September 25, 2025 (Sacramento) — Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) announced passage of his SB 525, which if signed by the Governor would help manufactured and mobile home owners afford to acquire full replacement cost insurance policies. “Mobile home owners should not be treated like second rate citizens when it comes to protecting
Losses in Coches Fire show need for firewise upgrades to mobilehomes: County offers grants and loans to mobilehome owners
By Miriam Raftery Photos and video by Josh Stotler View video Updated Sept. 10, 2025 with latest damage assessment based on a report from Lakeside’s Fire Marshal September 9, 2025 (Lakeside) – Swift action by firefighters including aerial attacks held yesterday’s Coches Fire to 5.3 acres, but the damage was substantial. Five homes were destroyed, including three mobilehomes at the
El Cajon receives SANDAG grants to improve streetscapes, revamp Parkway Plaza and add housing
Photo by Karen Pearlman East County News Service Sept. 4, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon has been given a Notice of Intent to be awarded three grants through the San Diego Association of Governments TransNet Smart Growth Incentive Program. The city is expecting to receive one engineering grant and two planning grants as part of SANDAG’s
Building together: local trades connect at Ram’s Hill Golf Cottages
Meet-and-Greet By Jennifer Sencion September 2, 2025 (Borrego Springs) – On July 31, Borrego Community Builders, in partnership with Skyline Construction, hosted a Subcontractor Meet-and-Greet in Borrego Springs to connect local tradespeople with a landmark hospitality project. The gathering brought together electricians, plumbers, painters, construction crews, and other skilled trades from Borrego Springs and neighboring desert communities, providing a
East County Neighborhoods Could Be Impacted By Proposed State Law to Allow Significantly More Multi-Family Housing Projects
By Paul Levikow Image, left, via United Neighbors August 26, 2025 (East County) – Large-scale, high-rise apartment complexes could soon be built within a half mile of a bus stop or trolley station near you, under a proposed state law that would take away local control of developments and turn single-family neighborhoods into high-density housing. State Senate Bill 79, the
How much more valuable is land in East County cities? $14 billion in El Cajon, $10 billion in La Mesa, $9 billion in Santee,$3 billion in Lemon Grove
East County News Service Photo from left to right: Jordan Z. Marks, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARCC) and Andrew Potter, Executive Officer, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. August 21, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Land in East County has never been worth so much. According to Jordan Z. Marks, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARCC), the
Disparate impacts in fair housing and how to get help
By Vanessa Rojas, Fair Housing Program Manager July 31, 2025 (El Cajon) — Renters generally pay their rent through the most practical option for themselves. It may be easier for some people to pay through cashier’s checks, personal checks, money orders, or online. However, what works for one person can end up being tedious, harder, or impossible to do for
Fanita Ranch challenged again in new lawsuit
By Mike Allen July 23, 2025 (Santee) — As expected, a coalition of environmental groups including Preserve Wild Santee have filed a new legal challenge against Santee’s biggest residential project, Fanita Ranch, which the City Council most recently approved in June. It was the third time in five years that the Santee City Council gave its approval to the controversial
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DUCHENY CALLS ON OPPONENT TO PASS STRONG HOMEOWNER BILL OF RIGHTS
Ducheny Chastises Vargas for "Special Interest" Favors May 5, 2012 (San Diego) — Congressional Candidate Denise Moreno Ducheny took issue with Senator Juan Vargas’s recent voting record and called on the Senator to back a strong set of foreclosure protection bills being discussed in the Senate this week. "The recent voting record of my opponent is a disservice to the residents
REPS. DAVIS & HUNTER INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ALLOW ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY TO REFINANCE
April 27, 2012 (Washington D.C.)—Wednesday, U.S. Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA) and Duncan Hunter (R-CA) introduced the Fairness for Military Homeowners Act, legislation allowing military homeowners to refinance mortgages on a principle residence while serving at a duty station that prevents them from occupying the home. Currently, active duty military members cannot refinance if the home is not “owner-occupied.” “Our
SPRING HAS SPRUNG: GREEN YOUR ‘SPRING CLEANING’ WITH EARTH-FRIENDLY TIPS FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT
April 20, 2012 (San Diego) — Just in time for the season’s most notorious task, Waste Management has come up with a list of five tips to not only motivate Spring cleaning efforts, but ways to go about doing it in a natural, safe way for the environment. Turns out, trading-in the chemicals and expensive cleaning products for a
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT WITH A STRUCTURAL PEST INSPECTION
By Derek Roach April 11, 2012 (San Diego) — Purchasing a large investment such as a home can be a stressful experience. There can be multiple parties involved to ensure a smooth transaction during the buying process. Real estate agents, loan officers, escrow representatives, appraisers, and home inspectors all play a significant role in accomplishing one goal: Closing the
PROPERTY VALUE LOSSES NEAR WIND TURBINES GREATER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT, APPRAISERS FIND
Losses can be up to 40%; values affected 3 miles from turbine sites By Billie Jo Jannen For East County Magazine March 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)–A real estate appraisal expert who has made a specialty of assessing impacts from nearby wind turbines has announced that he is revising his figures in response to a recent study of over
ASID’S ‘SPRING SPRUCE UP’ HAS ARRIVED
March 26, 2012 (San Diego) — The American Society of Interior Designers’ annual “Spring Spruce Up” event is underway now through the end of May. For a discounted rate of $85 per hour, the public can arrange for a professional designer to come to their home or business to consult on their remodel or design project and obtain advice,
MEDIATION GROUP FORMED TO ADDRESS LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROVERSIES
March 18, 2012 (San Diego) — The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) today announced the establishment of its Land Use and Environmental Mediation Group, specializing in resolving disputes among landowners, developers, environmentalists, community activists and government agencies around development issues and other environmental concerns. NCRC is a San Diego-based non-profit institution which sponsors mediation of a wide variety
SAN DIEGO COUNTY LIBRARIES OFFER HOME CLINICS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY
March 13, 2012 (San Diego) – Foreclosures and notices of default remain a problem for many in the county. The San Diego County Library is sponsoring HOME Clinics at branches throughout the county during 2012 to help homeowners get the information they need. The clinics provide homeowners in distress with the opportunity to speak with professionals regarding their options
ATTORNEY GENERAL KAMALA HARRIS AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS UNVEIL CALIFORNIA “HOMEOWNER BILL OF RIGHTS” PACKAGE OF BILS
March 11, 2012 (Sacramento) – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John A. Perez have announced their sponsorship of six bills known collectively as the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. The bills aim to protect homeowners from unfair practices by banks and mortgage companies and to help consumers and communities cope
MARCH MEMBERS’ MONTH AT THE WATER CONSEVATION GARDEN
March 7, 2012 (El Cajon) — The Water Conservation Garden is encouraging the public to become members in March, and take advantage of several special benefits. (To join click here. Garden Member Plant Sale: Save 20% on All Plants, All Month The Garden thrives in large part because of the contributions from members. As a thank-you to this special group of people,
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
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