Daily Business Report — Jan. 22, 2010

Nonprofits Squeezed for Funds as Service Demands Rise

San Diego County nonprofit organizations are suffering a loss of revenues at the same time they are receiving increased demands for service, according to a report by UCSD’s Caster Family Center for Nonprofit Research. The just-published study is titled “Operating in Uncertain Times—How the Current Economic Conditions Have Affected San Diego County’s Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sectors.”

The report portrays a nonprofit sector that has been severely stretched in order to meet increased demand for services, while at the same time a sector that is realizing decreased revenue for operations. Many local nonprofit organizations, the report said, also have been adversely impacted by an ongoing state budget crisis. “Despite all this, the nonprofit organizations that participated in the study are finding ways to keep up in these challenging times,” the report says. “A majority are simply doing more with less, while some nonprofits are using resources in new and innovative ways.”

“Overall,” the report says, “the findings from this report demonstrate that San Diego’s nonprofit sector — on the whole — remains in a fragile position that demands attention.”

Key findings:

• Eighty-nine percent of charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofits and 100 percent of foundations that participated in the study felt that the recession had a negative impact on their organization.

• As a result of changing economic conditions, 58 percent of nonprofits reported an increase in demand for services.

• Two-thirds of nonprofits reported decreases in revenue of up to 30 percent.

• Primary tactics for offsetting decreased revenue for nonprofits include staff layoffs, hiring and pay freezes, and cuts to pay and benefits.

• Forty-two percent of responding nonprofits reported using reserves to cover budget shortfalls.

• Only one-third of nonprofits have more than 6 months of operating reserves set aside.

• The ongoing state budget crisis has impeded nonprofits from providing services.

• On average, foundations reported decreased assets ranging from 10-30 percent.

The study includes data from a December 2009 survey of 125 of San Diego’s largest charitable nonprofit organizations and philanthropic foundations.

Mission Hills Mixed-Use Project Completed

Turner Construction Co. has completed the construction of 1Mission, a mixed-use development in Mission Hills. The project includes a five-story residential building with 61 luxury residences, 13 two-story townhomes with street-level entrances, 48 single-level flats and a retail component consisting of 5,150 square feet of new space. The retail portion also includes a restored historic commercial block with street-level shops and restaurants. The project also features a public/private urban garden designed by Spurlock Poirier Landscape Architects of San Diego, and a pedestrian promenade.

McMillin Homes Reports Home Closings

McMillin Homes reports that it closed 825 home sales in 2009 spread over its four home building divisions — Southern California, Central Valley and Bakersfield in California, and San Antonio, Texas. Guy Asaro, president of McMillin Homes, who oversees all home-building operations for the company, said most divisions reported similar market shares in 2009 that were seen in 2008.

Modernization Work Starts on Mar Vista High School

The Sweetwater Union High School District has broken ground on its $11.6 million modernization of Mar Vista High School in Imperial Beach. Officiating at a ground-breaking ceremony were state Sen. Denise Ducheny, Assemblywoman Mary Salas, Imperial Beach Mayor Jim Janney, District Superintendent Jesus Gandara and Mar Vista Principal Glenda Golobay. The project will include a new 4,452-square-foot student services area for food sales, lunch shelters and a meeting place for the Associated Student Body. The existing student services building will be upgraded into a 9,836-square-foot space. Mar Vista’s annex classroom building will also be modernized. The projects are designed for LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Jones Lang LaSalle Adds 5 New Brokers

Five former brokers with Colliers International have joined the San Diego office of Jones Lang LaSalle. Jay Alexander, Chad Urie, Tim Olson, Ryan Grove and Grant Schoneman will expand Jones Lang LaSalle’s commercial real estate brokerage, capital markets and project and development services platforms in San Diego. The team has a current portfolio of 5 million square feet in more than 30 office, research and development, industrial and life science properties. Alexander, who will serve as managing director, specializes in commercial, industrial, research and development property marketing, investment sales and corporate representation. He has handled more than 2,000 industrial, research and development and office lease and sale transactions with value exceeding $1.1 billion. He was a senior vice president at Colliers and the region’s top producer the last two years. Urie joins Jones Lang LaSalle as an executive vice president. Grove will serve as senior vice president. Olson will serve as vice president. Schoneman will serve as associate with the Life Sciences Group.

