Eastlakers don't eat what the suits serve up

Additional apartment and condo density is NOT what this area needs! A hotel and a new middle school are needed TODAY. How about a park and more open green space for public use? A second "Mini-Millenia" project, to me, is not ideal.
— May 9, 2015 12:51 p.m.

What am I doing in Eastlake?

(continued) I will take issue with anyone who says homes in Eastlake are cheap. Although there are many apartments and condos sprinkled in within our zip codes, per DQNews.com, for June 2013, the average price of the 40 existing homes sold in 91914 and 91915 was $481K. For the same period, Poway's 66 homes sold averaged $563K. Granted, on average homes are pricier in Poway than here, but not dramatically. Factor in the monthly HOA and Mello-Roos, and perhaps the divide is even less? Ultimately, it's not just about value, but the vibe as well. Some dig it, others don't. "Our" Eastlake is in its twenties. The ranches of Rolling Hills, San Miguel and Otay are even younger. Most folks I meet in this age group are still maturing and developing. It seems no different for neighborhoods. Although few communities are perfect, ours is easily one of the premiere master planned communities anywhere in San Diego!
— August 2, 2013 1:49 p.m.

What am I doing in Eastlake?

I spent my teen years in north county San Diego. After moving coast to coast complements of the Navy for more than a decade, I happily settled down in Eastlake in the fall of 2004. I must admit, when I lived north of the 8, I knew very little about life south of National City's mile of cars. Of course I knew 805 was the quickest way to TJ, even back then, everyone knew that! Fast forward to my life now, complete with a beautiful wife from Northern California and three energetic kids... I have embraced Eastlake as an ideal place to live and raise a family. I agree with you, Eastlake to me is an island, but not in a lonely, deserted way! A unique confluence of physical and man-made geography consumes us; from the Mt Miguel mountain range to the north and east, the border to the south and the 125/805 freeways to the west. Inarguably, Eastlake is somewhat confined. On the plus side, for me, everything I need is right here. Since I must battle angry freeways every day, enjoying the convenience and simplicity of neighborhood restaurants and nearby quality shopping, when I am home, is indeed comforting. Who does not like easy? On the minus side, since so much of what surrounds us is new and chain focused, the personality of our young community is affected. Eastlake lacks history and a quirky personality that many San Diego cities have. Also, I think there are too many chains and big box stores and not enough of the "diners, drive-in's and dives" spots, as one of the previous commenter's mentioned, that we can embrace as ours. To me, however, the personality of our island is evolving. Eastlake will never be a Southpark or a Hillcrest or a La Jolla, but that's ok. It's certainly not what my wife and I desired, clearly we are happy in the suburbs. Ok, in fairness, if I could transplant my house to Encinitas or Del Mar I would do it in a minute! (It's important to be honest.) I laughed at your line, "for now, if you don't live in Eastlake, there's not much reason to visit, unless your aunt lives here..." That's true. But, I don't see too many reasons to visit San Marcos, Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch or Tierra Santa either, do you? Just because a community is not a well known destination does not make it any less idyllic. It's equally safe and serene, and that is why we continue to live here. After my wife and I learned about the excellent schools and I fell in love with the cool ocean breezes and endless miles of meandering running trails, we knew Eastlake was for us. I am sure many homeowners can relate to your sentiment, "...in the end we chose square footage over location." Despite the shallow feeling this statement elicits, let's face it, growing families need space! Nothing wrong with that. A quaint 1400 square foot 50's style bungalow steps away from bustling downtown activities is perfect for some, but it's not what we were searching for. We enjoy our quiet space, the safe streets and ample green parks that surround it.
— August 2, 2013 1:49 p.m.