Egger Highlands Utility Project Leaves Mess, Damage in Neighborhood

Residents complain of careless work, home and yard damage, and trash left behind by subcontractors.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 1:31am

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A utility project in the Egger Highlands neighborhood of San Diego has been met with complaints from residents about the mess and damage left behind by construction crews. Homeowners report issues like broken screens, damaged foundations, torn-up sidewalks, and oil-stained streets, with crews allegedly rushing through the work and failing to properly clean up. The city has acknowledged the problems and says it will ensure contractors demonstrate better practices, but residents remain frustrated by the disruption to their neighborhood.

Why it matters

This story highlights the challenges that can arise when major infrastructure projects are undertaken in established residential areas. While the end goal of burying new utilities may benefit the community, the process has caused significant inconvenience and property damage for Egger Highlands homeowners, raising questions about how cities can better manage such projects to minimize the impact on residents.

The details

The utility project in Egger Highlands involves burying new electrical, telephone, and broadband service lines, as well as installing 59 new streetlights and removing 102 existing poles. Homeowners report a range of issues, including broken screens, damaged foundations, torn-up sidewalks, and oil-stained streets, with crews allegedly rushing through the work and failing to properly clean up. One resident, Adam Smith, has been collecting damage reports from neighbors and says another resident's gas line even ruptured and had to be replaced.

  • The utility project began in September 2025.
  • Work was stopped on Wednesday, February 5, 2026, to allow crews to spend the day cleaning up the mess left behind.
  • The overall project is expected to take a couple of years, but this initial phase is expected to wrap up in a couple of weeks.

The players

Adam Smith

A 16th Street homeowner in the Egger Highlands neighborhood who has been collecting damage reports from neighbors and says construction crews jackhammered his foundation for no apparent reason.

Anna

A homeowner who wished not to be on camera but said workers dug up her side yard and removed a large chunk of sidewalk, which was not replaced.

Lili Rurup

A homeowner who said the equipment broke the concrete in her yard, leaving it looking like "a toddler did it."

City of San Diego

The local government overseeing the utility project, which has acknowledged the parking problems and promised to ensure contractors demonstrate better practices.

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What they’re saying

“When they were scooping up all the dirt, when they put it all back in, they knocked out my screen right here.”

— Adam Smith, Homeowner (nbcsandiego.com)

“Third world country, not to any kind of standard.”

— Adam Smith, Homeowner (nbcsandiego.com)

“The equipment broke the concrete. You can see how it tore up. They really did a number on here. Like a toddler did it. It's just awful.”

— Lili Rurup, Homeowner (nbcsandiego.com)

What’s next

The city has stated it will ensure contractors demonstrate better practices and clean up construction materials in a timely fashion, but residents remain skeptical about the long-term impact of the project on their neighborhood.

The takeaway

This story highlights the tensions that can arise when major infrastructure projects are undertaken in established residential areas. While the end goal may benefit the community, the disruption and damage caused during construction can severely impact homeowners, underscoring the need for cities to better manage such projects to minimize the burden on residents.