DON'T COME HERE. IT'S BAD - 11/26/2019

I lived in this city for 12 years. I watched it go from a nice place to a severely economically oppressive, corrupt, dangerous city. The City Government is extremely corrupt. The mayor is powerless and the City employees run the show. Their show includes union business meetings on the clock under the guise of "staff meetings" to complain about wages and benefits that are consistent with local market conditions, hour long coffee breaks away at local coffee shops on the clock, charging permit fees that don't apply to the permits being applied for, permits that don't require fees at all even, charging extra for "expedited" permit reviews and waiting until the day before the review deadline to actually perform the permit review though they had plenty of time during their union meetings and extended coffee breaks to get it done. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the massive, severe corruption being committed by City Employees in San Diego. Whistleblowers "commit sexual assault, face a trial, commit suicide." They do this to their own underpaid police officers. This exasperates already severe housing inflation and crisis level homelessness. As an additional result, the homeless people are sick and make working San Diegans sick when they use public transportation or work downtown. The homeless here are violent, strung out on meth and heroin, and are extremely aggressive and even violent when you won't give them more than a dollar. These severe, nationally embarrassing problems used to be hidden from tourists. Now, they are full display to the entire World any time they come to San Diego as tourists. They can see the sick, addicted homeless people who are being enabled with free hypodermic needles passed out in front of the Public Library during Kid's Story Time in North Park. This is a consequence of North Park Neighborhood filling up with rich people from New York, now that the New York Times, GQ magazine and other New York based media has identified the North Park as a "Hip Place." The local North Park residents, including myself, are displaced by gentrification due to this propaganda. The employers in the area cooperate with each other and ACTIVELY practice wage suppression. While the rest of the USA has seen payrate increases, San Diegans are seeing DECREASE in wages and benefits over the last 10 years. All the nice sights are dilapidated now. Balboa Park has become a carnival of sick homeless people busking and begging. The Chargers left and the City residents have been arguing about what to do about the defunct stadium in Mission Valley. Meanwhile, the structure costs taxpayers millions a years sitting vacant. The City Attorney is on a Leftist Crusade against common sense. The City attorney has stacked their employee roster with attractive female lawyers who manipulate the male judges in "Gun Violence Restraining Order" hearings. No man ever wins these, regardless of how expensive their lawyer is. As a result, Constitutional Rule of Law, Rules of Evidence, and basic common sense go right out the window. IF you get a lawyer, you will get a worse result than representing yourself and lose $3800-$10,000. In addition, the corruption and crime from the Drug Cartels in Tijuana, which shares a border with San Diego, does more than just spill over to San Diego. Many local politicians and businesses do business with these people. The Cartels have representation in San Diego and Coronado City Governments as well as the State of California as a whole. IN short, don't support this. Don't give this city your time nor money. San Diego is a polished tomb. Its full of innocent dead people's bodies. Since this is California, the media doesn't report these things. You have to talk to the locals or just live here for a while. Sea World sucks, the Chargers are gone, you can go to Comic Con in other cities now, the seas are fished out, the St. Louis Zoo is better than the San Diego Zoo as are other attractions, and everything here is absurdly expensive. Also, since it is now legal to commit "petty" theft up to $950, if a bum steals your cell phone, the police will stand there and watch it happen and do nothing. Talk on your cell phone while driving, $300 fine. The police are here solely to take your money and exact retaliation on behalf of corrupt government and do not respond enforce the law after dark. Also, they're disarming the citizens which enables criminals. If you're on vacation here, your family is not safe. In short, don't get victimized when you're trying to enjoy R&R. Avoid San Diego. And definitely don't EVER move here unless you hate your bank account and freedom.

