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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Superheroes aren’t the only ones fighting foes at Comic-Con International, the gigantic comic book convention that runs July 23-26 downtown.

The San Diego Convention Center and the city itself are warding off adversaries from other cities who want to lure away the iconic event, which generates millions of dollars in revenue each year.

“We’re working hard to keep them in San Diego,” said Steve Johnson, vice president public affairs at the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. “The economic impact to San Diego is profound.”

In the last three years, the homegrown event has been busting at the seams of the San Diego Convention Center, spilling over into other venues downtown, such as Petco Park, Horton Plaza, and the Midway. Overcrowding, traffic and parking problems have also hampered the event.

Tickets — for 126,000 attendees in the last two years — have typically sold out two months in advance.

“We limit the amount of attendants, because we don’t have the ability to get people through the building,” said Johnson.

As a result, convention centers in Los Angeles and Las Vegas have been courting Comic-Con organizers, with representatives from the Las Vegas center visiting last year’s event, according to news reports. Convention centers in those cities leave plenty of elbow room.

But San Diego’s leaders are not giving up anytime soon. The event means too much to the city economically and culturally to let it move away at the 2012 conclusion of its contract with the San Diego Convention Center.

Comic-Con generates $16 million in direct spending and $38 million in indirect spending for the city, said Johnson. This means that the event’s 126,000 attendees each year drop $16 million on services such as hotels, car rentals and restaurants, which has a ripple effect throughout the economy of more than double that amount.

“When you bring that kind of money into the region, it’s like a rock in a pond,” said Johnson.

San Diego’s hotel occupancy rate during Comic-Con is the highest for the county during the entire year, said Johnson. Occupancy rates for the county’s 54,000 hotel rooms average 98 percent each day during the four-day event, he said.

Comic-Con also serves as a cultural touchstone for San Diego. Since its launch in 1970, the event has grown from an underground gathering to a mainstream movement that attracts comic-book fans to videogame producers to Hollywood film studios.

“You can’t separate the power that Comic-Con has in defining San Diego as a destination for comic book junkies as well as pop culture junkies,” said Johnson.

San Diego Convention Center Corp. is working with the city’s special task force to expand by some 200,000 square feet of space to the backside of the building, said Johnson.

Mayor Jerry Sanders launched the Convention Center Task Force in January to explore how to expand the center. The 17-member group is looking at architectural, policy and funding options this month, and it is expected to provide a final report by September, said Bill Harris, deputy press secretary for the mayor.

Part of the challenge is that the center sits on port tideland governed by the state of California, which is managed locally by the San Diego Port Authority, said Harris.

Comic-Con organizers are also “valuable partners” in creating plans for a center expansion, said Harris, although Comic-Con organizers did not reply to interview questions submitted last week for this story.

What else is the city doing to keep Comic-Con? Harris won’t say.

The convention center’s Johnson is also keeping mum. “That would be showing our cards to the competition,” he said.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Monday, June 8, 2009

It was in the late ‘80s, when a sandy-blonde haole boy from the mainland first introduced me to a traditional Hawaiian band, which would become a lion in island music.

The group was the Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau, and the album was Ho’ola. It featured four great singers, including a sweet-sounding lead named Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.

Brother “Iz,” as he was called, would eventually became famous worldwide for his simple ukulele-and-singing rendition of “Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World.”

My friend made a cassette-tape recording of that album and gave it to me. At the time, my Hawaiian music tastes were limited to contemporary island groups who mostly sang in English. They were popular singers I heard growing up in Honolulu – Cecilio & Kapono, Kalapana and Melveen Leed, to name a few.

Like many of my generation, I didn’t care for Hawaiian-language music, since it seemed kind of fuddy duddy.

But I fell in love with the Makaha Sons’ album. Their lush harmonies, strong strums, soft melodies and beautiful Hawaiian lyrics (translated into English in the crib notes of the CD I ended up buying) had me listening over and over again.

Fast-forward to the late 2000s. I have traveled the world, worked in foreign cities and settled in San Diego, which has a large Hawaiian community.

The Makaha Sons have grown as well. They became a trio — Louis “Moon” Kauakahi, John Koko and Jerome Koko – after Brother Iz went solo in 1993. They dropped “Niihau” from their name, since it was Iz’s parents who were from the island namesake. They held prime places at Iz’s 1997 funeral. And they are still playing together after 33 years.

They have produced 22 albums, won numerous Hoku Awards (equivalent to the Hawaiian Grammies), played in all 50 U.S. states and Japan, performed at Carnegie Hall three times, appeared on the “Today Show” and sung the national anthem for a New England Patriots’ game in 2007.

And they have performed in San Diego every Christmas for some 15 years.

