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Southeastern San Diego

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“White flight” has been the most extreme in this slice of the metro pie, with blacks and Latinos taking up most of the housing slack. When Caucasians vacated the area in the 1960s, many businesses and services left as well. Now called “an area in transition,” southeastern San Diego is characterized by multi-ethnic housing tracts and revitalization efforts.

Southeastern San Diego’s neighborhoods include:

Encanto/Paradise Hills/Skyline
Lemon Grove

View healthcare facilities in Central San Diego

Encanto/Paradise Hills/Skyline
Settled by wholesaler Abraham Klauber in the 1800s, Klauber Park was renamed Encanto (meaning “enchantment”) at the suggestion of the pioneer’s daughter, who professed her enchantment with the area. Ethnically diverse Encanto has lost some of its original charm, falling on some hard times lately as it struggles with poverty, unemployment, and social problems.

Yet this predominantly residential community, San Diego’s largest in geographic terms, still emits glimmers of its initial glow. Topography in Encanto—and in neighboring Paradise Hills and Skyline—permits some pleasing vistas of San Diego, Coronado, and the Pacific Ocean. A 1.2-mile stretch on Imperial Avenue features a commercial district adorned with flowers, trees, and historical murals. And locals appreciate Encanto’s recreational centers, parks, and extremely affordable housing.

Backed by strong community support, ongoing revitalization efforts aim to further enhance Encanto’s appeal. For example, for over a decade the annual Encanto Street Fair has lured the masses (more than 100,000 patrons in 2002) to enjoy live music, rides, displays, and food.

Paradise Hills, typically lumped together with Skyline, has a population that’s about one-third Asian American, with a strong Filipino representation. Sizeable communities of Caucasians, Latinos, and African Americans also dwell in the mostly residential community. Home to the Bayview Hills military housing complex, Paradise Hills experiences high mobility due to military transfers.

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Lemon Grove
The “Best Climate on Earth”? That was Lemon Grove’s tagline from its days of lemon orchards, which disappeared with the building construction boom in the 1940s. Yet the tagline remains in place. So does a giant fiberglass lemon, now on a pedestal in the business district, that originated from a 1928 Rose Parade float.

This small city cherishes its small-townish feel, past and present, as well as its shady streets and proximity to downtown San Diego (seven minutes away). Locals enjoy Lemon Grove’s innovative school system, spring and summer camp programs, arts district, seniors center, hundreds of stores, and the Concerts in the Park series.

About 60 percent Caucasian in its population, the city offers a mix of newer and older suburban homes, many on large lots.

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Healthcare facilities in Central San Diego:
Paradise Valley Hospital