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The Chargers left so should you - 4/25/2019

I have lived in San Diego my entire life and am now at 30 years old. Growing up, it was incredible... weeknight evenings spent on the beach with my family, small town vibe on the beach. I always hated LA but now SD seems to be an extension of LA. The good: the weather, fun dining and nightlife and breweries, and scenery (although going to beach on a weekend almost isn’t even worth the crowds) The bad: 1 hour commute to go 12 miles, crowds everywhere at all times, insane housing prices, taxes, lots of homeless,

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Please Don't Mive Here, We're Full - 3/24/2019

I'm a native of San Diego and really sad to see how decrepit our beautiful city has become. The roads are a disaster. House prices are out of this world. Can't drive across town on a freeway unless before 7 am or after 6 pm. All I hear is "Build more housing." "How about, "We're full, please come to visit, but don't move here." We can't afford to add you to our city. Not enough water, houses or space on the roads. Thanks.

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Used to be great... - 2/1/2019

Born and raised there for 30 years and cant even go back. Used to be a beautiful city but now just a trashy extension of LA. Sure there are nice places on the coast but who has a 2 million dollars for a home there? Even if you do, you'll be stuck there because so much traffic now your forced to stay local. Expensive, no parking. Even our football team left us =P - Corrupt local greedy government allowed construction bribes to overbuild the city. Trash on the roads. People are so frustrated with the traffic they road rage and drive recklessly. Accidents everyday from morons that moved her from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois or anywhere else cold.

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Behind the Curtain - 11/30/2018

I have lived in San Diego for over 10 years. My family has resided and built businesses here. Needless to say we are vested in San Diego. But no more! Homeless EVERYWHERE. They are pushing them out of downtown so the tourists do not see the ugly side of SD. The officials here do not care about anything but their own jobs. I don't understand how these folks are getting voted into office. The gas is $4.00/gal, but supposedly that's to fix our roads (only roads that have been fixed are in the upper class neighborhoods and tourist areas). The Lotto was supposed to help our schools, we have mostly charter schools so you have to pay to send your kids to a decent school (not a great school). The groceries are so high due to the gas tax, guess those corps are pushing the extra cost of fuel on the consumer. The rent....I don't even want to address it! It's awfully high! Utilities are so high, but to be fair you don't need your AC or heat most of the time. Don't worry they gouge you anyways..grrr! Taxes! Income tax is insane! HealthCare costs are through the roof. It costs 1/3 rd of your income. My HealthCare costs $707.00/month Silver Plan 2 adults. I am so sad. San Diego used to be so beautiful. There is trash everywhere. Dumpy homes because people can't afford to keep them up. Rates go up and wages don't! It's a socialist hell scape. I can't wait to move.

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San Diego is beautiful, cost of living is ugly - 10/10/2018

San Diego, CA is beautiful, fun, and the weather is fantastic. The cost of living will KILL you. Average house cost $600,000 for your basic 2bd/ 2bth. Average 1bd apartment is $1,500 per month. Average gas prices per gallon $4.00. A single person would have to make over $70,000 per year to afford to live alone. There is a great disparity between what companies pay hourly and cost of living. You would have to be on your job 10+years to afford basic San Diego living. Cost of living has blown up in the last 5 years, But hourly and salary wages have not.

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San Diego: America’s Finest Underwhelming City - 9/16/2018

Overrated city that settles for mediocrity. Junior varsity restaurants, nightlife, airport, people, shopping, and pro sports town. Completely unsophisticated city with shallow people who are uninspiring and easily offended. Major homeless problem, city looks dated, poor infrastructure (potholes everywhere), police understaffed (voicemail when you call dispatchers, helicopters called in after crime committed because not enough street presence). Conservative mindset that is resistant to change and any improvement to the City. Even the weather is overrated—chilly from December to March; 100 degrees with no breeze possible in August and September; too cold to go in the ocean 8 months of the year. Very unsophisticated populace with no dress code enforcement, dogs permitted in many restaurants. Vastly overrated city that is underwhelming in almost every aspect.