They are known for their rich harmonies, deep baritones, tight instrumentals and, of course, classic Hawaiian songs. They also have great showmanship and audience rapport.

This Friday, June 12, the Makaha Sons will play in North Park with a few friends, who also happen to be stars in Hawaiian entertainment – slack key guitarist Willie K., ukulele virtuoso Daniel Ho & singer Tia Carrere and comedian Augie T. It is their first time playing here in the summer, after the Makaha Sons’ usual June venue in Hawaii got bumped by Mamma Mia.

Lucky us.

“It’s gonna be different than how we do our Christmas stuff,” said Jerome Koko, by phone from Honolulu. “More luau style, more laid back, more kanikapila.” Like a jam session.

San Diego audiences — which consist of Hawaiian transplants, as well as mainlander fans, said Koko — are likely to welcome the new show.

“We’ve been blessed when we go the mainland,” said Koko. “A lot (of Hawaiian ex-pats) miss it, after they move to the mainland and have to drive two to four hours to go to a concert. In Hawaii, everything is here. They kinda go, ‘we’ll catch them later.’”

Yeah, that’s me.

In the 80s, I was grateful to my haole (white) friend from far away for introducing me to the Makaha Sons of Niihau, who were in my own backyard on Oahu.

Now, I am thrilled to be able to see the Makaha Sons perform in my town in San Diego.

Other performers:

Willie K.

Daniel Ho & Tia Carrere

Augie T.

San Diego hula halaus dancing at the show:

Healii’s Polynesian Revue

Na Pua Ilima o Kehaulani

Halau o Pualani

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Adam Lambert, the “American Idol” finalist, knew during his days as a student at Mt. Carmel High School that he would be working in the entertainment business.

As one of the three finalists in the competition – after Allison Iraheta was booted off Wednesday night – Adam is a strong contender for the top honor. Like the other two remaining contestants – Danny Gokey and Kris Allen – Lambert is visiting his hometown Friday. The “American Idol” producers organize the hometown visits, which are filmed and aired on the semifinal show.

Lambert’s visit to San Diego will include a Fox5 TV appearance, two radio interviews on 93.3 and 94.1, and a visit to his high school alma mater. Following a Mt. Carmel High School parade in his honor, Lambert is expected to sing two songs at the Sundevil Stadium, which seats 4,000 people.

During his freshman through senior years at the Rancho Peñasquitos school, Lambert participated in the drama, choir and business clubs. Looking through the photos, he grew from an ordinary, pudgy freshman to a stylish, handsome senior.

In his senior year, Lambert and classmate Kristi Gill sang the national anthem at the homecoming game. Other photos showed him performing as “Bottom” in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in which he commented: “This was to make an Ass of me! Thank you for all the laughter.”

That year, he sported dirty blonde hair with platinum blonde highlights.

In the 1999 yearbook, his junior year, Lambert was in the choir and performed in “The Secret Garden.” He was also an officer in DECA, a club that prepares students for a business career. His hair was a natural dirty blonde.

In 1998 and 1997, his sophomore and freshman years, Lambert also participated in the choir. He looked like a cherubic teen back then.

In the Sundevils’ 2000 yearbook, when Lambert graduated, he wrote the following:

“Who knows what I’ll be doing in the future? I’m pretty convinced that I’ll be doing something in the arts, since that is what has pre-occupied my every waking moment for the last four years, or at least those I have been awake for. Speaking of which, I plan to get more sleep and get a job that does not require me to be awake at too early of an hour.”

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Monday, May 18, 2009

You thought you had it bad. Wait till you hear these two stories about real estate investors in housing foreclosures.

John Woodbury has six houses in foreclosure. Lenska Bracknell has three houses in short sales.

Woodbury, 62, was a retired state worker turned real estate investor who had a credit score of 780. He lost everything.

Bracknell, 45, runs an aerial photography business and is a real estate broker. She bought three houses on 30-year-fixed rates, full doc loans and 20 percent down. Now, those investments are sour.

Woodbury and Bracknell both attended a workshop last month about how small business owners are facing mortgage foreclosures. They agreed to share their stories with SDNN.

John Woodbury loses six houses

Investment dream: “We hoped this would help our retirement,” said Woodbury. “We were all looking forward to it.”

Number of properties: 6

Locations: Escondido, Hemet, Los Angeles, Montana, South Carolina, Texas

Credit score: 780

The good life: In 2006, “all the properties were making money,” he said. “I could borrow money, and even if they had a negative, I knew they were going up in value, so that was great.”

Warning signs: In 2008, the L.A. house rent dropped to $1,600. The mortgage was $3,200. “We knew we had to get rid of the property, because we were going through our savings.”

