Fall 2022 Home & Garden September 30, 2022

A Special Advertising Supplement to the Coast News Group of Publications

Home & Garden

Much ADU about housing

North County cities working for more affordability

By Laura Place

Theboom in accessory dwelling units is continu ing in San Diego Coun ty’s north coastal cities thanks to relaxed state require ments and local incentives, but renters and homeowners say more work is needed to make this housing stock truly affordable in the current market.

Many jurisdictions view accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs, granny flats or mother-in-law units, as a possi ble remedy to the housing crisis since they can be built on exist

ing single-home lots.

In Encinitas, a leader in North County when it comes to ADU construction and permit ting initiatives, permit data indi cates that more residents are ap plying for and receiving permits to construct these units in their backyard, their garage or convert an existing area of their home.

Compared to the 29 total permits approved in 2021, the city approved 79 permits in just the first eight months of 2022, re cords show.

Across the region, develop ers say permit processing times are also picking back up after slowing down during the begin ning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You’re looking at anywhere from four to six months [for a permit], sometimes two months if you’re lucky. During COVID it was 12 to 18 months, maybe two years,” said John Arendsen,

owner of Crest Backyard Homes in Encinitas. “With the econo my turning down a little bit, I thought maybe we should tighten our belts a little bit, but the oppo site is happening. We’re getting busier.”

Encinitas resident Michael Murray is one of several individ uals to construct an ADU on his property in the past few years as an additional form of income.

Murray rents out the approx imately 400-square-foot unit con nected to his home for $1,750 a month with utilities included, a cost he said is low for the area.

“I don’t rent at top-market value, but I’m certain I could get several hundred dollars more a month than I get,” Murray said. “There’s a ton of people looking. It’s actually heartbreaking … in Encinitas, a one-bedroom goes for $2,600.”

For many renters, an ADU is

all they can currently afford in the current market.

Barbara Gayle is one of sev eral individuals renting an ADU in Encinitas.

The one-bedroom unit makes up the whole top floor of the main residence, is accessible via her own entrance, and costs her $2,250 per month.

“It is an affordable option for me in the current market, but mainly because I cannot yet af ford to buy a place in [San Diego], particularly not on the coast,” said Gayle, who has lived in the unit for around three years. “The area is getting less and less af fordable, and ADUs might be a viable option for more renters.”

Zoë, another Encinitas rent er who chose to go by just her first name, pays $1,600 a month for a 200-square-foot ADU. Mov ing to a larger place is not an op tion right now due to ever-rising

housing costs.

“I could not afford to move with the prices I see, and my place will definitely rise by the time I leave by $200 to $600,” she said.

It’s hard to know how many ADUs are being used for rentals versus housing for a family mem ber or an alternative use like an office space, as jurisdictions have no obligation to collect this infor mation. Arendsen estimates that around half the ADUs his compa ny constructs are for individuals planning to rent them out.

However, if the ADU is deed-restricted for a low-income individual, cities will require homeowners to self-attest the rental value on a yearly basis.

This is the case in Carlsbad, where 227 ADUs have been con structed over the years to meet

gardening and food preservation tips.

your home from wildfires.

application denied? Here’s what to do.

The Rug Mine Breaks Barriers.

Original photo by Laura Place/The Coast News graphic

The passage of several state laws has made it notably easier for California residents to construct ADUs in the past few years.

Yard setback requirements have been decreased from 25 feet to four feet, municipalities have less say over maximum and min imum unit sizes, and homeowners no longer have to generate addi tional parking spaces if the home is within a mile of public transit.

Several local jurisdictions have embraced local ADU incen tive programs to further facilitate construction.

For the past few years, En cinitas has partnered with local architects to offer building plans for permit-ready ADUs (PRADUs) which homeowners can use when applying for an ADU permit, rath er than spending thousands on an architectural plan.

One of the firms that provid ed PRADU plans to the city is DZN Partners, which also contin ues to work with residents on cus tom designs.

Bart Smith, Principal Archi tect at DZN, said right now, the wait time for permit approval from PRADUs in Encinitas is the same as other units.

“We kind of did it as a favor to get the ADUs going,” said Smith. “Right now, it's taking the same amount of time to get those re viewed as other ADUs and custom projects.”

Encinitas spokeswoman Ju lie Taber said while permit-ready units go through the same review cycle as other units, they typically take less time overall to process.

Encinitas has issued 21 per

mits for these PRADUs since 2020, city records show. The city of Carlsbad is planning to adopt a similar program in the next year.

“We are working on a pre-ap proved ADU set, and would ex pect that by the middle of next year,” said Carlsbad City Plan ner Eric Lardy. “We would have four pre-approved detached ADU plans that customers could pick from and utilize.”

