In a recent development addressing the issue of unsafe housing for college students in San Diego, the City Attorney’s Office has settled a civil enforcement action against the proprietors of The Carl, a nearby University of San Diego (USD) housing complex. According to a City Attorney’s Office, students were leased apartments without a working fire alarm system before issuing a valid Certificate of Occupancy, putting their safety at risk.
The legal action was initiated in December 2023 against Mogaford Capital Group LLC, doing business as Crawford Design & Development, and several associated defendants. Despite the gravity of these allegations, the settlement includes financial penalties and the reimbursement of investigative costs amounting to $5,583.44 to be paid to the city. The lawsuit underscored the complex’s rentals that could go for up to $4,200 per month, highlighting the stark discrepancy between the high costs and potentially unsafe living conditions.
In the settlement, civil penalties against the property owners initially stood at $200,000. However, these could escalate up to $1,275,000 if the defendants fail to comply with state and local laws. To enforce the settlement, a stipulated judgment requires the property owners to correct all remaining building violations within a specified timeframe…