Tierrasanta is a community built on land originally allotted for use at Camp Elliot, a Marine Corps training camp. In 1960, the land was declared surplus, and in 1970 the Elliott Community Plan was implemented incorporating affordable housing and public spaces. Tierrasanta real estate has been built into varied sloping canyons, creating naturally split neighborhoods. A 2,300-unit Naval housing development accounts for roughly one-fifth of the area’s homes. This area is mostly residential, with light industry at the area’s freeway system, Interstate 15 and Highway 52.

When the City of San Diego adopted the boundaries of the Mission Trails Regional Park, Tierrasanta lost about half its territory, preserving the parks canyons and the San Diego River, which runs directly through. Open spaces were incorporated as part of the area’s development and are proud to shelter approximately 8000 acres of open land.

Mission Trails Regional Park is the largest urban park west of the Mississippi River, covering over 5700 acres of preserved land and habitat. City Rangers lead hikes and bird walks, explaining how this habitat has been preserved and all that it has to offer. Residents enjoy the wildlife and city life all in close proximity.

Tierrasanta students attend schools in the San Diego City School District, ranking in the 70th to 90th percentile in the state. Score! Tierrasanta is an affiliated program designed to assist students in an after-school environment on subjects such as math, science, reading, writing, and language.