Federal Reserve’s rate cuts could impact buying a home

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, September 20th.

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How the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts could impact buying a home. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

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'YES' to housing... and 'NO' to delays.

That's part of the message from Governor Newsom yesterday (Thursday), as he signed a package of 32 bills aimed at addressing homelessness and expanding affordable housing.

“There is no doubt the state of mind for californians that i think connects more californians is a recognition that the original sin in this state is affordability and it impacts more people in more ways on more days and that’s the issue of the cost of housing."

The new laws create mandates to house vulnerable community members and increase the accountability of governments on a local level.

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Officials won’t say why a senior enlisted officer at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot was arrested and sent to the brig last week.

But a court filing suggests domestic violence.

A domestic violence restraining order against Sergeant Major Gerardo Trevino was filed in San Diego court earlier this week.

In it, his wife alleges months of physical and emotional abuse.

The Naval criminal investigative service and the marines won’t confirm his arrest was related to the allegations.

All the marines will say is that Trevino was removed from his job due to a “loss of trust and confidence.”

San Diego attorney Gary Barthel specializes in military cases.

He says he has an issue with that explanation.

“You know, when the command comes out and says those sorts of statements, it really erodes the trust and confidence the public has in the military because it seems like they're hiding the ball.”

Trevino was the battalion sergeant major for the 3rd recruit training battalion.

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Today’s (Friday) weather will be similar to what we’ve been feeling all week, but it won’t last long.

Although the official start of fall is Sunday, this weekend’s weather will feel more like summer.

But, before that, forecasters say there’s still a chance of rain this morning.

Temps in the inland and coastal areas today will be in the low 70s, in the mountains, it’ll be in the high 50s, and in the deserts it’s expected to be in the high 80s.

Starting tomorrow (Saturday), temps are expected to rise a few degrees each day, continuing into the new work week.

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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

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Stock markets shot up yesterday (Thursday) in response to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts.

Lower interest rates could make borrowing easier for lots of people.

But reporter Thomas Fudge says it may not make it easier to afford a home mortgage in San Diego.

A half a percentage point cut in interest rates may not sound like a lot. But it caused the S&P 500 to go up 1.7 percent on Thursday. The fed’s influence on home mortgage rates is indirect. But analysts believe it will reduce interest payments by homeowners significantly. Of course, lower interest rates don't necessarily translate to lower home prices. Stephanie Lloyd is a real estate broker in San Diego. “2021 when the rates were at historic lows, that created an absolute frenzy in the market, which, you know, boosted the market and people were paying significantly higher than list price.” But the rate cuts, if they continue into next year, could save homeowners thousands of dollars if they refinance the home they bought in the past two years. The next meeting of the federal reserve board will be in December. SOQ.

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Data shows Black mothers and infants face higher rates of childbirth related complications or deaths - than any other race or ethnicity in the U-S.

North County reporter Tania Thorne says San Diego County is expanding valuable resources to black mothers and babies to help bring those rates down.

Childbirth can be a happy time for a mom. But for Black mothers.. It can be different. Unfortunately, black women have higher rates of maternal morbidity and more cavity. African-American babies are more likely to die before their first birthday than Hispanic women. Asian women and Caucasian women. Iris Payne is the director of the San Diego County Black Infant Health Program. Which recently expanded into North County. We have a program because there's a need. And I think as a society, we want to recognize the needs of all of our citizens. If we all thrive individually, then we all thrive as a community. The program offers new and expecting Black mothers supportive services to help advocate for themselves in their doctors office…. as well as resources. The office located in Oceanside at 31-56 Vista Way is having a grand opening on Saturday from 1-4pm. Family portraits, activities, and food will be provided and anyone is welcome to join. TT KPBS News. 

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Safe parking programs have become a county-wide method to lift people out of homelessness.

Many participants are homeless for the first time.

Supporters say the programs catch people before they’ve lost everything.

Reporter Katie Anastas has the story of a family who lived in a safe parking lot for more than a year.

