Homeowners in a new development in San Diego's North County feel cheated after being promised a school that will not come to fruition.
Members of the Pacific Highlands Ranch community say Pardee Homes led them to believe a new school would be developed close to their community north of State Route 56 and east of Interstate 5 near Carmel Valley. In the meantime, they would be able to attend nearby Solana Ranch Elementary School.
The problem, according to parents, was Solana Ranch Elementary was at capacity. And the Solana Beach School District Board decided they would not build a new school due to lack of funds.
Thursday night, Solana Ranch Elementary hosted the Solana Beach School District board members and families to discuss the school that never was -- dubbed school #8.
Parents were in attendance to voice their concerns.
Vicky Haddad said it was the promise of a certain lifestyle -- touted by developer Pardee Homes as the "premier master planned community of Carmel Valley" -- that sold her on her new home; that includes the promise of a nearby school.
"If they will get to go to schools in their neighborhood, if they can walk their kids to school. I think that's really important," said Haddad.
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Abbie Xu showed NBC 7 housing agreements that listed Solana Ranch as an option but she says she has not been able to send her kids there because the school is at capacity.
Xu and a group of parents have hired attorney Craig Sherman, who told NBC 7 he believes the district is aiding Pardee Homes by, "Moving children around providing a little bit of capacity. Making it seem like come on in buy our new homes, we’ve got school capacity for you nearby. When they don't," said Sherman.
The board members at Thursday's meeting said they acknowledge the possibility that Pardee Homes may have mislead homebuyers.
"I think there are some people that were left or were given some deceptive advertising by Pardee," said a district board member.
NBC 7 could not immediately reach Pardee Homes for comment.
In the end, the board stuck to its decision not to build a new school because they can’t afford the estimated $40 billion price tag or justify its construction; they say by the time the school is completed in 2025, projected demographics show enrollment will be down.