Refinancing: In September 2008, Woodbury applied for a refinance on the L.A. property. The mortgage broker said Woodbury’s finances were excellent, and could qualify. But Fannie Mae changed its rules, limiting the number of houses that an investor could get loans on to four. He no longer qualified for the loan.

Negotiating with the bank: Woodbury contacted First Horizon Bank, the lender on the L.A. house. “The first thing out of their mouth was, ‘Are you behind?’” said Woodbury. “We said, ‘No.’ And they said, ‘Well, you have to be behind at least two months before we can even talk to you.’”

Woodbury missed two payments, called the bank again, and “they said there’s nothing they can do.”

Attempt to sell the house: Woodbury found a buyer, with ample down payment. The house went into escrow. Two weeks before closing, the HUD statement showed that Woodbury would have to bring $33,000 to close.
Saving the deal: Woodbury borrowed $16,000 from his sister. He wiped out his savings. The real estate agents agreed to lower their commissions from 6 percent to 4.5 percent. But Woodbury was still $7,000 short.

Negotiating with the bank: Woodbury asked the bank to lower its penalties and late fees by $7,000.

“They said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘You understand, if this doesn’t close, and this house goes into foreclosure, you are going to lose about $200,000 on the value of the property immediately. I can give you all the principal, part of the interest, just not all of it.’ The bank said, ‘No, we don’t want to have anything to do with it.’”

Failed deal: The house fell out of escrow March 6 and went into foreclosure. “Everybody lost,” said Woodbury.

Bank’s motives: “They don’t need to do this,” said Woodbury, “because they know that even if they have to go into foreclosure, and they lose money, they’re going to get money from the federal government in the bailout.

“They’re not concerned about helping citizens at all. Why spend the extra time and money for something you’re going to get paid to do anyway, if you don’t do anything?”

First Horizon Bank’s response: “First Horizon strictly adheres to all applicable privacy laws, and our confidentiality policy prohibits the disclosure of customer information,” said Anthony Hicks, public relations officer, in an email.

“We recognize these are difficult times for many people and work with our customers to exhaust all available options. We encourage customers who may be experiencing difficulties, and those who think problems are likely, to contact us immediately so we can offer the best solutions for their needs within the parameters of their loans.”

Other foreclosures: “That’s one of six loan modifications I’ve tried to do, and all of them have fallen through for lack of cooperation” from banks, said Woodbury. “Part of the reason is because my credit scores have gone down, and they’ve gone down because they didn’t loan me the money, because of (rules changes at) Fannie Mae.”

Dead dreams: “Now we have no retirement, no money,” said Woodbury.

How they are surviving: Wife’s government job salary. Woodbury is filing for bankruptcy.

Responsibility: “I’m not blaming anyone but myself, because I’m the one who made all the decisions,” Woodbury said. “Nobody guaranteed me anything when I was born. You do the best that you can. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. You just do the best you can.”

Lenska Bracknell negotiates three shortsales

Her main business: Aerial photography

How she started investing: In 2003, Bracknell bought one house, fixed and sold it. She used the profits to buy more houses.

Number of houses: 3

Location: Boise, Idaho

Great loans: 30-year fixed, 20 percent down, full documentation.

Warning signs: In 2006, many people lost jobs in Idaho. Rents dropped from $1150 to $750. The mortgages were $950.

“Suddenly, the whole cash-flow was not working anymore,” said Bracknell.

A property manager ran off with two months’ rent and a deposit. Bracknell had no rent income.

The state raised its property taxes. The property tax went up from about $750 to $3,500 a year, said Bracknell.

Negotiating with bank: “I tried to contact my lender to try to make the payments, but obviously, they don’t want tot talk to you,” said Bracknell. “So you really have to default in order to get the bank’s attention.” That didn’t work.

Shortsale: “I decided to cut my losses there, because obviously I’m not able to recoup the money,” said Bracknell. “I hired a short-sale company, an investor group that makes offers on these houses … and negotiates the shortsale with the bank,” said Bracknell.

Credit cuts: Bracknell had two American Express cards, with credit limits of $18,000 and $38,000. Since 1996, “I have never carried balances, paid every balance for the last 13 years.”

In March 2009, American Express “cut my credit down to $2000.”

Business impact: For the aerial photography business, “I can’t rent helicopters or airplanes using credit cards or do business like I normally do.”

Sleepless nights: “I got some chest pains a few weeks ago,” said Bracknell. “I had my sleepless nights, sleepless weeks, months. But I decided I can’t give in to it.”

Responsibility: “To be honest, I don’t think I did anything wrong,” said Bracknell. “I put 20-percent down, full doc loans. I treated my tenants well.”

