City of San Diego files public-nuisance lawsuit targeting group-home operators amid repeated police and medical calls

Lawsuit seeks court orders and civil penalties tied to alleged illegal operation and hazardous living conditions

The City of San Diego has filed a civil lawsuit against the operator, property owners and manager of a residential property it describes as a public nuisance, citing years of repeated police responses, medical crises and alleged code and safety violations at what the city says functioned as an unlicensed care setting.

The complaint targets a home on Ewing Street in the College Area that the city alleges was used as an independent living facility without required licensing and business approvals. The city’s civil case asks the court to prohibit ongoing violations, impose civil penalties and authorize corrective work if defendants fail to bring the property into compliance, with costs potentially recoverable from those named in the suit.

Allegations include high call volume and conditions that triggered emergency interventions

City allegations describe a persistent pattern of incidents requiring public-safety and health responses. The city states that police were called to the address nearly 300 times over a six-year period, with the majority of calls involving disturbances, suicide threats and psychiatric evaluations. The lawsuit also describes prolonged, recurring concerns observed by inspectors, including pests, unsafe electrical conditions, and missing or inoperable smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

In addition to habitability issues, the city’s allegations focus on acute medical emergencies and risks to dependent residents. The civil case describes inspections where residents appeared unclean and reported basic service disruptions. The city further alleges a series of events in which individuals were found in severe condition and hospitalized, including repeated episodes involving the same resident. One allegation describes a toe sore that became infected and led to a foot amputation.

City filings characterize the property as presenting an ongoing threat to health and safety for residents and the surrounding community.

Named defendants and the legal remedies being sought

The lawsuit names:

• the alleged operator of the facility,
• the property owners, and
• the property manager.

The city’s requested relief includes injunctive orders aimed at stopping the alleged unlawful operation and requiring compliance with local and state standards governing property conditions, business operations and resident safety. The city also seeks monetary penalties, with filings indicating a request for at least $1 million from each defendant.

Parallel criminal case and broader enforcement framework

City filings describe a related criminal proceeding against the alleged operator, including misdemeanor charges tied to property conditions and a court order directing the individual to stop operating an independent living facility within the city. The civil case proceeds separately, using public-nuisance and consumer-protection tools designed to address property-based conditions that pose continuing risks.

In San Diego, these cases typically involve coordination among code enforcement, police and fire officials and can result in court-supervised timelines for repairs, operational shutdowns, and long-term restrictions intended to prevent similar violations at other properties.