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Weather Is Best Everything Else Horrible - 7/24/2018

Mike of Santee review is spot on. I’ve lived here my entire life and just sold our house in Carmel Valley and I’m counting the days before I get out of here. I’ve hated living here the last 5 years. Traffic is horrendous. It’s not just during the commute but it’s all hours of the day now. All major freeways are parking lots at all hours. The Los Angelesation of San Diego is complete. Why not? Developers own SD. They are in cahoots with city officials who only care about tax revenue and don’t care how it impacts current residents. Most new commercial projects have apartments attached to them. Really. Expect more cars, more people going forward. Honestly, I don’t know who would want to live here now. Cost of living is off the chart. Highest taxes in the US. Highest gasoline prices in the US. Weather is good though. Better enjoy that because you’ll be fighting people for everything you do here. Give me San Diego of 15-20 years ago and I’d consider staying buy now? Can’t wait to leave. If you’re thinking of moving here, have your head examined because this place blows.

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Used to be nice - 6/8/2018

I've lived here fo 40 years. It used to have a small town feel. We were proud we werent like LA. Not any more. I dont know who estimated the commute times but my 15 mile commute from Santee to La jolla takes a 1 hr each way. The wonderful developers that have taken every square empty inch of san diego and built multi unit complexes didnt care if the freeways cant handle the increase. But that wont stop caltrans from starting another project to add another lane to get more work for them. If they would of done it right in the first place, things would be alot nicer. Its never finished, as soon as a expansion is done on the freeway, its already obsolete. This is a perfect example of the ineffectiveness of the state government. Go to sigalert san diego any afternoon and look at all the red freeways. Your parked. Road rage is common and now you get to deal with legalized pot drivers in addition to the texters sharing the road with you. Apparently the laws dont apply to them.The housing costs are prohitive to all but the upper class or you bought way back. The wages are good here but lots of competition. Go to La Jolla and you'll swear your in India. Lots of H1 visas walking around and they will take your job and the hitech companies hire lots of them. To those that made fun of east county Santee/Elcajon/Lakeside. Sure there are some characters, but for the most part, the most real neighborly people that live here. Lots of military live here. Its Its nice having the mountains an hour away and the beachs but the conjestion, stupid state laws that are being passed by Gov Browneye, the new sanctuary city status of calif means more crime because of illegals, your paying for their medical because they arent and they want to keep raising taxes to pay for all this. Your taxes. I'm sad that I need to get out of here but at the end of the day, The only thing that california and San Diego has going for it is its natural beauty and thats not enough to keep me here.

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America's greatest city - 5/19/2018

I lived in San Diego for three years. It was the best three years of my life. The beaches are gorgeous, the weather is perfect, the people are stunning, scenery is beautiful. People who give this city a bad review because of the superficial or pretty people are probably simply self conscious about their looks or personality. Everyone there is friendly and "chill". The nightlife there is beyond a doubt the best I've experienced. I'd say even better than Vegas. I'm on a goal to move back there within the next two years. Can't wait.

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Born here, left in 2011 - 4/14/2018

I was born and raised in San Diego. For Climate, it cannot be beat -- although it IS a lot more humid than it used to be. Don't be fooled by the July temperatures shown here. July is NOT the hottest month in Southern California! August and September are the hottest and sometimes October is too. Likewise, January is not the coldest month. Usually that is February and sometimes March. San Diego is a great place if you are young, slim, and attractive. Finding a job there depends as much on that as on your abilities. Sometimes more. I'm a large woman, HIGHLY SKILLED and could not find a job for less than minimum wage -- and then only after many months of searching. As others have said, the cost of living is high. And now thanks to Moonbeam AKA Governor Jerry Brown, it's even higher. One reviewer stated that San Diego was extremely conservative. I don't find that to be true. It's pretty middle of the road, leaning one way for awhile and then the other, but never far from center. It's certainly not as ultra-left-leaning as San Francisco or Los Angeles. The thing about San Diego that so many like is its proximity to EVERYTHING: Oceans, Mountains, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Mexico. And it has its own attractions as well: San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, Sea World, Birch Aquarium, Legoland, etc. People in San Diego take a little longer to get to know. They may seem superficial at first, but if you take the time you will find plenty of warm caring people - Honestly, they are the rule, not the exception. I left in 2011 due to financial considerations and to be closer to my parents, however I'm just a little more than an hour away, so not out of touch with what goes on there. I still have many friends in San Diego (and surrounding cities in the same county).

