
Jonathan Horn
Jonathan Horn covered real-estate and economics for the Union-Tribune.
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The minimum wage in San Diego is in store for a series of boosts, and they’re not just coming from the state. The San Diego City Council voted 6-3 last...

SD business leaders at White House talking fiscal cliff
Three San Diego business leaders are at the White House today, meeting with President Barack Obama's advisers, Department of Commerce officials and other regional business executives on the fiscal...

Should your boss pay for your parking tickets?
Picture this: Your boss sends you out of the office to attend an afternoon meeting with a client at a coffee shop. You get back to your car to drive...

Hitler’s desk set fails to sell in Solana Beach
The military antiquities dealer in Solana Beach who was planning to auction Adolf Hitler’s inkwell desk set said last week that he and its owner could not agree on a...

Nuclear steam generators hit the road
SAN ONOFRE — Portions of four massive nuclear steam generators that were part of the San Onofre nuclear power plant for nearly 30 years will each soon make their way through North...

Teen entrepreneurs win national title
A team of teenagers from Carmel Valley's Canyon Crest Academy was named Junior Achievement's national company of the year for creating a smart phone app that connected their campus.The app,...

San Diego’s housing market at mid-year
The costs of housing continued to rise in San Diego in the first half of 2015 both for renters and for owners.The prices are outpacing wage growth, a trend that...

Haggen to close six stores in San Diego
The struggling Haggen grocer announced Friday that it will close 27 stores in the southwest over the next 60 days, including six in San Diego.The grocer, which earlier this year...

Poll: LA fans have eyes on the Chargers
The Chargers haven’t called Los Angeles home since their first season in 1960, but it appears a lot of Angelenos would welcome them back.A poll of the 5-county Los Angeles...

Report: statewide job growth could slow
The pace of job growth in California is expected to slow somewhat in the coming months, says a report released Wednesday by Chapman University.The slowdown will stem from a decline...

San Diego’s economy has mixed month
San Diego County's economy continued to expand in June, but the gains were lessened by weakness in the job market and consumer confidence.A report released Tuesday by the University of...

San Diego 3rd worst in home supply
San Diego’s housing market is one of the nation’s worst for buyers, but also one of the best for sellers.A study released Thursday by real-estate tracker Zillow says the supply...

Local home price gains hold steady
Home price gains in San Diego County held steady in May, as the local housing market geared up for its annual peak season.The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed Tuesday...

How a new ‘Q’ may change Mission Valley
As San Diegans continue to wonder where the Chargers will play after this season, Mission Valley residents may have a question that hits closer to home: What would happen to...

Haggen grocery begins layoffs
Haggen grocer, which opened 25 stores in San Diego County earlier this year, is laying off workers across Southern California, Arizona and Nevada.The company would not say how many jobs...

Is Chargers stadium EIR a wise expense?
Q: Is it economically wise for the city to spend $2.1 million on an expedited EIR to replace Qualcomm Stadium?Marney Cox, San Diego Association of GovernmentsAnswer: YES Yes. There is...

Is the housing market fully recovered?
Q: The number of sales in San Diego County in June reached pre-recession levels. Does that mean that the housing market is fully recovered? Why or why not?•Murtaza Baxamusa, directs...

Daily Transcript to close after 130 years
The San Diego Daily Transcript, once the business community’s go-to publication for industry news and listings, is going out of print after 130 years.A statement posted to the business newspaper’s...

Love where you work? Nominate your employer
If you’re ionate about your workplace, The San Diego Union-Tribune would like to spread the word. For the third straight year, the Union-Tribune is hosting a program to recognize the...

Cities take their stadium cases to NFL
A heroic late-game interception saved the Chargers from a heartbreaking loss to the St. Louis Rams last season.But in the off-the-field game of keeping their NFL teams from moving to...

Unemployment rate ticks up to 5 percent
Job growth in San Diego County slowed in June and the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent, but analysts say the region’s economy remains on solid footing.Last month, employers...

Housing market has banner month
San Diego County's housing market had a banner month in June, with sales reaching pre-recession levels and the median sale price rising to a nearly eight year high.Last month, the...

Haggen grocery its it’s struggling
Haggen grocer, which opened 25 stores in San Diego County earlier this year, announced Tuesday that it is reducing staff hours across the southwest because it's having trouble competing. The...

What a rate hike may mean for housing
The last time the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, home prices in San Diego County were near record highs and the Great Recession wasn’t even a term Americans knew.Later this...

San Diego exports reach record high
Exports of goods from San Diego County businesses reached a record high of nearly $19 billion in 2014, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.Last year, San Diego companies shipped electronics, machinery,...

