Eviction restrictions have protected hundreds of people from being kicked out of their homes during the pandemic. But some people are using the system to their advantage.
"We have a squatter in our house," said Alan Holsapple. "It was November, a year ago was the first month we didn't receive rent, so over a year now not receiving payments."
Holsapple lives in Scripps Ranch and has been renting out his upstairs master bedroom for a few years now. It's a five bedroom home, but most of the rooms are rented out with few issues.
"My idea of being able to pay for two-thirds of the mortgage by renting rooms out has disappeared," said Holsapple. "I'm behind on my mortgage right now."
Holsapple says the tenant has refused to leave, and owes more than $16,000 in rent. The man paid his rent and everything was fine for a few months, but then there was a string of bad luck. Holsapple says the man was discharged from the military and his car caught on fire.
"We started eviction proceedings in January," said Holsapple.
That was after a few months of no rent. Holsapple had a trial set for the end of March, but then the pandemic happened.
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"The new trial that we set up is on the 3rd of November," said Holsapple. "It's the same trial that would have happened in March."
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department resumed eviction enforcement at the end of July for cases that were filed before the pandemic. In September, 66 evictions were enforced by deputies, up from 43 in August.
NBC 7 Responds reached out to the tenant for a comment and interview, but did not hear back.
Holsapple hopes he can get this taken care of quickly.
"It's very, very awkward," said Holsapple. "We don't speak, we don't make eye contact. He comes, he goes, and that's that."
