Social Security Administration

I am trying help a client handle a matter. He has paid a debt in full and they are giving him the run around and STILL charging him. So I call the public number. The option to «speak to someone» indicates it is a 1 hour wait. RIDICULOUS! I don’t have much hope that a letter will get any response but I have no choice but to resort to that as I don’t have time to spend 3 hours of my life in this office. Thanks to fellow Unilocalers for the information — I might be able to get to the downtown office which has better reviews than Chula Vista.

They apparently don’t do card replacements anymore, but that’s not noted in a noticeable place. I was there early, before it opened, to get done quicker. I didn’t see the sign, until I was closer to the entrance, when they started to let people in. They should have more than one sign posted on the building. They made note of other offices, which is great, but they didn’t have the right address for National City. I went to the address to find a building up for lease and a small sign on the door that they’ve moved. The C.V. office, should’ve had the address updated on their sign. Wasted my time running around.

I showed up at 11:15, no appointment. Could not even find a parking place, so I had to park around the corner on Broadway. I was in and out of there in less than 10 minutes! The gentleman that assisted me was awesome!

This place is beyond terrible I hope I never have to step one foot through that door again for the rest of my life!!! We arrived at 8 am and the line was already around the corner and the doors werent opened until 9 it took us 2 ½ hours to get seen and after waiting so long the customer service we received at with window for the worker was horrendous!!! the guy who helped my mom update her information was so rude and condescending and clearly had a superiority complex… I have never seen someone speak to someone in such a rude manner especially if it was unprovoked… my mom was kind and even apologetic and he just continued the berate her for not updating our information timely… understandable we made a mistake and apologized for it there was no need for the tone… I have worked in customer service for years and I know that service would easily be grounds for termination anywhere… the worst part about everything was the fact that he clearly knew we could not address his poos attitude as he was in control of my mother receiving get benefits clearly he knew he could take advantage of the situation… I would how many other poor helpless individual he victimized! I would give zero stars if it let me

Worst parking space ever. Who does, a federal building that DO NOT have enough parking spaces, considering many come in or drove by like every minute and have to drive away because of no parking.

If all you need are card services (new, replacement, name change, etc.) don’t bother coming to this location. Save your time and go to the downtown location on Ash Street, which has a separate center dedicated to card services only. There is another location in El Cajon that has a card services center as well.
I got there 20 minutes before opening on a Monday and it looked like there were almost 100 people in line (predominantly Mexican — there’s a reason for mentioning that). At least we were in shade.
At 9:00 am the line moved fairly quickly, or so I thought. You’re supposed to obtain a number from a machine first but a line monitor ushered people past the machine to wait to get called at the front of the line. A (white) guy that was a few people behind me was there for a replacement card — somehow he was able to use the machine to obtain a number. When I noticed this, I turned to ask the line monitor about getting a number. She quickly asked why I was there (name change), and after a quick look in the direction of the machine, said wait to get to the front of the line.
Window 1 called out, «Next person in line!» I approached and the lady asked if I had a number. When I said no, she looked inconvenienced and began to put me in the system (to then give me a number), asking questions about why I was there. After telling her I was there for a name change, she asked for my zip code. I live in Los Angeles but was in San Diego for the day to visit my mom, and she gave me the most suspicious look when I told her. (I later learned they have to ask why you’re in the area when mailing a card outside of the region… she could have explained that instead of looking accusatory.)
After all that, she then told me there were 2 other SS offices that offer card services only, handing me a map with the locations. Otherwise my wait would be an hour and a half. I got out of there and went downtown.
Going back to the machines — did they assume the white guy would know how to use it quickly, but assumed the other brown skinned people would take too long? I guess I should be thankful I bypassed the machine and the staff eventually told me about the other office, but it left an unfavorable impression of the office as a whole.
So again, don’t bother coming here for card services. It took me 50 minutes to go through all that — the same amount of time it took me downtown to feed the meter, walk to the office, get a number (which a security officer quickly went through so I could enter my information), be seen, and walk back to my car to leave.

First of all the place is too small for the services they provide, there is only 4 windows open out of 8. The place is crowded, a bunch of seniors tired making line. There is no parking because there’s only like very few spaces they have. The Security guard is careless, won’t help, gets annoyed easily and a bit racist.
Some situation happen with the Bathroom that a lady was getting in the bathroom while another one was drying her hands and they were just being friendly joking for a second so the situation wont be awkward as of the security guard right away said «Hey, hey hey. You guys know better. You’re in California» Like WTH is that supposed to mean?. There was also this really quiet lady with an adorable baby and obviously most of us were there for 2 hours already waiting for our turn obviously the baby was getting annoyed and she started getting fuzzy. You can tell she was sleepy and the security guard went to the lady and was like «Whats wrong with her? Why is she crying? What are you here for? «Just making her feel uncomfortable, he was just rude to my taste.
I do not understand the whole getting your name thing when you already got a ticket it’s just a waste of time an hour or so line instead of just getting to the case. When i got up there the lady checked my documents and said something was wrong with a document blah blah blah, she didn’t make sense on what she was telling me. Tried to explain to her on how she is wrong and she is just like «We do this all the time.»
Apparently she had no idea on what she was doing and just made me wait there 3 hours for nothing. I ended up going to Downtown that same day and they had an office for what i needed no lines just people waiting for their number to be called. The security guard was helpful and nice I wasn’t there for 30 min. when my number was called. I had no problems with my documents, everything was fast. and I was out quick. Downtown was organized & professional as opposed to Chula Vista. People, to avoid wasting your time just head to Downtown, you’ll thank me later.

Someone needs to go there and teach the manager there how to organize an office in a way that helps the people they serve.
There is about 12 parking spots here, and 25 people on line at any point in time.
All the other parking spots are reserved for employees.
Everyone, including the people with appointments have to make a line just to request a ticket from their computer.
As the other reviewer said, the disabled and elderly also must stand in line to get the ticket.
It takes anywhere between 1 and 2 hours to get helped, most of the time you will be standing in line.
Go somewhere else if you can.
The 2 stars is because the employees are nice and knowledgeable.

Make sure you make an appointment and prepare for a slow wait in line.
I wish there was a way for elderly and disabled people to sit instead of having to stand up in line. After all, don’t these folks make up the majority of visitors to a Social Security office?