Daily Business Report — Feb. 8, 2012

County Supervisor Ron Roberts to Give ‘State of the County’ Address

Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Roberts will present the 2012 “State of the County” address today at 6 p.m. in the Hall of Champions in Balboa park. Roberts is expected to outline a job-creating infrastructure construction plan, discuss new health-related programs, introduce a new wireless emergency services initiative and give an update on plans for the waterfront park.

Report Cites Stronger Apartment Market Growth

The San Diego apartment market will enter a stronger rent-growth cycle in 2012 as properties operate near full capacity, according to a report by Marcus & Millichap.Vacancy in the Class B/C sector will remain in the low 2 percent range logged in 2011 as increased tourism supports employment gains. Housing demand tied to the leisure and hospitality sector will benefit lower-end complexes in Balboa Park and areas near Downtown tourist destinations and trade areas. Meanwhile, military households preferring off-base quarters will boost demand for mid- and lower- tier rentals near installations in Oceanside, National City and Chula Vista. At the upper end of the spectrum, Class A absorption in Downtown communities, as well as in La Jolla, Mission Valley and Balboa Park, will rise on the heels of professional and tech-related payroll gains. However, builders broke ground on several projects last year, many of which are slated for completion in 2012. Despite the rise in supply, job growth will sustain renter household formation and preserve the market’s solid performance.

School for the Homeless to Get New Campus

Monarch School, the only public kindergarten-through-12th-grade school for homeless youth in the country, will hold a groundbreaking event on Feb. 16 for a new campus in East Village, just south of Petco Park in Downtown San Diego. The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the site, 1625 Newton Ave. Speakers will include Ronne Froman, president of the board of directors; Erin Spiewak, CEO; and Joel Garcia, principal. According to school officials, the present facility is too small — 10,000 square feet — to accommodate 150 students and 45 staff members. The building is at capacity to the point that classrooms are doubled up with two grade levels each, services like eye exams and tutoring are held in the middle of the hall/lobby, and the only outdoor area, a minimal 5,000 square feet, is a catch-all used for the cafeteria, gym, auditorium, study hall and more, said school officials. They said the current building also limits the number of students Monarch can help, at a time when the need is greater than ever. By moving to the larger facility, Monarch School will be able to serve double the student population, at least 350 children, providing a school environment where they feel safe and accepted, and where they can receive additional programs to help break the cycle of homelessness.

UC San Diego Ranked Among the Top Best Value Schools

UC San Diego has again been ranked among the nation’s top best value public colleges for 2012 by The Princeton Review. The publication, partnering with USA Today, listed its annual ranking of the 75 private and 75 public best value colleges. The university is praised for consistently remaining an academic powerhouse that is affordable to students. UC San Diego was also recently named a best value public college by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Kiplinger’s ranked UC San Diego 10th  in the nation, up from 12th last year, based on cost and financial aid, average student debt, competitiveness, graduation rates and academic support.

Finding Sustainable Seafood in San Diego

San Diego Coastkeeper will present a panel of experts describing how to find sustainable seafood in San Diego at a free event Feb. 27 at NTC Command Center, 2640 Historic Decatur Road in Point Loma. Attendees will learn from a chef, a fishmonger and a fisherman everything they need to know about sustainable seafood and how and where to find it in San Diego. The presentations will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Bill Riedy, who serves on the Leadership Development Committee of the Slow Food Urban San Diego chapter, will moderate a panel of speakers:. Pete Halmay, a fisherman, will focus on what it means to be a fisherman in San Diego, what fisherman are doing to be sustainable and the history of the fishing industry in San Diego. Mark Lane, a fishmonger and owner of Poppas Fresh Fish Co., will share the logistics of purchasing fish from different types of fisherman to sell at Poppas and his experience selling to the public. Tommy Fraioli, a local chef at Sea Rocket Bistro, will talk about sourcing only the most sustainable, in-season and local seafood and turning those ingredients into creative entrees.