In City Heights, a Housing Market

Tag : passing link chain

Persistent buyers can sometimes find comparable homes within ablock of bordering neighborhoods like South Park or Normal Heightsfor sometimes $100,000 less.

The work of government and private agencies to spruce up thecommunity has been slowed by the flood of foreclosures dousing manyof its neighborhoods.

Pat Galloway of Price Charities, one of the most active privateorganizations that have invested heavily in the neighborhood, saidher organization is fighting not to be bowled over by the trend.The group started purchasing and fixing up houses and apartmentbuildings that had been allowed to fall into disrepair after thelast housing downturn.
"It was our intention initially to curtail the blight in CityHeights," she said. "This whole foreclosure crisis seemingly putsus back to where we started. We're desperately trying to curtailblight again."

One goal of that fight is to preserve the unique elements in manyof the neighborhoods. Hernly lives in Fairmount Park, one of theCity Heights neighborhoods, and sells houses throughout thecommunity. She drove through the community on a recent afternoon,excitedly gesturing at actual turrets on houses in the Castleneighborhood and reciting her favorite ethnic eateries.

Passing a throng of pedestrians clothed in a wide spectrum ofcolors and textures, she touted the community's juxtapositions ofcultures and religions and nationalities. Hernly was a navalengineer for more than two decades, building "ships for 12 yearsand missiles for 10." But her love for this community sparkedHernly's real estate career after General Dynamics left town.

"This is a neighborhood where we know each other, where we careabout each other," she said. "We have to stick together to livehere."

Capt. Guy Swanger, of the San Diego Police Department's mid-citydivision, said some of the work by nonprofits has helped change thecommunity.

"There are a number of things happening in that neighborhood toturn it from a place where people are ending up into a place thatpeople want to go to," he said.
"I think City Heights is a lot safer that it was 10 years ago. Evenour calls for service are down," Swanger added. "That doesn't dealwith perception, the fear of crime and a transitory population. ...I think we have a long way to go."

Sharon Martin is a real estate agent who occasionally sells homesin City Heights or takes buyers to look there.

"I think it's a neighborhood that's going to see some more change,"Martin said. "This too shall pass and in the next few years it'llbe a desirable neighborhood again."

Hernly's tour from street to street, from block to block, revealedsome of those issues community residents and nonprofits are worriedabout. Some foreclosed properties had chain-link fences, peelingpaint. Overgrown and dead lawns were other signs of distress.

But then, Hernly turned the corner and pulled over in her minivanon a street edging one of the community's canyons.

"You have to have a vision. These are million-dollar views," she said.