Harsh reality for young homebuyers
San Diegans who are between 25 and 30 years old may be graying by the time they can save enough to buy a median-priced home here.A study released Wednesday by...

Airbnb to collect San Diego tourist taxes
Airbnb will begin collecting tourist taxes later this month directly from San Diego's visitors on behalf of its hosts.Previously, Airbnb hosts were expected to collect the 10.5 percent transient occupancy...

Cash coming to companies that export
Fifteen San Diego companies that aim to increase their exports are poised for a $10,000 boost.The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. today plans to announce a first of its...

San Diego economy sees slower growth
San Diego County's economy continued to expand in May, but the growth was the slowest since last year.A report released Tuesday by the University of San Diego still points to...

Tax on gas drops 6 cents
Californians hitting the road for a July 4 holiday can expect a bit of relief at the gas pump. The state is lowering the per-gallon tax, called the excise tax,...

San Diego home prices rising steadily
Single family home prices in San Diego County continued to rise steadily in April, the S&P Case-Shiller Case Shiller Home Price Index showed Tuesday. The 4.5 percent year-over-year appreciation rate...

Better job market leaving some behind
Debbie Veale finds it hard to believe that San Diego County’s unemployment rate is below 5 percent.“That’s a joke,” says Veale, an unemployed Poway resident. “I know so many people...

Are underwater homes still a problem?
Q: Is negative equity still a drag on the housing market? Why or why not?•Murtaza Baxamusa, directs planning and development for the Family Housing Corporation, of the San Diego Building...

Renters pay up as homeownership drops
Fewer San Diegans are living in homes that they own, and renters are paying the price.A study released Wednesday by Harvard University’s t Center for Housing Studies says the rate...

Aumento de rentas supera el de los salarios
Más pruebas de que la aceleración de la economía en San Diego está haciendo subir las rentas más rápido que los salarios se presentaron el pasado miércoles para dejar claro...

SD unemployment rate ticks up to 4.9%
San Diegans flooded the county’s labor force in May, causing the unemployment rate to tick up to 4.9 percent despite the region’s employers adding a solid 9,500 jobs. The jobless...

Does wage growth mean raises for all?
Wages in San Diego County grew twice as fast as inflation in last year’s fourth quarter, but economists say that doesn't mean everyone's getting a raise.Data released this week by...

Home price appreciation slows to 3.1%
The pace of annual home price appreciation in San Diego County neared a three-year low in May, as the housing market moves into what is traditionally peak homebuying season. Last...

Chargers jolt single game ticket prices
Whether it was in newspaper classifieds, or more recently on Stubhub or Craigslist, brokers and fans for years have nabbed extra cash by selling concert and sports tickets for above...

What’s up with those credit card chips?
Notice anything odd about a new credit or debit card that recently came in the mail?If it’s a small microchip embedded in the corner, you’re not the only one.Americans have...

Nearly 40K SD homeowners ‘underwater’
Six years after the end of the Great Recession, tens of thousands of San Diego County homeowners are still underwater on their mortgages — although their numbers are plummeting toward...

San Diego’s retail market among the best
Driven by job growth and tighter supply, San Diego County’s commercial real estate market for retail space is emerging as one of the nation’s more robust for landlords, a new...

La Jolla Village Theater cierra el domingo
La Jolla Village Theater, de Landmark, proyectará su última película el domingo 14 d ejunio. El edificio será demolido para dar lugar a una tienda Nordstrom Rack.El teatro de cuatro...

Still frustrated by the job market?
Are you unemployed and tired of reading about how great San Diego County's job market is doing?After all, the jobless rate fell to a roughly nine-year low last month of...

La Jolla Village Theater to close Sunday
Landmark's La Jolla Village Theater will show its last films Sunday, as it set to be torn down to make way for a Nordstrom Rack. The four-screen theater, which shows...

Who are the best employers in San Diego?
If you’re ionate about your workplace, The San Diego Union-Tribune would like to spread the word.For the third straight year, the Union-Tribune is hosting a program to recognize the county’s...

Foreclosed? Maybe you can buy again
When Chad Sanfillipo got the keys to his house in Ramona last year, he had come full circle in the real estate market.After losing his home to a short sale...

High gas prices have Californians down
Higher gas prices got you down?Turns out you're not the only one.A study released Thursday by Orange County's Chapman University says California consumer sentiment dipped significantly from a ten-year high...

Rising jobs push rents even higher
More evidence emerged Wednesday that San Diego’s accelerating economy is driving up rents faster than employers are increasing wages, pinching many households.The San Diego County Apartment Association reported that the...

Company folds holding cherished photos
Mindy Sanjana shipped 400 cherished family photos from her home in Pittsburgh to a San Diego company, waiting for them to be scanned and turned into a scrapbook she could...

