The city of San Diego is taking action to clean up what it calls a nuisance house situated among million-dollar homes on Jewell street in Crown Point.
A complaint asking the court to appoint a receiver to bring the property and the homeowners in compliance was filed by the city Tuesday.
Neighbors and the complaint indicate the home, owned by Don Brunton, has been a drug house, a bike chop shop, and hoarder home for over a decade.
The home and its occupants have been under some form of investigation by police, city compliance, and had more complaints from neighbors than can be calculated since 2008.
Brunton, his son, and his son’s ex-girlfriend turned caretaker Nancy Ruzek are the named defendants in the city's case.
Brunton said it is “absolutely” his plan to fight the city in court.
The complaint alleges the structure is substandard, a public nuisance, and that it has a history of violations and criminal activity.
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Five people live at the home, according to Ruzek.
Residents gave an NBC 7 crew a tour of the home Thursday. We walked through a twisting first floor hallway past a number of closed doors and emerged into the living room.
Ruzek said visitors don’t come to the home to buy drugs, and said Brunton’s son works on bikes there from time to time but the home isn’t a “chop shop.”
All is quite on Jewell Street despite the court filing. Neighbors who have complained about the Brunton home for more than a decade fear retribution. None wanted to comment on camera.
Should the court put the property in receivership, all violations will be corrected at the owners expense and any activities deemed illegal or a nuisance to the neighborhood must cease.
Brunton could also face a $2,500 per day fine, per violation, until remedied.