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The most highly overrated city in America - 2/28/2018

I lived in San Diego for two years back in 2013-2014. When I moved there, I was received nicely. But, the longer I lived there--the more I hated living there. It's a beautiful city and all but it seems so superficial...no depth. It lacks the culture and diversity that you'll find in Miami, a similar city. No real entertainment, nightlife and boring superficial people. It's sunny 24/7 most days, except during a few months out of year there's a raining season. The job market is worse. You are expected to look like a Vogue model to get a job bagging groceries. The jobs pay low for California living. Racism runs rapid against blacks, ultra conservatives, fundies bible-thumpers everywhere. Fake, backstabbing, smug types everywhere. This place is like a mirage---a beautiful city but with a darkness to it. It's something that's completely opposite of what you expect it to be. People judge you on your possessions, not your character... especially your clothes. You are not welcomed in most social circles unless you're Latino or a Spanish speaker. So, making friends there is almost impossible. The homeless population is ridiculous, homeless children, men and women sleeping outdoors like animals all over Balboa Park and cops. The cops are aggressive towards the homeless population out of boredom. I've seen homeless people treated more humanely in cities like NYC and Atlanta. Every one thinks that if you speak to their child... you're a child molester. The city is boring and conservative, so if you're looking for culture and friendlier people...LA is your best bet. An overpriced rental housing market makes it impossible for most people other than government employees or the military to live there.

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Beautiful climate, scenery; cost of living- bad - 12/22/2017

If you have money, few places in the US beat San Diego County. However, if you are young with a growing family and have a medium salary, you will be very frustrated that you cannot afford a home here. The climate gets hotter the further you are from the coast.

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Transplanted Midwesterner speaks - 10/30/2017

I've been living in San Diego for almost 18 years and I love it here. Sure, I'll never be able to buy a house, but I've lived all over the country and you get what you pay for: San Diego is the best. All kinds of people, beautiful and strange plants, the ocean, and any landscape you desire is nearby. Yes, traffic sucks but that's because everyone wants to be here! There's so much to do and see and people are great. I think the only thing that could run me off is the brutal Santa Anas. A week ago today, it was 100 degrees out. Who cares if it's a dry heat. It was absolutely brutal. Aside from that, the place is perfect.

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used to be nice - 10/17/2017

moved here in 1994, left in 2015. the town used to be pretty nice - not much on culture (still isn't), but great weather year round, great beaches. people are not very bright or cultured - there's a great gallery scene in LA but people move to Bland Diego to live a vacation, not to go to museums - they're much more likely to live at the gym. it more or less had a small town feel, with pretty vapid people (plus ex navy conservatives and mexican communities nearer the border, but people didn't mix much - you had the gung ho aging navy republicans on coranado, the meth heads in santee, gays in hillcrest, college kids in pacific beach, aging hippies in ocean beach, etc. - but it's not like they commingled) - plus it was much cheaper than LA, as the jobs just weren't there what really screwed Bland Diego up, well a few things - first, they "revitalized downtown" which essentially consisted of dropping huge condo towers and a ballpark on the areas which had been mainly homeless and poor people, without actually doing anything to help those people, which forced the huge homeless population who had pretty much kept to themselves into tent camps in the many ravines and under bridges, mainly around balboa park and hillcrest/ bankers hill. the other thing affecting all of california is climate change and drought - Bland Diego isn't constantly on fire like northern california and oregon, but the summers are hotter and drier than they used to be - Bland Diego is essentially an irrigated desert which you realize the moment you leave the city and if they don't work out their water issues FAST it's going to become much less livable. plus the population BOOMED and housing prices went through the ceiling and then crashed (don't plan on buying in there, you'll never make your money back) - not as bad as LA but you better not need to get anywhere during rush hour. so, all that plus a highly transient and unreliable population means it's just not a great place to settle down - there's a lot of people aging out there who can no longer hold it together at the gym, wondering what the hell happened and killing time in coffee shops watching the homeless root through the trash while wishing they were 20 again - I'm never going back, not even to visit, it's gotten worse quickly and I'll bet that just accelerates as LA becomes uninhabitable