“But due to the economic climate, certain people got too greedy,” she said. “Small people on the street really have to feel it and change their whole life.

How she’s surviving: Savings.

Future: “I love real estate,” said Bracknell. “I love to actually help people to make the right decision. And that’s why I’m using all that experience … to give that advice to other investors, who now have the cash to do the investments and turn those properties around,” she said.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Woodbury’s settlement breakdown

$445,000 — Mortgage owed
$ 26,000 — Real estate commissions
$ 7,000 — Title fees
$ 16,000 — FIRPTA* tax
+ $ 13,000 — Penalties and late fees
—————————————-
= $507,000 — TOTAL OWED

Amount still needed to close

$507,000 — Total owed
- $475,000 — Sale price
- $ 25,000 — Loans and savings Woodbury brought to table
—————————————-
= $ 7,000 — Difference needed to close

Appraisal value 2006: $775,000

* Foreign Investment in Real Estate Property income tax for non-owner occupied properties.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Monday, April 27, 2009

Robert Noble imagines a day when across the nation, instead of car owners paying big companies for gasoline, the reverse happens: Car owners get paid for putting energy into charging stations.

It’s possible with a network of electric cars.

“We see it everywhere,” said Noble, the founder of Envision Solar, a La Jolla-based solar installation company.

Last week, his company kicked off this dream. Envision Solar International, which Noble started in 2006, announced the nation’s most advanced solar-powered electric-car charging station. The Capitol Hill event was done in collaboration with Bright Automotive, an Indiana-based company, which unveiled a breakthrough electric-hybrid van.

But in an interview given one day after returning to San Diego, Noble said he also wants to promote the concept here. He is talking to potential partners about installing such charging stations across the county.

“In San Diego, it’s completely feasible,” said Noble. “We absolutely would love to see the first project here in San Diego.”

At the charging stations just announced, electric car drivers can pay for electricity powered by the sun to charge their cars. But during peak hours, when energy is in high demand, they can also “draw down” their batteries and sell electricity back to the stations at a premium price, said Noble.

Envision is a solar installation company moving into the electric car market. Its solar-paneled parking lots have led the industry, with high-profile structures at Kyocera’s San Diego headquarters and the UC San Diego campus. It has other projects in Napa, Calif.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Golden, Colo.; and West Africa.

Bright Automotive was the first car designer to commission a hybrid-electric car charging station, to be promoted in conjunction with its electric utility vehicle. It chose Envision based on the company’s track record, according to press statements.

As the electric car industry grows, many companies are competing to have their technologies become industry standards, with a variety of battery types and capabilities being built. But Noble said that its new charging stations, officially called CleanCharge/Solar Tree Charging Stations, can be used with any type of electric cars.

“We are technology agnostic,” he said.

How the stations work

Envision’s charging station works by absorbing solar energy from the roofs of the structure. It turns the energy into electricity, which is downloaded through a pump, much like a traditional gas pump. The driver, who uses an electric car – 100 percent electric or a hybrid – pulls up and inserts a credit card into the machine.

The car owner is charged based on the amount of electricity used, and the time of day pumped. During peak hours, such as afternoons, the price would be higher. During non-peak hours, such as at night, the price would be lower, said Noble.

Get paid more during peak hours
Here’s the amazing part: car owners could actually get paid by utility companies to give back electricity through such charging stations. Instead of pumping electricity from the stations into their cars, owners with high battery levels could actually do the reverse and get paid for it.

“They would pay you a far higher premium for the energy, because it’s peak time,” said Noble.

Noble explains why. “When a peak load happens – summer, 2 p.m. — they have to generate the electricity or there will be a blackout. They can’t just cut back evenly on all appliances. If more air-conditioners are on than they can accommodate, they have to black out.”

As a back up, utilities use other generators, which are very expensive to build and maintain, said Noble.
But with an electricity “smart grid,” said Noble, the utility company can access additional energy through cars.

“If you have programmed your (electric) car to allow for a draw down of your battery, then the utility (company) can actually use that energy,” he said. “It will save the utility an enormous amount of money for not having to build another power plant, because they can draw down from the extensive fleet of electric vehicles that are in the parking lot.”

A “smart grid” allows solar electricity generated in one part of the network to be used in another part, he explained. It also is a renewable resource, because utility companies currently use fossil fuels to generate electricity. By using electricity created by the sun, the supply is infinite.

Challenges

The greatest obstacle to widespread use of such technology is education. The general public does not know about or understand how electric cars or smart grids work, Noble said.