Incentives for affordable ADUs

While many cities aren’t hav ing a problem with getting resi dents to construct ADUs in gener

al, incentivizing deed-restricted, low-income ADUs is another story. Still, many leaders are counting on ADUs to help satisfy require ments for low-income unit con struction in their state-mandated Housing Elements.

In Del Mar, one of the most expensive and affluent cities in the county, an ADU Incentive Pi lot Program offers developers and property owners a 500-squarefoot floor area bonus if they agree to rent out the ADU to low-income households for at least 30 years.

Since its launch in 2018, the program has led to the creation of one deed-restricted ADU, which still remains to be rented out to a

low-income occupant. Within their current Housing Element, the city aims to provide 15 deed-restricted ADUs by 2029.

“As part of Housing Element implementation, the City is in the early stages of studying po tential new incentives to make available to encourage owners to deed restrict their ADUs for rent to low income households,” said Principal Planner Amanda Lee.

Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner said ADUs are the best hope for individuals to live af fordably in Solana Beach, where the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment is currently around $3,000, according to Zumper.

In the future, she said she would like to add an ADU grant program, which will use the city’s pot of money from in-lieu affordable housing fees to help fund the construction of deed-re stricted ADUs, to the city’s work plan.

“What we really would like to see is more deed-restricted ADUs if possible, because that’s really what we’re looking at here, is a housing crisis,” Heeb ner said.

For now, homeowners with an ADU are able to rent it out at any price they want, and many

ENCINITAS RENTER Barbara Gayle is one of several residents living in an accessory dwelling unit due to high rental prices throughout the region. The unit makes up the top floor of an existing single family home. Photo by Laura Place

Moon Valley Nurseries:

Your local one-stop nursery

Assoon as you step foot into a Moon Valley Nurseries lo cation, you realize that a dream landscape can become a reality. It seems the rows of gorgeous trees and plants go on forever, beckoning you further into this expansive forest that has been nestled amongst SoCal neighborhoods all this time.

However, the wonder of Moon Valley Nurseries doesn’t stop at the massive selection. They also pro vide free landscape design services at the nursery or at your home and offer free planting on all their speci men trees and palms!

As you peruse Moon Valley Nurseries’ impressive inventory, you can be accom panied by one of their expe rienced Nursery Pros, who will guide you through the process of renovating your landscape step-by-step.

Having the aid of knowl edgeable professionals en sures you are choosing the right trees and plants for each area of your property. The Nursery Pros at Moon Valley Nurseries make the adventure of landscaping your home easy by helping to coordinate each detail from design to selection, to planting!

THE MOON VALLEY DIFFERENCE

The value of Moon Val ley Nurseries’ trees is rooted in the way they are grown. Moon Valley Nurseries culti vates each of their trees from immaculate “Mother Trees”. These Mother Trees are ma ture specimens that exhibit superior health, shape, and resilience. By using their Mother Trees to produce each of the trees you see at their farms and nursery lo cations, they can guarantee the highest quality across their entire inventory. You

can rest assured that when you choose your trees and plants at Moon Valley Nurs eries, your landscape will benefit from the best trees and plants on Earth!

FALL LANDSCAPE TIPS

The Pros at Moon Val ley Nurseries love to help homeowners care for their landscapes and gardens, and freely offer care tips and ad vice to promote happy and healthy yards. To kick off the fall season, the Moon Valley Nurseries Pros are giving their top NUMBER tips to care for your land scape this fall.

1. Update Your Watering Schedule for Fall Temperatures

With the cooler evening and nighttime tempera tures, now is the best time to check your watering system.

The ground will not be drying as quickly as it was during the summer heat, which means your trees and plants will not need as fre quent watering. You can find watering guides for your specific trees and plants on Moon Valley Nurseries’ web site.

2. Fall is the Best Time to Plant in California

Planting now gives your new trees, plants, or palms the best conditions to estab lish strong, healthy root sys tems before the spring and summer growing seasons. Planting citrus and fruit trees during the fall will provide you with the best op portunity for fruit this com ing spring.

3. Fertilizing for Healthy Growth

Fall is also the best time to fertilize everything in your yard after the sum mer months. All your trees, palms, shrubs, and other plants will take full advan

tage of the nutrients and fer tilizers you use during the autumn season.

Moon Valley Nurseries has custom fertilizers and nutrient supplements made specifically for our region to help everything in your landscape grow strong roots, flower better, and push lush new growth. You can pick up our entire line-up of fertiliz ers at any Moon Valley Nurs eries Location.

4. Tree Care, Pruning and Trimming

After the summer, some of your trees and plants may be showing signs of stress. Now is the best time to trim off any dead, burnt, or un healthy branches from your landscape. It is important not to trim more than 1/3 of the tree or plant at any one time.