JOSHUA COULTER AND KEATEN CARRIER, SAFE PARKING CLIENTS: We've been homeless for three years, four months and 13 days. Keaten Carrier and her family became homeless after they moved back home to San Diego in spring 2021. Carrier says they got 60 days’ worth of hotel vouchers from the County. After that, odd jobs helped her and her partner, Joshua Coulter, pay for hotel stays. Then, one day, they saw a news story on TV about Jewish Family Service’s Safe Parking Program. JOSHUA COULTER AND KEATEN CARRIER, SAFE PARKING CLIENTS: Coulter: We’d seen it on TV. Carrier: We’d seen it on the news when we were in the hotel. Coulter: You called them and they said, come right down, we have a trailer for you. They’d spend the next year and three months living in a trailer at one of the program’s sites. Carrier has two sons. They’re 7 and 8 years old. KEATEN CARRIER, SAFE PARKING CLIENT: They had two birthdays here. June and July are their birthdays, and I – it's called the birthday fairy, we’ve been doing it ever since we were homeless – we take streamers and we decorate like they're hanging from the ceiling. We had things on the door. They woke up to it. Now, the family hopes to celebrate birthdays in their new apartment in Ramona. Coulter has a new construction job there, and rent is a little over $1,800 a month for a two bedroom.apartment. Jewish Family Service paid their deposit. JOSHUA COULTER AND KEATEN CARRIER, SAFE PARKING CLIENTS: I’m not an emotional man, but I felt it. They’re also buying them furniture, silverware and other things they need for their new home. The boys will have bunk beds with Spiderman and Marvel bedding. JOSHUA COULTER AND KEATEN CARRIER, SAFE PARKING CLIENTS: It makes us feel like, wow, it's almost like encouragement to continue to stay out. Out of homelessness. Jewish Family Service operates four Safe Parking sites in the City of San Diego, with more than 230 parking spaces total. The city is spending $4.6 million on the program this year. Mayor Todd Gloria says they fill a “critical gap” in the city’s shelter system. The Mission Valley lot allows RV’s and other large vehicles. Families with young children get priority for the dozen City-provided trailers at the Clairemont lot. Jesse Mendez directs the safe parking program. He says it’s rare for them to have an empty spot. JESSE MENDEZ, SAFE PARKING PROGRAM DIRECTOR: We do have a high population of older adults that are on fixed income and retired or on like disability of some sort. But the vast majority of our clients work every day. Case managers work at each Safe Parking site to connect people to housing and other services. They also try to reunite people with family members who can take them in. JESSE MENDEZ, SAFE PARKING PROGRAM DIRECTOR: The benefit of safe parking is you get to intervene at a level where people haven't really lost all their hope, they haven't lost all their possessions. A lot of our clients are first time homeless. UC San Diego researchers studying the program found that many clients wanted more flexible access to the lots. One is open 24 hours, others just in the evenings and early mornings. Clients also wanted more access to meals and showers, more case management and help overcoming racial bias when seeking housing and employment. Since 2018, the program has served more than 5,000 individuals and 3,000 households at six sites in San Diego County. Jewish Family Service says more than a third of them have moved into more secure housing, including permanent housing, hotel rooms and shelters. About a quarter of the more than 23,000 households who left the city’s shelters during that same time moved into temporary or permanent housing, according to San Diego Housing Commission data. JESSE MENDEZ, SAFE PARKING PROGRAM DIRECTOR: If a client misses one night at safe parking, I encourage myself to call them the next day and find out what happened. Nine times out of ten, the client I was just, I just found a friend or whatever. But, you know, the most response that we would get when you call someone the next day? ‘I didn't think anyone cared where I was at.’ And guess what, they come back. Because we care. People at Safe Parking and Safe Sleeping sites are considered unsheltered in the annual Point-in-Time Count. Gloria has asked the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to reclassify them as part of the sheltered homeless population. He says the unsheltered homeless count would have dropped by nearly 10% this year, instead of increasing. And, he says, it would reflect the role the sites play in connecting people to services. Mendez says part of that role is giving people hope. JESSE MENDEZ, SAFE PARKING PROGRAM DIRECTOR: It's never over. You know, it's only over when we tap out. That’s Carrier’s message to other homeless parents, too. JOSHUA COULTER AND KEATEN CARRIER, SAFE PARKING CLIENTS: This is just a season. I'm going to cry, but it – you haven't failed those children. Just keep going because when you give up, that's when you fail them. Earlier this summer, the California Coastal Commission approved a plan to turn a site in Point Loma into a safe parking lot. It’s expected to open in ___ and nearly double the number of safe parking spots in the city. Katie Anastas, KPBS news.

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P-S-A Flight 182 crashed nearly 46-years ago into a North Park neighborhood, and now there is finally a memorial to those lost.

Yesterday (Thursday), city crews placed a bronze plaque at the intersection of Dwight and Nile streets, where the plane crashed.

The area is represented by councilmember Stephen Whitburn.

Last year, he promised a memorial would be placed within a year.

His deputy chief of staff, Ryan Darsey, explained why it’s taken so long.

“For years, the community went through different kinds of situations - trying to find a location.  You know, there was kind of red tape about certain areas. Some community members wanted it in an area, others didn’t.”

The official unveiling of the plaque will happen next Wednesday on the 46th anniversary of the crash.

All 135 people aboard were killed, along with seven people on the ground.

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It’s officially fall on Sunday. And with that, comes pumpkin spice lattes, fall decor and cozy weather.

There’s also a lot going on this season, so our KPBS arts reporter, Julia Dixon Evans created a fall arts guide, to help you find fall-related happenings all in one place.

She’s here now to talk more about it.

Julia, welcome to the San Diego News Now podcast.

So what made you want to create a fall arts guide?

Can you talk about some of the stories  in the guide?

The guide is broken up into categories. Can you tell me about those and how we can work our way through the guide?

TAG: I’ve been speaking with KPBS arts reporter, Julia Dixon Evans. Julia, thank you for joining me on the podcast.

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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is produced by Emilyn Mohebbi and was edited by Joe Guerin. We’d also like to thank KPBS student assistant Alina Ajaz (A-jawz) for helping the podcast team this week. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Join us again Monday to start the week together with the day’s top stories. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.