Landmark theater out, Nordstrom Rack in
It’s probably a sad ending for lovers of independent films, but a plus for people who enjoy high-end style with a bit of a discount.In fall 2016, Nordstrom Rack is...

What are more home sales telling us?
Q: Home sales in San Diego County sured 4,000 in a month in April for the first time since August 2013. What does that tell us about the current housing...

San Diego economy continues to grow
San Diego County's economy is continuing its strong start to 2015, a report released Thursday by the University of San Diego says.The university's index of leading economic indicators measures six...

PennySaver magazine disappearing
Mailboxes across California are going to be a little more empty in the days ahead. PennySaverUSA, a coupon magazine that has been delivered statewide for the last 50 years, abruptly...

County housing market remains solid
The pace of annual home price appreciation held steady in San Diego in March, the S&P Case Shiller Index showed Tuesday.In March, resale single family home prices rose about 4.8...

Want a summer job? Try SeaWorld, Legoland
Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer, and for thousands of San Diego students the time to snag a summer job. The good news for them is that the...

Why Chargers need cash to stay
When it comes to financing new NFL stadiums, think of the Great Recession as halftime in a one-sided football game poised for a big shift in momentum. In the first...

Unemployment at more than 7-year low
Broad-based job growth pushed San Diego County’s unemployment rate down to 4.8 percent in April, its first foray below 5 percent since 2008 and its lowest point since the start...

County housing market still accelerating
Home sales in San Diego County sured 4,000 for the first time in nearly two years in April, as the median sales price continued to rise over the year.Real-estate tracker...

Should the Chargers stay or go?
Document Stadium Advisory Group finance plan .PDF Should the Chargers stay or go? A look at what the Chargers gain or lose by staying in San Diego or moving...

Water restrictions could squeeze profits
Some San Diego businesses are concerned that mandatory water restrictions associated with California's drought will cause revenue loss and job cuts.A survey released Friday by the San Diego Regional Chamber...

Slow consumer spending a concern?
Q: Are you concerned that consumer spending is not increasing at the same healthy rate as job growth? Marney Cox, San Diego Association of GovernmentsAnswer: YES One contributor to the...

Gas prices could hit $4 this weekend
The average price for a regular gallon of gasoline is poised to $4 per gallon this weekend, a spokesman for the Auto Club said Thursday.Currently, the average price for...

Penthouse comes with free Tesla
If you can afford the $8 million penthouse on the 41st floor of downtown's Harbor Club, you can probably buy your own Tesla.But the person who snags the top-floor unit...

Did you lose your home in the recession?
Did you lose your home during the Great Recession?If so, The San Diego Union Tribune would like to talk to you for a news story. We are interested in telling...

San Diego region sees growth in cycles
San Diego’s growth has come in waves over the past 100-plus years, conflicted by a desire to expand while protecting the region’s environment. The tagline, “Smokestacks vs. Geraniums,” born out...

Local economy boasts a record quarter
San Diego County's economy had one of its best quarters on record, according to a report released Wednesday by the University of San Diego. The University's index of leading economic...

Gas prices jump 30 cents in a week
San Diegans are paying more at the pump.The average price for a regular gallon of gas has jumped 30.5 cents to $3.51 in the last week, the Auto Club of...

Region’s home price gains hold steady
The pace of home-price appreciation in San Diego County remained steady in February, as the market got closer to its annual peak homebuying season. The S&P Case Shiller Home Price...

Company charged after man burned to death in tuna oven
San Diego-based Bumble Bee Tuna and two individuals were charged with felonies for violating worker safety rights when a 62-year-old employee was burned to death in an oven with six...

Port truckers walk off job near border
Truckers who serve the ports in San Diego, Long Beach and Los Angeles walked off the job on Monday in an effort to be reclassified from independent contractors to full-time...

Will we get a peak real estate season?
Q: After a slow 2014, does the March jump in sales mean that San Diego County will have a peak real-estate season this year? Why or why not?•Murtaza Baxamusa, directs...

Why your rent won’t stop rising
Julian Cummings recently returned to his Pacific Beach apartment to find a notice taped to the door. The message was a real bummer: His rent was going up $100.Cummings, a...

Crosby golf club files for Chapter 11
The Crosby at Rancho Santa Fe golf club has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.An April 16 filing in the Northern District of Texas U.S. Bankruptcy Court says the club...

Who had the most job ads in March?
San Diego County's unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent in March, a nearly seven-year low.The state also reported last week that county employers added 8,000 jobs in February and 40,900...

San Diego jobless rate falls to 5.1 percent
A wave of broad-based hiring over the last year pushed San Diego County’s unemployment rate down to 5.1 percent in March, a nearly seven-year low.Paced by job growth in the...