The Corner Frame Shop and Leucadia Art Gallery

Under the blue awning on Coast Highway 101 at Diana Street, the Corner Frame Shop & Leucadia Art Gallery has offered custom framing and local art for over 40 years. From the first step inside, you will be welcomed to the largest selection of frames and amaz ing fine art from acclaimed lo cal artists.

Just recently the Leucadia Art Gallery doubled its space, filling walls with eye candy re flecting our coastal vibe.

In the new north gallery, handcrafted goods are beam ing on shelves and tables along side ocean-themed art and pho tography.

The south gallery walls are filled with fine art from Judy Salinsky, Mary Ambrose, Andrew Palmer, Jim McCo nlogue, Ruby Geisler, local weaver Malin Doyle and pho tographer Neal Glasgow.

The front window is cur

rently stopping people in their tracks as they enjoy the color ful, punchy art of Grant Pecoff.

As you venture out onto the whimsical patio, fun poster and prints, art supplies and ac tivity books for kids and adults, and all kinds of home and gift items are on full display.

Our talented and friendly designers, Sue Mallory, Kelli Thompson and Heidy Albave ra, will guide you through the design process, offering the best framing options to reach your design goals.

Mark Allen, our in-house framer, has been solving chal lenges and building frames here at the shop for 34 years.

We invite you to join us for a fun, late afternoon Sunday, Oct. 2, for plein air artist Matt Beard, “Painting the Entire California Coast.”

Come check out the new gallery and remember, we frame anything and every thing!

AT MOON VALLEY NURSERIES, the rows of gorgeous trees and plants seem to go on forever. Courtesy photo

THE NURSERY PROS at Moon Valley Nurseries will guide you through the process of renovat ing your landscape step-by-step. Courtesy photo

CORNER FRAME SHOP and Leucadia Art Gallery has been in business over 40 years. Recently the Leucadia Art Gal lery doubled its space. Courtesy photo

find that there is a high demand even for less affordable prices.

Encinitas resident Jennifer Taylor rents out her furnished 360-square-foot ADU with a loft bedroom for $3,700 a month, and said she receives tons of interest from young couples and individ uals looking for a place for be tween one and three months.

“It really increases the val ue of our home, to have a rent

al unit that generates an in come stream,” Taylor said. “The ADUs were supposed to help with affordable housing and that's not the case, because the city doesn't mandate what we can charge for it, and it's all sup ply and demand, and furnished rentals are in pretty high de mand.”

For now, the income it gen erates makes it a sound invest ment as she and her husband work to pay off their loan, and eventually they envision hav

ing their parents live there, she said.

Developers say that just be cause ADUs can be smaller than usual apartments, this does not mean they are cheaper when it comes to construction, and rents per square foot are often higher as a result.

At Crest Backyard Homes, a factory-built unit between 400 and 600 square feet will cost a property owner around $200,000, while a unit of the same size but constructed on-

site typically costs closer to $300,000.

According to Arendsen, fixed costs unique to ADUs such as permitting and site prepara tion work often make the costs of development higher than other types of housing developments.

“There’s really no economy of scale. The smaller the home is, the more it costs. All the site work, that’s pretty much a con stant, no matter how big or how small,” Arendsen said.

Vista resident Samkiat Lee

itan had a prefabricated ADU from Crest Backyard installed at his home earlier this month as a living space for his parents, who were living under the same roof as him and his family.

The 589-square-foot unit was constructed in a factory and then transported to Vista and lifted via a crane into the back yard.

“They’ve been with us for al most eight years. This way, they can be close to us but they’ve got their own little thing,” he said.

Salam

“As an Afghan woman bred on Afghan rugs, I am passionate about how lives can play out on them.

Whether it’s toddlers learning to crawl or families coming together for board game nights, my quality, durable rugs serve as canvases for your memories.

Best of all, my rugs are meant to make you feel good in your space. Each new rug is made by seasoned artisans who, like me, are dedicated to empowering women and crafting fair trade, sustainable rugs.

I look forward to helping you find a quality rug.”

Owner

(hello)

ADU

FROM 3

SEPT. 30, 2022 T he C oas T N ews G roup - Fall h ome & G arde N a dver T isi NG s uppleme NT 5 Handmade with love in Afghamistan Proud to be a fair trade, sustainable, and woman-owned San Diego small business. Save 15% using the code COAST Expires 12.31.22 SCAN HERE VISTA RESIDENT Samkiat Leetien, pictured with his mother Kritsana and son Ethan, had a prefabricated accessory dwelling unit installed in his backyard on Sept. 19. His mother and father, who currently live with him in his home, will move into the unit. Photos by Laura Place

Tree Doctor wins award two years in a row

Since

1985, Russell Bowman has been delighting residents of San Diego County with his plant and tree ex pertise.