Joseph Gottlieb, president of the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego, notes that solar electric car charging stations is not a new concept and “totally feasible.” At least two other San Diego companies were working on similar projects, he said, but Envision’s seems to be the first to market, with a “smart grid” connection.
____________________________________________________________________________________

About the company

Revenues 2007: $150,000

Revenues 2008: $3 million

Revenues 2009 projected: More than $5 million

Number of projects 2007: 2

Number of projects 2008: 9

Number of projects 2009 projected: 15

Number of employees: 8

Expertise in San Diego: engineers, designers

Manufacturing locations: California, Pennsylvania, and in future, Arizona and India.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Michael Phelps, the Olympic Gold medalist swimmer, has signed a deal with San Diego’s H20 Audio to represent the company’s waterproof audio products. It is his first endorsement since photos ran last year of him using a bong.

“We are not disclosing financial details of the partnership, but it’s a multi-year deal similar to our other athlete agreements,” said Destin Judy (Judy is her last name), a company spokesperson, in an email.

“Most importantly, our goals for the partnership and mission for the sport of swimming are aligned: encourage more people to get in the pool, help people live a healthier lifestyle, and continue to provide the highest quality, best performance waterproof headphones and accessories for active people everywhere,” Judy said.

H20 Audio will market Phelps’ image at stores such as Target, Best Buy, Apple and Amazon.com. The marketing campaign will include promotional displays, packaging, photos and video. The products include waterproof headphones and accessories that can be used with Apple iPods while swimming.

“H2O Audio is extremely proud to welcome Michael Phelps to our team,” said Kristian Rauhala, founder and chief executive officer of the Sorrento Valley-based company.

Phelps plans on attending the 2012 London Games, according to a USA Today report.

Phelps was won 16 Olympic medals and 17 World Champion awards. After he admitted that the bong photo was him, Phelps was suspended from the USA Swimming Team for three months and cancelled by sponsor Kellogg’s. He continues to hold sponsorships with Visa, Speedo and Omega.

“Music has always been a huge part of my life and my training, and I am excited to partner with H2O Audio to help bring music to the water,” said Phelps in a prepared statement.

H2O Audio also has endorsement contracts with Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and pro surfer Laird Hamilton.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Thursday, April 9, 2009

T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oilman turned clean-energy maven, sounded the clarion call of U.S. energy independence on Thursday in San Diego, while speaking before a group of business leaders. “We have to get off foreign oil,” he said. “We have got to get our own resources.” Pickens spoke before 477 members of the San Diego Rotary Club 33, at the Sheraton Hotel Harbor Island. He was here to promote The Pickens Plan, his multi-faceted effort to develop wind, solar and natural gas sources in the U.S., as well as his New York Times best-seller, “The First Billion is the Hardest.” The billionaire has invested $150 million in clean energy industries, an amount that will reach $2 billion by 2011, he said. His companies include BP Capital Management, a fund group; Clean Energy, a publicly-listed natural gas company; and other companies, which use groundwater and wind energy. A staunch Republican, Pickens spoke of how he has spent time in recent months discussing clean energy with President Obama, Al Gore, and even Sierra Club leader Carl Pope. “It has nothing to do with politics,” he said. “I just want to solve this problem.” The billionaire noted that several points of his plan were included in Obama’s stimulus package – including funding a smart grid, wind and solar energy. Speaking of Obama, “I think his plan is our plan,” said Pickens. Pickens also met with Democrats House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Rep. Henry Waxman. “Twenty minutes with that crowd is a long time,” he said, to laughter. Then Pickens explained that it was hard to nail down so much time with them, but they ended speaking for one-and-one-half hours. Pickens offered advice about the pending Climate Bill and Energy Bill, which he hopes will be passed by August.

The oil magnate publicly launched his plan in July 2008, months after it fell on deaf ears with former President Bush. Pickens spent $60 million of his own funds on a widespread television and Internet campaign, and met with both John McCain and Obama during that time. He wanted it to be at the forefront of public attention during the elections, he said, because by buying oil from Middle Eastern coutnries, “we are paying for both sides of the war.”

The maverick has garnered serious support for The Pickens Plan. Some 1.5 million people have signed up as members, including 47,000 from California, he said. Member organizations include the Sierra Club and AT&T, which committed to converting 84,000, or 10 percent, of its vehicles to natural gas after hearing him speak. Having delved deeply into U.S. energy issues, Pickens strongly urged moving away from foreign dependence of any kind.

He said that both John McCain and Obama had thought during last year’s campaign the key issue for alternative energy was battery efficiency. But since the Chinese are market leaders in batteries, this would only shift the dependence to another country, he said. “We (don’t want to) get off Saudi oil and get on Chinese batteries.”

