Adele Put Her 401(k) Into Two Rental Units So She Could Retire. Then the Contractor Walked Off the Job: "I Don't Have a Safety Net"

Adele Sheets had a plan for her retirement, and it was sitting in her own backyard. The El Cajon, California, retiree wanted to turn two garages on her property into accessory dwelling units, the small rental homes often called ADUs. The rent would add to her Social Security and a small pension. “So, this was how I could retire comfortably,” she told ABC 10News San Diego reporter Austin Grabish in a Team 10 report this May. To pay for it, she used her retirement savings. “My 401(k) was my savings,” she said. In the spring of 2022, she hired general contractor Benjamin Wiatrak and his company, Top Tier Homes and Remodeling, according to the station. After an initial 1,000 dollar deposit, she made several more payments. She says she was told that paying in advance for materials would save her a lot of money. “He kept asking for progress payments, even though very little had been done,” she said. According to California’s Contractors State License Board, Wiatrak abandoned the project in December 2023. State investigators listed missing roofs, uninstalled doors, electrical fixtures and basic weatherproofing among the unfinished work, 10News reported. “So, when he left, it was just a frame.

Affordable housing coming to Hillcrest

Construction began Tuesday on a 97-unit development on the corner of University Avenue and Herbert Street. Known as Hillcrest Hall, it will remain affordable for 55 years for qualifying low-income San Diegans, which right now includes households earning between $47,250 and $110,200 for a family of three. The development is...

Zaragoza Realty Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Lists Historic "Crown Jewel of Coronado" for $39 Million

CORONADO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 13, 2026--Daniel and Brunilda Zaragoza of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties are pleased to offer a Richard Requa-designed Coronado landmark

Neighbors push back on City Heights housing project

The City Heights Community Planning Group voiced its disapproval of a proposed housing project on 44th Street due to a lack of onsite parking. Documenter Jennifer Hua was at the group’s latest meeting and took notes on the conversation. The owner plans to build a 23-unit apartment complex in...

Harbor Island's $200M Hotel Slips Again, Sunroad Needs Two More Years To Break Ground

San Diego port commissioners are being asked to extend Sunroad Enterprises’ option agreement for a long-planned Harbor Island hotel. Sunroad says it cannot meet the end-of-2026 deadline to break ground on the $200 million project and is seeking two more years to secure financing and start construction on the 450-room complex.

San Diego Investor Pays $80.2M for Kannapolis Logistics Hub, Lands Apparel Giant

A San Diego investor has paid $80.2 million for a fully leased industrial complex in Kannapolis, scooping up not just the warehouse but 23 acres of adjacent land in a deal that lands squarely in the middle of a booming stretch for industrial real estate around Charlotte. The buyer, Westcore, acquired the Metro63 Logistics Center, a massive facility already filled by a tenant with big hiring plans.

REVOLVE to Open Fourth U.S. Store at Westfield UTC

Fashion retailer REVOLVE is preparing to open its fourth U.S. store at Westfield UTC in San Diego, marking the brand’s first location in the city. The store is expected to debut in late 2027. The announcement comes as the La Jolla shopping destination prepares to introduce a 70,000-square-foot luxury...

Shop Chanel, Hermès, and Loro Piana in San Diego at Westfield UTC’s New Luxury Wing

Westfield UTC has unveiled its new 70,000-square-foot luxury wing. Five of the world’s most sought-after fashion houses are making their San Diego debuts there: Brunello Cucinelli, Bvlgari, Chanel, Hermès, and Loro Piana. The wing rounds out more than a decade of investment in the La Jolla center. Luxury...

Best Buddies build friendships at Olivenhain farm

OLIVENHAIN — Students from Cathedral Catholic High School’s Best Buddies chapter brushed a horse and milked a goat on Nov. 8 during a visit to Sugar Sweet Farm, where they spent two hours getting to know the animals and one another. Best Buddies promotes friendships and inclusion for...

New city attorney talks about her new job

‘I never know what to expect when I come into the office’ Once an attorney for private parties in environmental cases against cities— Dare DeLano now wears a different hat. Giving her a unique perspective that she brings to the city of Escondido. She understands the other side! Last week I interviewed the recently installed Escondido City Attorney in her […] The post New city attorney talks about her new job first appeared on Escondido Times-Advocate .

Starlink Takes a Gaming Party Into the Sky on Southwest

Starlink is putting a different spin on inflight entertainment: gaming, livestreaming and real-time chat aboard a Southwest flight to TwitchCon. On November 12, Starlink highlighted the airborne gaming event by sharing a post from Twitch creator HeadShotChick. She said four creators were taking part in a live LAN party on a Southwest flight to the convention, using Starlink to connect with their audiences.

Kobey's Swap Meet, other businesses express concern over Midway Rising approval

Escondido amends mall ground leases in preparation for Costco

ESCONDIDO — The city has agreed to amend ground leases for four parcels at North County Mall as negotiations continue to replace the former Sears store with a Costco. Located in southern Escondido off Interstate 15 at Via Rancho Parkway, the 83-acre mall site consists of eight parcels. The city owns all but Parcel 6, which is owned by Macy’s Inc.

South Bay residents push back on SDG&E proposed rate hike

CHULA VISTA (KGTV) — People in Chula Vista pushed back Thursday against the proposed rate hike of 8.6% by SDG&E. Outside Chula Vista City Hall, South Bay residents expressed frustration and anger. Diane Swartz is a retired senior citizen who lost her husband eight years ago. She's living on...

San Diego man started a small pizza business in his apartment after being laid off, and now he makes 15 a week and sells out in under 30 seconds

A waitlist of 1,500 people is chasing 15 pizzas a week from a single Ocean Beach apartment in San Diego. According to Axios, AJ Miller began selling pies after losing his marketing job. The list grew from 75 to 1,500 names in a single week, and each batch of orders is claimed within half a […]

Former Chula Vista Schools Director Alleges Favoritism in Union Leader’s New Job

The Chula Vista Elementary School District is poised to award a senior administrative job to the leader of the district’s teachers union following an election in which the union backed the candidacies of some school board members who now will have final say over whether she gets the new job.

San Diego Home Prices Slip While Inventory Climbs

San Diego buyers found more options and lower asking prices than a year ago, with inventory up and the median list price down to $889,000.

San Diego City Council advances exploration of public power alternative to SDG&E

Just days after SDG&E requested increased rates for 2028, the San Diego City Council's Environment Committee voted to take the next steps in its analysis of what a nonprofit public power utility would look like in San Diego. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and Council President Joe LaCava voted in favor of...