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Used to be a decent and livable city until........ - 7/16/2017

A San Diego native here since 1976, and it's a shame how messed up this city has become. It used to be decent and livable up until the beginning of 2000 until every 'out of stater' came in changing the face of San Diego for the worse. Let's start with the weather. Unless you are rich enough to live in the coastal areas, be ready to endure 90 plus temperatures inland. With that, we are in a major drought, so water restrictions are in effect meaning your lawn is a rock garden or weeds and your car looks like it went through the Baja 5000 a day after being washed. Oh Yeah! You can't wash your car on your own; that is a fine here. You will be luck to get a total of 10 days of rain here for the year. Don't believe San Diego has the best climate in the US!! Next; job market. The market is decent only IF you look pretty/ handsome or mommy and daddy set you up. Yes! Male bosses here are 'skeeves' and only hire a pretty face to get in their pants!! Hiring middle age people are out of the question, so you young 20 somethings have a leg up. Here it's not what you know; it's who you know and what you look like. In the next 10 years, San Diego will be the new San Francisco. The city is geared towards rich, white, and the pretty. Average rent for a room is $1200; average 1 Bedroom apartment is around $1600; average home cost is close to $550K and is expected to be hovering $700K in the next 5 years. So if you want to live here and partake in the fun San Diego has to offer you need to: couple up (dual incomes); live on your own, at least $25 and hour to afford the basics; and to buy a home, at least 100K down payment at $60 and hour. This is a 'mommy and daddy' city meaning most kids are set up with their jobs and houses through their mommies and daddies. VERY lazy people here. The outsiders coming to San Diego boast as being progressive and liberal, but really they are hypocritical bigots. I love cultural diversity, but most here shun it. When you mention you live in a predominantly Black or Hispanic neighborhood, be prepared to get all kinds of bad remarks. The city is HIGHLY segregated. Ah! The people! Very FAKE people here. You are judged for what you have and not who you are. Forget about having a meaningful relationship here. Even if you are good to someone, you will be traded for a bigger better deal. Women here love dumb douchy guys. All you will get are Tinder hos. Yes! Be prepared for a STD check. A lot of one night stands and CHEATING goes on here. We rank number one in STD's. So if you like hot days, being a slave just to have a roof over your head, like rude people, and want to get an STD from a cheater, then come on in.

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Let's be serious - 5/19/2017

First some observations about comments by others: 1) "it's not like it used to be", really? it's changed since you grew up there in the 50's? imagine that. 2) "it's insanely expensive", you want cheap, you can't go somewhere other people actually want to be, duh. I hear Cleveland is quite reasonable. 3) "traffic is horrible", it is everywhere, get over it. 4) "the weather sucks", if you think year round temps in the low 70's then don't move here, or move back to Indiana. 5) "the people are mean to me", oh boo hoo. Remember that most people who post here are probably unlikable, unhappy losers. Harsh but true. Now for some pros and cons, as someone who has lived in SD and plans to shortly move back: pros: Great weather, mild without any of the unbearable heat or humidity of the desert or the south. Also no winter, obviously. Great beaches, much cleaner than LA's. And real beach towns to boot. Strong job market. The people. Not the best people you've ever met, but mostly friendly, educated and easy to get along with. You will not find the same level of religious nuttiness or bigotry prevalent in most of the rest of the country - this is California. Neither will you find the zealousness of places like Berkeley or Boulder. This is the beach! cons: Traffic. Yes there is some, but like anywhere you just plan for it. Cost. Much cheaper than LA, but not like living away from the water. It's absurd when people post about how their rent here is more than the mortgage payment was in Dubuque, or wherever. There is a reason for that. the goal: If you plan to move to SD do yourself a favor and live near the beach! (and I mean within 15-20 mins.) Yes it will be more expensive, but if you look for somewhere cheaper it'll just mean you're missing the point about being here. If you move anywhere you want to tap into what is great about the place. If you move to a city live where stuff is happening, not an hour subway ride away. If you move to the country, get a house with some woods and a creek, don't live in a trailer beside the highway. Get it? So if you move to SD, live at or near the beach. The freeways actually go where you want to go so you'll be tempted to compromise to save money, but don't or you'll wind up as another of the whiners who think it sucks.

