{"id":314753,"date":"2022-09-01T10:16:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T17:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/?p=314753"},"modified":"2022-09-01T10:16:06","modified_gmt":"2022-09-01T17:16:06","slug":"uptown-news-briefs-sept-1-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/uptown-news-briefs-sept-1-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Uptown News Briefs – Sept. 1, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apartment construction increases<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

RentCafe\u2019s most recent analysis of over 125 U.S. metro areas<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0concluded that no less than 420,000 new apartments are expected nationwide this year. Considering the total deliveries for 2021, apartment construction is at a 50-year high \u2014 the last time developers completed more than 400,000 rentals in one single year was in 1972. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

San Diego is striving to meet the demand and keeps up with the national trend. The city is the only one from California to enter Top 20 cities by number of apartments built in the first half of 2022, with 1,427 new units delivered so far. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The construction industry is finally returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity but is still being hampered by three familiar challenges: labor shortages; material costs and availability; and supply chain issues,\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0said Doug Ressler, manager of business intelligence at Yardi Matrix.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

North Park off-leash dog park opens<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In response to the growing need to provide more play areas for pet owners and their furry friends in high-density neighborhoods, the City of San Diego recently opened two off-leash facilities to allow dogs to run, fetch and play. The new off-leash areas are located in Memorial and North Park community parks and were opened just in time to celebrate International Dog Day, Aug. 26.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The North Park off-leash area, located near the corner of Howard Avenue and Idaho Street, also includes separate fencing for large and small dogs, trees for shade, doggie bag dispensers and ample space for dogs to run and exercise. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The City is working with other municipalities in the County to identify and promote off-leash dog areas available to San Diegans.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Vegan, pet-friendly coffee shop opens in Hillcrest<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Chiefy Cafe, Gaslamp\u2019s pet-friendly coffee shop, has opened two more locations in Hillcrest and San Diego State University. With an emphasis on healthy, clean living, Chiefy Cafe offers delicious vegan dishes and coffee, as well as a super special protein-packed gluten-free waffle recipe for an amazing price. They welcome pets with open arms and
\nmake sure to carry treats for furry friends.\u00a0Visit chiefycafe.com for more information. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Father Joe\u2019s receives grants to keep pets and people together at shelters<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Pueblos del Padre Joe<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0received a $548,000 grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Pet Assistance and Support Program<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>. The funds will support efforts to keep neighbors in need and their animal companions together by providing pet-friendly shelter programs.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This grant will support expenses \u2013 including staffing, pet supplies and food, veterinarian care, training classes and the creation of a pet bathing area \u2013 involved in welcoming companion animals to all Father Joe\u2019s Villages\u2019 facilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Along with accepting pets, this grant will also make it easier for clients to leave their pets in a safe, comfortable crate or cage while they search for jobs or go to work.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Pets are a source of comfort for their human companions as well as a part of a client\u2019s family. The acceptance of pets at all Father Joe\u2019s Villages shelters ensures that no one must choose between access to resources or their beloved pets.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost pet owners would do whatever it takes to care for, protect and keep their animal because pets are family,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Jesse Casement, Division Director of Client Services at Father Joe\u2019s Villages.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u201cIn order to truly assist our clients, it is absolutely crucial that we welcome their entire family – including those members with fur, feathers, shells or scales into our shelter facilities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In 2021, 103 households with 120 animals entered and stayed at a Father Joe\u2019s Villages shelter. 100% of pet owners at a Father Joe\u2019s Villages facility shared that having their companion animals with them helped them work towards ending their homelessness<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Interior designers furnish home in Old Town for family emerging from homelessness<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The local chapter of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>American Society of Interior Designers, San Diego<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0(ASID), partnered with Humble Design San Diego to design and furnish a home in Old Town for a family emerging from homelessness on Sept. 2.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A design team composed of Humble Design staff designers and an ASID guest designer met the family \u2013 a single mom with four boys \u2013 earlier that week.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBased on that interview, ASID volunteers have three days to use their creativity and expertise to design a home that reflects the preferences, interests, color choices, hobbies and dreams of the five-member family,\u201d said Laura Lavoie, city director for Humble Design San Diego.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The designers will have access to Humble Design\u2019s warehouse of donated furnishings, accessories, kitchenware and linens located at 2031 Commercial Street in Logan Heights. In preparation for this sponsored \u201cDay of Service,\u201d ASID also mounted a campaign this summer to collect new and gently used furniture and accessories with drop-off points around the county.\u00a0 Hundreds of items were collected.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is DIY design at its finest,\u201d said ASID San Diego president Shannon Rice. \u201cWe\u2019re focusing the skills we usually apply to well-to-do clients on a family emerging from homelessness. It is an extremely gratifying experience, especially considering that most Humble Design clients have only a few bags of personal belongings and many are sleeping on the floor.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur mission is to help clients to break the cycle of homelessness by creating beautiful, personalized, dignified homes where families and veterans can find peace, strength and hope,\u201d said Lavoie. \u00a0\u201cStatistics show that up to 50% of previously unsheltered families return to homelessness within a year of securing housing; by contrast, less than 1 percent of Humble Design\u2019s clients return to experiencing homelessness. Help from Humble Design enables our clients to change their lives for good.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Humble Design has furnished more than 2,500 homes across five cities since its founding in Detroit in 2009.\u00a0 It has been serving clients locally since 2018, helping more than 650 San Diegans \u2013 including more than 350 children \u2013 to begin the next hopeful chapter of their lives. The Sept. 2 collaboration with ASID will be Humble Design San Diego\u2019s 226<\/span><\/span>el<\/span><\/span>\u00a0home.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Downtown San Diego Lions Club celebrates 100 years, new board members<\/b><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span>The Downtown San Diego\u00a0Lions\u00a0Club\u00a0announced Douglas Wahl the new President to take over the reins with a renewed vision of \u201cWE SERVE,\u201d the\u00a0club\u2019s motto. In addition to Douglas, they have elected a new board of directors to usher them into the next 100 years.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For over 100 years the Downtown San Diego\u00a0Lions\u00a0Club\u00a0has served the San Diego community being involved in almost all the major downtown projects in San Diego since its inception.\u00a0Wahl\u2019s vision is to bring that giving and commitment to the forefront once again to serve the community and to work with his new foundation board to enter the chapter of the\u00a0club\u2019s next 100 years. In 2021, the club gave away $56k to charities and individuals. Their total contribution to the community adds up to $5 million over the past century. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wahl has volunteered for the Downtown San Diego\u00a0Lions\u00a0Club\u00a0for\u00a0several\u00a0years working his way up the ranks in the\u00a0Club\u00a0and now as their new president. He served as a Surface Warfare Officer and an Oceanographer in the U.S. Navy reaching the rank of Commander. Returning to San Diego in 2015, Wahl is heavily involved in the Scouts and has served as Committee Chair for Cub Scout Pack 299 of Clairemont where he oversaw the business side of the coed Cub Scout Pack. Needless to say, he is no stranger to elevating organizations and leading them forward. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Several local residents are also a part of the board. Treasurer Larry Newmark lives in North Park; Liontamer Albert Preciado resides in Redwood Village. Tailtwister Pat Stalnaker is in Talmadge while director Tim Walsh is in neighboring Kensington. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

UnitedHealthcare donates $1.5 million to nonprofits in Calif.<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company, is awarding $1.5 million in\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Empowering Health<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0grants to seven community-based organizations in California to expand access to care and address the social determinants of health for uninsured individuals and underserved communities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Grant recipients in San Diego include:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n