By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Nov. 25, 2019 (San Diego) The County Health and Human Services Agency was awarded more than $1.7 million in federal funds to house people with disabilities.

The $1,753,026 comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which awarded more than $130 million to 325 housing authorities across the nation. The County was one of 25 California counties and cities, including Oceanside, to receive this type of federal housing grants.

By Melinda Myers

Photo:  Easy-care cyclamen varieties offer plain or ruffled white, pink, rose or lavender flowers.  Photo courtesy Melinda Myers

November 20, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Add some unique beauty to your indoor décor or give the gift of low maintenance splendor with the easy-care cyclamen. You’ll enjoy the colorful plain or ruffled white, pink, rose or lavender flowers that look like shooting stars hovering over heart-shaped leaves with silvery highlights.

By Maryanne Jackson, Real estate broker, CNE, CPRES.

November 3, 2019 (San Diego's East County)

Dear Maryanne,

My mother is selling her home soon. Are there any important steps she should know about when people come to look at her property?

Is it acceptable for her and her cats to be there?

Lorie B., Spring Valley

By Mike Allen

October 22, 2019 (Santee) -- The owners of the Carlton Oaks Golf Course submitted plans to the city of Santee to build 285 residential units on the site and other new development to create an upscale tourist attraction. The golf course itself will be moved and revamped to accommodate the new facilities.

By Miriam Raftery

October 14, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Just in time for Halloween, Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson sent in these pics of “super-trendy pumpkins” spotted at Sprouts market. Why settle for a mundane round orange pumpkin when you can liven up your holiday décor with choices such as a Fairytale or Cinderella pumpkin that looks like a princess’s coach?  Or a knobby Knucklehead variety to add texture to your pumpkin patch display.  How about a ghostly white Jarradale pumpkin to add a spooky effect?

By Maryanne Jackson 

Photo: Creative Commons

October 14, 2019 (San Diego’s East County)

Dear Maryanne,

My husband and I own a home in La Mesa. We really do not plan on selling or moving any time soon.

However, we are planning on fixing up the place just for us.

I am curious what type of improvements tend to induce homeowners to stay put?

Lesley M.

Law applies to apartments over 15 years old, but mobile homes are not included. Many condos and single family homes are also exempt

By Miriam Raftery

October 8, 2019 (Sacramento) – Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 1482 into law, which he says will provide “the nation’s strongest statewide renter protections.”

Starting January 1st, it will be illegal for many landlords in California to raise rents by more than five percent a year plus the local inflation rate (as measured by the Consumer Price Index).  San Diego’s inflation rate was 2.8 percent from January to June.  

By James Kecskes, County of San Diego Communications Office

September 30, 2019 (San Diego) - County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, joined by affordable housing advocates and builders, launched an incentive program aimed at spurring the development of granny flats and other accessory homes (granny flats).

By Maryanne Jackson, real estate broker, CRE, CPRES

September 21, 2019 (Mt. Helix) - Dear Maryanne,

My son purchased a home in Mt. Helix recently.  I have been staying at the house and have noticed a strange noise coming from the dishwasher when I open the door.  The appliance company came out and said they cannot remove the dishwasher to do the necessary repair, as the tile floor was placed too high and is now preventing the dishwasher from being removed at all.  The dishwasher repair is a relatively inexpensive fix, but the floor will need to be torn up and replaced.  Do we have any recourse to get this fixed?

Any suggestions appreciated,

CVS, Mt. Helix

Source:  City of La Mesa

September 11, 2019 (La Mesa) - The City of La Mesa receives approximately $400,000 annually from the federal government through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) to fund housing, community development, and infrastructure projects. The city would like your input to help determine housing and community needs in the community for future funding.

By Miriam Raftery

August 31, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced that after 133 reports of cooktop elements turning on by themselves, 26,300 cooktops are being recalled by Whirlpool. They were sold under the brand names Whirlpool, KitchenAid and JennAir and manufactured from Dec. 2016 and July 2019. The recall includes cooktops with a glass cooking surface, touch controls, radiant and downdraft radiant models.

By Melinda Myers

Photo via Melinda Myers, LLC

August 21, 2019 (San Diego) - End the growing season with an extra burst of color and nutrition with a few fall containers. A pot of mums or asters can add color to your front steps and a container filled with kale and greens adds fresh flavor to your fall meals.  But don’t stop there. Create attractive potted gardens by combining asters, mums, grasses, cool weather edibles and other fall beauties.

By Chris Jennewein

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Fuerte Ranch Estates property on Mount Helix. Courtesy Colliers

August 20, 2019 (La Mesa) - Shea Homes has acquired a 28-acre parcel on Mount Helix for $6.5 million with plans develop a community of 36 estate homes.

The new community, named Fuerte Ranch Estates, will be located at the southeast corner of Fuerte Drive and Damon Lane in unincorporated El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

July 30, 2019 (Julian) – In a precedent-setting case over preservation of agricultural land protected under California’s Williamson Act, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal has published a decision that reverses a Superior Court ruling in Cleveland National Forest Foundation et al. v. County of San Diego. 

The July 25th decision held that San Diego County officials acted wrongly when they approved a map for a housing subdivision  on the 1,400-acre Hoskings Ranch near Julian. The court found the Genesee Properties project would have set the stage to replace ranching with residential development--all while allowing the property owner to enjoy tax breaks intended to keep the land in agriculture.

East County News Service

July 26, 2019 (El Cajon) – Keller Williams Realty San Diego East Foothills in El Cajon, one of the largest residential real estate brokerages in San Diego County, has named Eric Tai as team leader. The announcement was made by Joe Garzanelli, broker, Keller Williams Realty San Diego East Foothills.