City Heights areas bordering Normal Heights and Kensington

[esmith143]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

ECB is definitely the red light district. It is mostly centered around 35th and goes a mile or so east and west along ECB. The water tower in North Park (near the Chicken Pie Shop) is a hot spot. Problems associated with it usually doesn't make it much past 1 or 2 blocks north / south of ECB though. You definitely do not want to live adjacent to ECB if you can avoid it.

I think it's centered a bit further west, around 30th. And hookers occasionally wander / get chased away as far as Adams and Dwight.

[kettlepot]

However, in conjunction with community groups putting a spotlight on the problem, the SDPD finally may be getting serious about doing something about it. There have been articles in the newspaper and in community newsletters about neighborhood groups forming from Rolando on the east, to Normal Heights on the west, putting the pressure on. Still, it will take concentrated pressure over a period of years before they finally break the back of ECB as the redlight district. It's not impossible though. Midway, near the NTC used to be a problem area, but I don't hear much about it now. Of course it helped that the Naval Training Center moved out of the area.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

Still, it will take concentrated pressure over a period of years before they finally break the back of ECB as the redlight district. It's not impossible though.

I wish I could share in the optimism but It does seem like it might be impossible for this city. We are talking about maybe 3-5 miles of a single street and this has been going on for 30 years at this point. If a city can't handle that I am just not sure what it can handle.

I don't think SDPD, the city, heck even a lot of the residents, care enough to deal with it. I am not sure SDPD and the city could deal with it if they wanted to - they just don't seem to have the resources. Cameras, suppression-style enforcement, cop shacks, storefronts. There are a lot of options. NYC did it in a matter of years by basically posting cops in phone booths. But that is a city that likes to spend money on law enforcement and has done so aggressively. San Diego seems to like to tout itself as being "safe enough not to need cops".

The fact that neighborhood patrols have been more successful than the professional public safety operations is really not a good anecdote for the efficacy of this city.

[kettlepot]

I do know that there is talk of putting up cameras. The City Heights Redevelopment PAC and possibly Price Charities would foot the bill. However, what's needed is a steady stream of volunteers to monitor the cameras. That's what the community groups would provide. Anyway, nothing has been done yet, but if it happened that would be one piece of the puzzle you mentioned. The community groups have already moved some of the activity away from certain parts of ECB to other parts of ECB. Those other areas which weren't so impacted are now starting to complain. Maybe we'll reach a critical mass of community action to drive a stake through this. .... Maybe.

Sometimes I'm optimistic, sometimes I'm not.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

However, what's needed is a steady stream of volunteers to monitor the cameras.

Residents doing law enforcement... sorry.. but thats what cities are supposed to do. City of San Diego can't pave the roads, can't catch the crooks... what exactly can they do? Build more amenities for tourists downtown? Traffic calming measures in La Jolla?

[moved]

There are still plenty of hookers in Pt. Loma along Midway. I have a friend who moved into an apartment near the Red Lobster, and she said she sees them all the time, and there's a cheapo motel in the area that they frequent.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by moved

There are still plenty of hookers in Pt. Loma along Midway. I have a friend who moved into an apartment near the Red Lobster, and she said she sees them all the time, and there's a cheapo motel in the area that they frequent.

Yes and there are both hookers and their gangster bosses over at the Crackton Villa crapartments over on West Point Loma over by the 7-11. I see them all the time. My friend almost got jacked for his bike in broad daylight. Same as it ever was.

[NorthSDLifer]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Traffic calming measures in La Jolla?

I'm not going to LJ again until that is complete, darn it.