I lived in Escondido from 2002 to 2006 (4 years). I can’t say that I enjoyed it, in fact I wish I never lived there at all. The biggest problem I had with Esconghetto was the massive gang infestation. There is a large latio population, which I didn’t mind at all, but the problem is the lation gangs that come with them. Although the city does a great job of covering the grafitii, I got sick and tired of reporting it almost every day. I have since moved to a different city and I am so much more happy walking outside my house and not seeing grafitti right in front of my house. It was just annoying.

The other problem was high crime. Although it made things more exciting, Once I had a kid, I decided she needed a safer environment. There were robberies, break-ins and police shootings every 6 months or so.

Although the Escondido city council is trying their hardest to get rid of the problem, I think it is only creating more tension between the latinos that have lived there for 40+ years and the new construction and development that they feel is barging in on them.

That’s just my take. I would never go back to living in Escondido.