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Money Money Money - 5/4/2017

I first arrived in San Diego in 1977 with the Navy. "SD" has grown rapidly and continues to do so. Techies have begun to infiltrate the area and the cost of living will continue to rise. SD was affordable until 2012 but things are now out of control the past 5 years. The legalization of marijuana has also contributed to higher costs. Pot smell is everywhere. This is also the Meth capitol of the USA. Even mobile/manufactured home parks are increasing rent so high people are abandoning them. Nobody speaks to you unless you speak first or there is a earthquake or big fire. Good thing I am single and can move around the country because the writing is on the wall. Time to back up the moving truck! THIS IS NOT MY SAN DIEGO ANYMORE.

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Outhouse with Balloons - 4/22/2017

San Diego used to be a great place to live, but it has become extremely crowded and even more expensive. I've lived here for 22 years and can't wait to get out of here in two months. I'll break down why as follows: Pros-Plenty to do (if you have money) and the weather is either mild, or blazing hot. If that's what you like, it's a pro. Decent restaurants, beaches, and close to LA and Mexico. Julian is nice if you like the mountains, and the apple pies are probably the best in the world-I'm not kidding. Cons-Cost of living is outrageous. The cost of a 1 bedroom apartment in a safe (NOT UPPER CLASS) neighborhood is swiftly approaching the $2k mark, and they're all dumps and run down. Black mold seems to be the style, and that includes the $3k and up apartments in La Jolla, the ritziest part of town sans Del Mar. Speaking of, both of those areas have F-18 fighter jets screaming overhead all day, and there's always an odd smell in the air there (fertilizer?) Perhaps the science labs testing animals like Salk institute could explain it. The other neighborhoods can be broken down like this-El Cajon/Santee ("Klan-tee") has a bunch of podunk yokels with a southern drawl who think this is the Confederate south. Racist and ignorant white trash. The other side of El Cajon has a large Somali and Iraqi population, which is comical. Throw in a Hells Angels clubhouse and you have east county. A few other areas to avoid like the plague-San Ysidro ("Ya-skid-row"), National (shi**y) City, Logan Heights, Spring ("sprung") Valley, and Lemon Grove. All these are absolute dumps. Do research and google the crime maps for those areas: Pedophiles, murderers, gang banging....they got it all. Traffic blows goat, and the drivers suck. 1/4 inch of rain typically yields 300+ accidents per CHP reports. Roads are TERRIBLE and marred with potholes despite the constant road construction (another drawback) because they spend the money on painting bicycle lanes rather than fix the street. Taxes, gas prices, are fabricated by lunatics and corrupt politicians. Again, google the prices to see what I mean. People here are phony LA type wannabes, and commonly have a "better than thou" attitude. They're your best friends (as long as you're buying) and value people based on their income. Smile in your face, then stab you in the back. If you're a "transplant", God help you for invading their plastic fantastic city. Gun laws are strict-a pro for some, but criminals sure have plenty to go around. The city runs ads around New Years and the 4th discouraging idiots from firing them in the air because it's so bad. Lastly, citizens here are not the brightest, standing as a testament to the horrendous education they received. In closing, the place has a fake and hollow feeling to it. "Gimmick" would be the best word to use. I'm sure there's going to be some wonderous replies to this review, as San Diegans are the biggest sore losers on earth.

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Use To Be Good - 1/27/2017

Lived here from 1954 --- 1997. First half was paradise - second half turned into a Puppy Dog Show.

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