Instead, wind, solar, natural gas and shale would allow America to achieve energy independence, he said. Pickens plans to build the largest wind farm in the U.S., based in Texas, as part of a wind corridor running down the midwest and southern states. He is also tapping natural gas, which he said is cheap, clean and abundant.

The hale 80-year-old rattled off numbers that painted a picture of unsustainable oil dependence. If present consumption levels continue, the U.S. will import $10 trillion of foreign oil in ten years, he noted.

Oil barrel prices of $147 a barrel would cost the U.S. $3.2 trillion dollars, lower prices of $75 a barrel will increase global demand that would push prices back up. Since the U.S. uses 25 percent of the world’s oil, the prices will be exorbitant, he said. “If we don’t get it solved, we’re going to pay a horrible price for it,” he said.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Pickens’ San Diego connection
Pickens is married to Madeleine, a San Diego businesswoman and former widow of Allen Paulson, an aerospace multimillionaire and founder of the Del Mar Country Club. Pickens and Madeleine married in 2005.

Energy facts
The U.S. imports 70 percent of its oil, most of it from countries hostile to the U.S. Wind energy has the capacity to supply 30 percent of the country’s energy needs by 2030. Natural gas vehicles could cut foreign gasoline use by one-third, or more than $230 billion annually.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Homeowners aren’t the only ones affected by the mortgage mess. Business owners are too. It’s worse when they’re both.

“People would lose their homes before they lose their business,” said Vino Pajanor, president at Housing Opportunities Collaborative, a San Diego-based nonprofit group. “The business is an ego for them.”

Pajanor spoke on Thursday in Del Mar at a forum aimed at helping business owners avoid foreclosure.The event was hosted by County of San Diego vice chair Pam Slater-Price, and featured experts from the banking, mortgage, legal and government industries.

As the nation’s economy and housing values continue to erode, more small business owners are getting caught in the black hole of foreclosures across the country, Pajanor said. His group, which represents 47 San Diego nonprofits and is backed by the federal government, typically counsels some 210 San Diego homeowners a month. About 15 to 20 percent are small business owners.

“We are seeing small business owners whose home equities are cashed, Pajanor said. “They are using the HELOC (home equity line of credit) to do the cashflow for their businesses. ” But “in the past year, the equity in their homes has been stripped away, therefore the cash flow is gone.

The types of business owners the center has counseled span a wide range: dry cleaners, donut shop owners, restaurant owners, real estate agents, attorneys, doctors and engineers. They may have gone through a pay cut or their spouse lost a job, and they want to prepare for future scenarios, Pajanor said. “These are individuals who were raking in money in the past and their money has dried up.”

He gave an example of a restaurant owner whose sales dropped because people are eating out less. The restaurant owner takes out a HELOC to fund the business to pay employees and rent. But the house’s market value goes down, so the amount available is less. Meanwhile all the money has gone into the business, which continues to lose money.

“There’s no equity, the house is upside down, business is not good, they’re able to pay their mortgages, they’re not able to run the business,” said Pajoner. “It’s the perfect time to foreclose on the house and lose the business.”

In these times, business owners need to manage wisely, said Dennis Guseman, dean of business administration at Cal State University San Marcos. Business owners need to get back to basics, focus their efforts and create as much liquidity as possible, he said. “Analyze, what business are you in? Who is your customer? How do you provide value?”

Business owners should talk to their bankers as soon as they sense trouble, said Bank of Escondido president Mike Peters. He also advised business owners to revise their business plans often, to build in liquidity. “Bankers make loans based on cashflow,” he said.

Financial scams are on the rise, but free help is available from government agencies, said Myrna Pascual, a specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These are trained specialists who can negotiate with mortgage lenders on behalf of homeowners for free.

For many business owners, “losing the business is worse than losing the home,” said Pajanor of the Housing Opportunities Collaborative. At the free clinics they offer, a majority of the small business owners counseled are minorities — Latinos, black, Asians, he said. Typically, it is the wife who brings the husband.

Pajanor said many minorities have difficulty giving up their businesses, because it would mean “losing face” — or facing shame — their ethnic communities, said Pajanor.

Nationally, some 3 million loans are toxic mortgages belonging to small business owners, said Pajanor. These are mostly short term, adjustable mortgages – called Alt-A and option arms in the business – that have only begun to reset in late 2008 and early 2009. This means a new wave of foreclosures that are expected to peak in 2010, he said.
_______________________________________________________________________________

Free housing counseling agencies approved by HUD

Call toll free: 1-800-569-4287

Housing Opportunities Collaborative

Altria Community Housing

Community Housing Works

Mabuhay Alliance

Neighborhood House Association

San Diego Urban League

Springboard – San Diego

Tips for avoiding foreclosure

– Don’t ignore the problem
– Contact your lender as soon as you realize you have a problem.
– Open and respond to all mail from your lender.
– Know your mortgage rights.
– Understand mortgage prevention options.
– Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor.

www.housingcollaborative.org

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Mara Fortin and Judy Shuta of San Diego traveled to Los Angeles on Tuesday to watch Adam Lambert sing in the final showdown of “American Idol.”