State cuts taxes for 18 SD businesses
More than $20 million in tax cuts tied to promises of job creation have been awarded to 18 San Diego companies, state officials announced Thursday.The tax breaks are going to...

Did your rent get raised?
Did your landlord recently notify you that your rent is being increased? Did you also not get a raise at work?Do you have to leave your apartment for a week...

San Diego housing market surges
San Diego County's housing market surged in March, seeing its biggest annual increase in sales in nearly two years.Last month, 3,467 real-estate transactions closed in the county, a 13.4 percent...

Trulia: San Diego a home seller’s market
San Diego's real estate scene has become even more of a seller's market over the past year, says a study released Wednesday by Trulia. The real-estate tracker reports that only...

McDonald’s details all-day breakfast test
McDonald's said it will begin testing all-day breakfast at select restaurants in San Diego on Monday.Company officials said that 94 out of the fast food chain's 110 restaurants in the...

Mcdonald’s experimentara servir el desayuno todo el dia
Entra a cualquier McDonald’s de San Diego el mes de abril a las 10:31 de la mañana en un día hábil, ordena un Egg McMuffin, y prepárate.La respuesta no será:...

Reich: Income inequality hurts the rich
Income inequality in America isn’t just squeezing the middle class - it’s keeping the rich from getting even richer, former labor secretary Robert Reich said Monday in La Jolla. “The...

Rancho Santa Fe faces major water cuts
At the epicenter of California’s withering drought is the oasis of Rancho Santa Fe, lush with tropical plants, lemon groves and acre after acre of grass.The upscale enclave earned the...

SeaWorld hits back with orca-care ads
SeaWorld on Monday launched a national television ad campaign focusing on its commitment to providing the highest standard of care for its orcas.The move is the latest in the theme...

NFL surveys Chargers fans on stadium
Chargers fans in San Diego: Are you dissatisfied with Qualcomm Stadium? Would you tax dollars being used to pay for a new venue for the team? Those are two...

Reporting on costs of regaining the NFL
In this week’s Back Story, staff writer Jonathan Horn talks about his in-depth story about how other cities have dealt with the loss of an NFL team.Question: How did the...

The NFL’s ransom: New stadium, or else
HOUSTON — The home of NFL’s Houston Texans is packed with more than 65,000 fans on a rainy March evening, long after the end of football season.The capacity crowd is at state-of-the-art...

Job growth erratic across US
The nation had its worst month of hiring since December 2013, with employers adding 126,000 payroll jobs in March and the unemployment rate staying flat at 5.5 percent, the U.S....

Chargers pay for Carson economic study
A new football stadium in Carson would infuse more than $2 billion in total economic output to the Los Angeles region, according to a study released Thursday that was paid...

Centerplate on outs at Qualcomm Stadium
The Chargers may move out of Qualcomm Stadium at the end of 2015, but long-time concessionaire Centerplate may go first.The concessionaire, which has been at Qualcomm since it was Jack...

San Diego economy starts year strong
San Diego's economy is off to its best start since 2011, with across-the-board gains in both January and February, the University of San Diego reported in its index of leading...

Home price gains stay on track
The pace of home price appreciation in San Diego County hovered around its historical norm in January, as the housing market continued to be paced by traditional factors like employment,...

McDonald’s to serve breakfast all day (!!)
Walk into a San Diego McDonald’s in April at 10:31 a.m. on a weekday, order an Egg McMuffin, and brace yourself.The answer won’t be, “We stop serving breakfast at 10:30.”...

Will high utility rates hit our economy?
Q: Do San Diego’s relatively high utility rates pose a long-term problem for continued economic growth? Marney Cox, San Diego Association of GovernmentsAnswer: NOCalifornia and San Diego have had relatively...

Are home prices growing too fast?
Q: In February, the county’s median annual home price rose 7.3 percent over the year, double the 3.6 percent pace seen in November. How much higher do you think appreciation...

SeaWorld restarts sea lion shows
After a three week hiatus, the show must go on.SeaWorld San Diego on Thursday brought back its sea lion and otter show, closed since March 6 as the park freed...

Who had the most job ads in February?
San Diego County's unemployment rate neared a seven-year low of 5.3 percent in February, so where were some of the jobs?Each month, along with the statistics, the state Employment Development...

SD unemployment down to 5.3 percent
San Diego County’s unemployment rate closed in on pre-recession levels in February, dropping to a nearly seven-year low of 5.3 percent.The rate, which has fallen nearly 2 percentage points over...

SeaWorld hires new CEO
SeaWorld on Thursday named longtime theme park executive Joel Manby as its new chief executive officer, the latest move by the embattled marine park to turn around declining attendance and...