South Bay Harbor Cleanup Set for Jan. 31

San Diego Coastkeeper will host the South Bay Harbor Cleanup on Sunday, Jan. 31, at Marina View Park, 200 Marina Parkway, in Chula Vista. The event will be from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and is made possible by a grant of $15,000 to Coastkeeper from the Port of San Diego’s environmental fund. The grant helped fund Coastkeeper’s Marine Debris program, which consists of four cleanups in South Bay. The prior three cleanups helped remove 1,408 pounds of debris from Paradise Creek, Emory Cove and Chollas Creek. Volunteers at the cleanup will be asked to keep a tally of all the debris they remove while participating in the cleanup. The cards are used to quantify the data. The Port of San Diego’s environmental fund was established in June 2006 to finance environmental projects that go beyond state and federal compliance. Each year one-half of 1 percent of the Port’s total earnings is set aside for this fund, about $600,000. Cleanup participants are asked to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes and sunscreen. Coastkeeper will provide bags, gloves and water. Each person must fill out a liability waiver before participating. Persons under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign the waiver.

Panel to Enlighten Writers and Editors

“WriterPalooza: 50 Tips in 50 Minutes to Boost Your Writing Business,” presented by the San Diego Press Club, will be held Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. at KGTV/l0, 4600 Air Way, San Diego. Four experienced communicators will give tips and ideas on how to advance careers. Panelists are Dennis Morgigno, station manager and programming host of Channel 4 San Diego; Kimberly Edwards, former field reporter for KGTV/l0; Lee Swanson, former broadcaster and producer for KPBS and KGTV/l0; and Jan Rieger of McLane Rieger Communications. The event is free to Press Club members; $10 for nonmembers. Reservations may be made to the San Diego Press Club: sdpressclub@cox.net.

Google Chief Economist to ‘Predict the Present’

Google Chief Economist Hal Varian will speak on “Predicting the Present With Google Trends” at 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 at the UCSD Faculty Club. The $50 per person cost to attend the Economics Roundtable includes continental breakfast and parking. “If you torture the data long enough it will confess to anything,” says Varian. “I am not sure we want to waterboard our data, but at least we do want to understand it.” Varian, who started at Google in May 2002 as a consultant, holds academic appointments at the University of California, Berkeley in three departments — business, economics, and information. He received his bachelor’s degree from MIT in 1969 and his master’s degree in mathematics and Ph.D. in economics from UC Berkeley in 1973. He has also taught at MIT, Stanford, Oxford, Michigan and other universities around the world.Varian is a fellow of the Guggenheim Foundation, the Econometric Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has published numerous papers in economic theory, industrial organization, financial economics, econometrics and information economics. For additional information and registration, call (858) 822-0510.

Cruise Passengers to Flood North Harbor Drive

Expect traffic delays along North Harbor Drive between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  today as some12,000 passengers will be departing from and embarking onto three cruise ships berthed along the North Embarcadero. City traffic enforcement officers will be stationed along North Harbor Drive to maintain traffic flow. Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas will berth at the north side of the B Street Pier and Carnival Spirit will dock at the south side. Holland America Line’s Maasdam will dock at the north side of the Midway Pier (Navy Pier) due to construction of a new cruise and public facility on the Broadway Pier. The USS Midway Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as usual. Parking is available on the pier.

Federal Contract Awards

• ECADware LLC in Escondido won a $245,743 federal contract from the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, China Lake, for Mentor Graphics printed circuit board design software.

• DRP Construction Co. in Encinitas won a $547,125 federal contract from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service, San Francisco, for the construction of an employee facility. (Source: Targeted News Service)

Business Datebook

Jan. 26

WORKSHOP: “Unlocking the Secrets: The Art of Giving a Presentation,” a training course sponsored by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. 8 to 9:30 a.m., San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, 402 West Broadway, Suite 1000, San Diego. Learn how to show off what you do and share what makes your business, product or service unique. For more information, call (619) 544-1382.

Jan. 27

WORKSHOP: The San Diego chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators holds a special workshop/learning session on “The New Rules of Engagement: How Communicators Shape Leaders’ Thoughts and Actions.” Speaker is Mark Schumann, principal of Towers Perrin and 2008-09 chair of the IABC. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., learning session and lunch; 1 to 2 p.m., roundtable workshop. Doubletree Hotel San Diego/Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego. Register by Jan. 21 and its $40 for members, $50 for nonmembers. Register afterwards, its $50 and $60, respectively.