Lambert performed against Kris Allen of Conway, Ark., in the last competition at downtown L.A.’s Nokia Theater.

More than 88 million people voted after last week’s episode, with “only” a million votes separating the top two singers, Lambert and Allen. This Tuesday night, the two will sang their final numbers, before the audience votes. The winner will be announced Wednesday night in the show’s season finale.

Mara, 36, and her mother Judy, 61, have been following Lambert since the season began. Mara, a business woman, is also a graduate of Mt. Carmel High. Judy, an assistant to the principal at Mt. Carmel High School, has known Lambert since he attended school there.

They both met Lambert two weeks ago, when he visited his alma mater for a student meet-and-greet and sang for the students and the public.

They got complimentary tickets to attend Tuesday’s show, from a friend from Star 94.1.

Mara and Judy sent SDNN updates throughout the day, before they entered the Nokia Theatre, and after they came out. Follow them here.

“It’s very personal to me, since I knew Adam,” said Judy. “It’s fun to see one of our own on ‘American Idol’ and possibly win the title.”

“It’s the ‘American Idol’ journey,” said Mara. “We’re just here to have a good time and support Adam. He deserves to win.”

Their adventure will be updated with the most recent posted first:

9:13 p.m. Mara and Judy drive back to San Diego.

“We’re dead tired, our feet hurt, and we can’t wait to get home,” said Judy.

8:54 p.m. Mara and Judy recall other parts of the show

“Adam and Kris are very close,” said Mara. “After each set, one would leave the stage and the other would come to set up, and they would hug each other.”

The two singers had done a coin toss, to see who would sing first. Allen won, and he chose to go second. By doing so, the audience would end the evening on his song and the judge’s comments for him.

Carrie Underwood sang the final song. She had a leg injury and limped onto the stage, said Mara, but when the cameras rolled, she belted it out and the audience couldn’t tell she was injured. When she was done, “she was limping off the stage,” said Mara.

Mara had the opportunity to see Lambert up close, because he chatted several times with the woman standing next to her — Kristi Gill, who performed in several high school musicals with Lambert.

Judy got to go to the front row and see Lambert’s father, Eber.

Judy said that the theater was actually very noise, with people and cameras moving around. “There was noise everywhere,” she said. “The performance we could hear pretty well, as long as people weren’t screaming. It’s much clearer to watch on TV.”

After the show, they mingled with the audience and took photos with Lambert’s dad, Eber.

7:35 p.m. Mara and Judy recall the show

Mara said: “I was in the front, right in the middle. I was closer to the stage than the judges. If I wanted to, I could reach out and touch them (the singers).”

Mara was in the moshpit, where fans stand the whole show.

“When you’re standing in that pit, it’s all about the arms, big movements. The producer told us to ‘Move your arms, everything is exaggerated.’ You have to get your arms up in the air to look like there’s anything going on there,” said Mara.

Lambert and Allen sang three songs: one that they sang previously in the show. One that Idol producer Simon Fuller chose. And another that Kara DioGuardi co-wrote.

The first song was something each did well with early in the season, though Mara and Judy could not remember any of the songs. Simon Cowell gave the first round to Allen.

[For the first song, Lambert sang, "Mad World." Jackson called it an "A+" performance; DioGuardi called him an "extraordinary singer and incredible artist." But Cowell called it "over theatrical," like something from Phantom of the Opera.

[Allen's first song was "Ain't No Sunshine." The judges raved about his artistic style. Cowell said that Allen won round one.]

The second song, said Mara, Cowell said “Adam won by a million miles, it was way over the top, Adam nailed it.”

[For the second song, chosen by Fuller, Lambert sang "Change is Gonna Come." Jackson called it "unbelievable," DioGuardi called it the "best interpretation" of songs, Abdul called him a "superstar" and "iconic." Cowell said Lambert was "back in the game."

[Allen's second song, also chosen by Fuller, was "What's Going On." Jackson said: "Its a little light for this big ole room." DioGuardi praised his ability to "uplift people, make think, make them feel." Cowell said: "You did not grab hold of it and make it your own." He gave round two to Lambert.]

“When Adam sang his second song,” said Mara, “he did such a fabulous job, everyone went wild.” But with Allen, “it didn’t catch us, and we didn’t get as excited. During the commercial, the producer came over and told us, ‘Can you please get more excited? Wave your hands as much as possible.’”

