San Diego's City Attorney filed a civil lawsuit today aimed at shutting down what officials describe as an illegal house-flipping operation that targeted distressed homes in South San Diego and City Heights. The complaint accuses a local investor and a web of LLCs of buying damaged properties, performing major work without required permits and quickly reselling them, sometimes without full disclosures to buyers. City lawyers say the pattern has threatened buyers, strained neighborhoods and imperiled historic housing.
As reported by CBS 8, the complaint names a San Diego investor identified as Zack Kyle Lawrence and companies tied to him, including California Dreamin' Properties LLC. The suit details alleged unpermitted plumbing, mechanical and electrical work, unauthorized additions and other code violations at homes in Chollas Creek, Mountain View and City Heights, and asks a court to stop further sales while fines and compliance measures are sought.
Specific properties and public records
Public records back up several of the addresses the city points to. Listings and county records show 3747 Hemlock Street, in the Mountain View and Logan Heights area, sold in March 2024 after a significant remodel, according to PropertyShark. The Chollas Creek parcel at 3865 Shiloh Road appears in rental databases as a multi-unit property, per PadMapper, records the city used to tie companies to particular transactions.
City pushes civil enforcement
The lawsuit arrives as part of a broader civil enforcement push the City Attorney’s office has been building to confront repeat housing violators and chronic code offenders. The office created a Housing Protection and Civil Code Compliance Unit last year to target patterns of unpermitted construction and unfair housing practices, a move reported by the Times of San Diego.
Who’s behind the LLCs
Public-records aggregators and business filings tools link a cluster of LLCs to a San Diego registrant named Zack Lawrence, including California Dreamin' Properties, Jumpin' Zack Flash and Rock N Roll Life, which align with names the city lists in its complaint; see BizProfile for company records. CBS 8 also reports reporters' attempts to reach Lawrence at listed personal and company numbers found them out of service.
What neighbors can do
Neighbors and prospective buyers who suspect unpermitted work or undisclosed sales can submit tips to the City Attorney’s Housing Protection Unit or to the city's building permit office. Guidance and reporting information are available on the City Attorney’s Office website. City attorneys say public tips help establish patterns of practice that are central to winning injunctions or civil penalties that protect buyers and stabilize neighborhoods.