Jan. 29

CONFERENCE: The Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate’s 14th annual Real Estate Conference will feature real estate icon Sam Zell. Panels will discuss “The Shape of Things to Come: Capital Markets” and “The Shape of Things to Come: REITS, Retail, Development and Loan Workouts.” 7:30 a.m. to noon, Hilton San Diego Bayfront. To register, visit sandiego.edu/bmcevent. For more information, call Diane Gustafson at (619) 260-2379.

Feb. 3

ANNUAL DINNER: The 139th annual dinner of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, 5-8 p.m., Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, Grand Exhibit Hall. $150 individual registration. Highlights include induction of the 2010 chairman of the board, Tom Wornham of Wells Fargo, and the board of directors, and presentations of the Spirit of San Diego, Courageous Leadership and Regional Unity awards. For more information, call Katie at (619) 544-1370.

Feb. 4

FORUM: San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders will discuss past, present and future city government reforms that will shape the region in NAIOP San Diego’s fourth annual Breakfast with the Mayor program. (Rescheduled from Jan. 19). Marriott San Diego/Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego. Registration at 7:30 a.m., program runs from 8 to 9:15 a.m. $40 for members, $60 for nonmembers. Attendees may pay online at naiopsd.org. NAOP San Diego is a chapter of the Real Estate Development Association. For more information, call Karen Burgess at (858) 509-4110.

Feb. 5

MEET THE LEADERS: Vista Chamber of Commerce host reception and dinner featuring talks by Congressman Darrell Issa, Assemblyman Martin Garrick and county Supervisor Bill Horn. 6:30 to 9:15 p.m., Shadowridge Country Club, 1980 Gateway Drive, Vista. Tickets are $125 per person. Contact the Vista Chamber of Commerce at (760) 726-1122.

Feb. 10

PANEL: The San Diego Press Club presents a panel talk on “WriterPalooza: 50 Tips in 50 Minutesw to Boost Your Writing Business,” aimed at professional and aspiring writers and editors. 6 p.m. at KGTV/10, 4600 Air Way, San Diego. Panelists: Dennis Morgigno, Channel 4 San Diego; Kimberly Edwards, formerly of KGTV/10; Lee Swanson, former broadcaster; and Jan Rieger, McLane Rieger Communications. Free for Press Club members, $10 for nonmembers. RSVP to: sdpressclub@cox.net.

SHOWCASE: CleanTECH San Diego and the US Renewables Group present the CleanTECH Showcase, which explores opportunities in the wind-power industry. Keynote presentation by Jim McDermott, managing partner, US Renewables. Registration 4 p.m., keynote 6 p.m., panel 6:40 p.m. La Jolla Marriott. $10 for students, $30 for CleanTECH members, $45 for others. RSVP at: http://ctsd.eventbrite.com.

Feb. 16

CELEBRATION: The Asian Business Association of San Diego holds its 16th annual Lunar New Year Celebration featuring Lucky Lion Dancers, a casino night with prizes and Chinese cuisine. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., dinner from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m., no-host bar, Fat City Steakhouse/China Camp Restaurant, 2137 Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego. Cost: before Feb. 16, $30 to ABA members, $35 for nonmembers; at the door, $40 members and nonmembers. Register online at abasd.org. For more information, call (858) 277-2822.

Feb. 18

ROUNDTABLE: Hal Varian, chief economist at Google, will speak on “Predicting the Present with Google Trends” at the Economics Roundtable, 7:30 a.m., UCSD Faculty Club. Admission is $50 per person, includes continental breakfast and parking. For more information and registration, call (858) 822-0510.

Feb. 24

DIGITAL FORUM: A forum on social media marketing will feature social media strategist and coach Jason Baer, who will lead a panel discussion on the topic. Sponsored by LEAD San Diego and Bailey Gardiner. 7:30 a.m., continential breakfast and networking; 8 a.m., presentation by Baer; 8:45 a.m., panel discussion. USD’s Joan B. Kroc Theatre, San Diego. $20 general admission, $15 for LEAD San Diego members. For more information, call (619) 280-5323.

Feb. 27

WORKSHOP: The San Diego chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers sponsors a “Day with Designers,” a public workshop to provide information on practical interior design basics and how to select an interior designer, among other tips. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Art Institute, 7650 Mission Valley Road, San Diego. Advanced tickets available for $35 by visiting ASIDSanDiego.org. Tickets at the door are $45. For more information, call (858) 646-9896.

The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of San Diego Metropolitan magazine and the North Park News. (619) 906-4104.