[For the third, Lambert and Allen sang the same song, "No Boundaries." Cowell called Lambert "one of the best, most original contestants we've ever had on the show." Cowell told Allen, "You thoroughly, thoroughly deserve to be standing on this stage tonight." ]

“None of (the judges) predicted that Adam would be the winner, but the way they were congratulating them, it was clear that Adam would be the winner,” said Mara.

“With Kris, they kept saying, you deserve to be here. You should be proud, almost like a consolation. Simon said, ‘By the look on your parents’ faces, you should be proud,’” said Mara.

“With Adam, their comments were, ‘You’re so powerful, you have this amazing voice, you’re one of the most talented singers to be on this stage,’” said Mara.

“They felt that if America voted properly, Adam Lambert would be the American Idol for season eight,” said Mara.

Judy sat in the audience area, about eight rows back. She was amazed by the stars she saw at the show, including: Anthony Hopkins and Katie Holmes and her daughter.

She was also impressed by all the Idol finalists who were at the show. In all, the theater held some 7,000 to 8,000 audience members, she said.

But most all, Judy loved watching Lambert sing. “It was an absolutely thrilling performance.”

2:35 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 4:23 p.m.: Phones turned off.

“American Idol” audience participants must hand in their cell phones, cameras and other equipment when they enter the theater, said Mara, who has been to a show before.

Mara said earlier she would probably only take in a stick of lip gloss.

1:53 p.m.: Arrive in L.A.

Judy and Mara arrived in L.A. and parked at Staples Center.

“The L.A. traffic wasn’t exciting at all,” said Judy. “It’s quite a mess. It makes me glad I live in San Diego.”

Judy and Mara touch up their make-up. “We can’t bring that in,” said Judy. “We’re doing that in the car.”

Judy saw a lot of people walking down the street, forming a line.

Mara got on the phone to check where they were supposed to meet the other San Diego fans — the flag pole.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.

See original story on SDNN

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Oh my god, Adam Lambert will be in San Diego on Friday!

You know, Adam, the “American Idol” contestant who might actually win this season’s crazy-wild show.

The one with the slate-chopped hair, black-painted fingernails, nasty green eyes and marathon banshee screams.

The one who grew up in Rancho Penasquitos, went to Mt. Carmel High School, and performed in local children’s theater.

Adam Lambert, the “rock God,” as “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi called him, will be visiting the homeboys this week. Lambert is slated to do an interview with Jeff and Jer on Star 94.1, and perform a free concert at his old high school Friday at 10 a.m.

Aahhhhhhhhhhh!

At Mt. Carmel, some of Adam’s biggest fans are doing their all to make sure he wins.

Allyson Jacyln Ruiz, 14, text messaged 500 times to vote for him on Tuesday night. “Literally 500 times, I was like 500 outboxes,” she said. “I loved his performance, I loved the song he sang…I really want to see him win.”

Kira Compana, 16, Stephanie Valdez, 17 and their friends Sarah, 16, and Ashley, 16, are making posters and T-shirts with Lambert’s photos in preparation for the concert.

Compana, who works on the high school yearbook, said they plan to give Lambert a tour of the school if time allows. Valdez said Lambert was going to tour the theater, with all the drama students.

Compana said that when she found out Lambert would be there, “I ran up… screaming, because he’s my favorite on ‘American Idol.’”

Students in the drama school see him as a role model. “It encourages me to do more,” said Carribean Parnell, 14. “When you look at how far he went, it makes me want to go further.”

Kimi Nothduret, 15, a drama student, said that when she heard him sing one particular song, “I almost cried.”

Even though a lot of people think Lambert is gay, no one cares. Photos have been floating around the Internet showing Lambert kissing other men and Lambert has told “Access Hollywood”: “I have nothing to hide. I am who I am.”

“What does it matter?” asked Hannah Gillespie, 14. “It’s a personal choice, whatever.”

The girls think Lambert’s hot. “He’s a bomb,” said Parnell. And he’s got style. “He’s OG,” said Gillespie, meaning “orginal gangster,” which means he’s an original singer.

Even the school staff is rooting for their former student. Judy Shuta, administrative assistant to the principal knew him when Lambert performed in high school musicals, including “Big River” and “The Secret Garden.” She recalled his talent, while flipping through old yearbooks that showed Lambert’s photos.

Shuta and other staff have been emailing district teachers and staff, encouraging them to vote.

Especially after Lambert ranked in the bottom three the previous week, Shuta cranked up the heat, voting for two hours straight Tuesday night. “We’re doing our part to keep Adam running,” she said, “because we think he’s the best.”

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenChang.