Yeah Little Lady is a little emotional about her city and her children.
Like I said, Santee is a good middle America place. I go there frequently and I don’t think there are too many Mexicans immigrants there.
Santee is mostly white and off-white non-college degreed population of auto body men, mechanics, military and ex-military, construction workers and their wives. Solid trades people who “made it” in part thanks to the real estate bubble. The construction contractors prospered because of real estate and all houses appreciated during the boom.
Mission Gorge is full of body shops and auto shops. Phil Thearle is a body man who now has a huge building where the 52 meets Mission Gorge Rd. He’s very successful and does a lot of insurance work. I’m sure he no longer lives in Santee or El Cajon.
The people are not pretentious. They are the alright types who are generally patriotic and god fearing. In Santee I see a lot of “In Loving Memory of John Doe” on people’s vehicles. Straight forward in their thinking and manners, they don’t really like the new immigrants but if you marry into their families or become their friends, you’ll be warmly accepted. Many white men have Hispanic wives. I think there is a drug and alcohol element. Afterall, hardworking men need some relaxation time.
People there tend to let things hang out. So when you go to restaurants, you can see children running around having fun. The manners are not most refined but the emotions are genuine.
Santee started changing about 10 years ago with the 52 connecting the city to San Diego. Corporate encroachment and rising real estate values are turning Mission Gorge Rd into Big Box shopping district. The old bars and bowling alleys are making way for national chain stores. The Hartford has a big presence. They are building a business park along the river.
Slowly Santee is being cleaned up into sterile suburb.
Interestingly, there’s a huge buddhist temple in Santee. I heard they located there years ago because of the cheap land or perhaps thanks to to a donation.
Overall, Santee is alright and upright. Much more preferable to Temecula in my view. When the 52 is completed, Santee will be in the middle of a growing metropolitan area. It will have all the Big Box stores and Costco to grow its tax base. Standard Pacific and Lennar have huge development plans for Santee so the future is bright. Skyranch Living promises hilltop Mc Mansions with views down the valley.