So, it’s no wonder Bow man Plant and Tree Care Specialists have been named the San Diego Union-Tribune Community Press’ “Best of North Coun ty” voters’ poll for tree and plant care for a 2nd year in a row!

He is lovingly referred to as the San Diego “tree doctor extraordinaire” by his clients, Bowman is

sun’s rays,” he said. “That’s why, when most people are winding down their days, eating dinner, and going to bed, we are out feeding plants and trees.”

He’s done more than just care for sick plants and trees, he’s revolutionized both residential and com mercial properties by the use of his organic fertilizer tanks that inject his magical formula through your irriga tion systems.

This program reduces the households use of water overall by 30%.

In a very short time,

When you give your body proper nutrition, it affects your overall health and boosts your immunity, so you don’t get sick. The same is true for plants and trees.

known for transforming sickly trees and gardens into Disneyesque wonderlands.

Using his own propri etary blend of organic bio logical nutrition, Bowman feeds plants at night — a technique he picked up during his time as a horti culturist at Disneyland.

“When you feed plants at night, they have enough time to absorb the nutrition, before it is degraded by the

this program pays back through reduced water bills.

“When you give your body proper nutrition, it affects your overall health and boosts your immunity, so you don’t get sick. The same is true for plants and trees.” Bowman feeds com plete “nutrition delivery bi ology” derived from earth worm castings to replenish the missing healthy soil bi ology.

This works with a cli ent’s current irrigation sys tem so that each time the

landscaping is watered, the needed soil biology is re plenished.

“This is the secret to keeping your property look ing like a five-star resort.”

Russell is quick to point out that healthy plants and trees are also environmen tally friendly. A healthy plant will be more efficient at photosynthesizing sun light into oxygen and the healthy soil/compost helps bring down uses far less wa ter.

He donates his time and expertise for the trees for the Point Loma Association and gardens at the Rock Church in Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans National Cem etery, the YMCA, Barnes Tennis Center, Chili’s Restaurants, Stone Brewery in Escondido, and San Diego Botanic Garden.

He also served with the San Diego Rose Society in Balboa Park for 12 years.

“My calling is to beau tify the earth, making trees and plants healthy,” The Master Gardener taught me everything I know. I’ve learned that when you love something, it’s not some thing you have to do; it’s something you want to do.”

To learn more about Bowman and his services, please contact Russell at 858-499-9417.

He provides tree and plant nutritional care as well as ongoing routine gar den maintenance.

Russell Bowman abides by all applicable state laws and requirements and does not perform any services that require a licensed con tractor. Business license B2017006153.

GREEN. CLEAN. CONNECTED.

Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) is proud to celebrate one year as the clean power provider for the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach! We are excited to expand our program to the cities of San Marcos and Escondido in 2023 and the cities of Oceanside and Vista in 2024.

As an alternative to San Diego Gas & Electric for residents and businesses, CEA offers competitive rates and clean energy options while reinvesting revenues into projects and programs that benefit members’ communities.

POWERFUL BENEFITS

Clean Energy Achieve Climate Action Plan Goals

Reduce GHG Emissions Local Control

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Quality Service

RUSSELL BOWMAN is lovingly referred to as the San Diego “tree doctor extraordinaire.” Courtesy photo

Russell Bowman Owner

Fall gardening tips, tricks

Mastering food preservation and autumn gardens

By Jano Nightingale

Fall is a bit of a bit tersweet time for all of us who have vegetable gardens. Walking through our veg etable patch, it is possible that many of the crops we have toiled over all sum mer have either been har vested or gone to seed.

But for those of us who wish to preserve the vege tables that we have worked so hard to produce, we might just look back at the wisdom of our elders.

If we are lucky we can remember the techniques that our grandparents may have taught us.

As a teenager growing up in the suburban Mid west, I took little interest in what my German and Dutch grandmothers had learned during the De pression. I was much too interested in boys and my back-to-school wardrobe in September, to think about pickles!

But looking back on those days, and looking through older cookbooks, I can now compile some useful food preservation methods for blossoming gardeners.

Preservation methods from around the world

As I have been re searching the origin of food preservation from around the world, I have had the pleasure of find ing the book, “Pickled,” in which Ms. Norris not only traces the origin of the pickle and features examples from around the world.

“The history of the pickle can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where it is said that Cleopatra ate pickled food as part of her beauty regime,” Norris writes. “In Asia and parts of Europe, pickles remain an important part of the daily meals.”

Ms. Norris also fea tures international rec ipes, including some of Indian chef and restauran teur, Tuhin Dutta of Man hattan. He also learned from his family, but passes on a humorous story about his mother’s food preserva tion skills:

“In Indian society there are beliefs regarding the quality of cooking and the cook’s hands. When an Indian chef compliments someone else’s cooking in a restaurant, they’ll say, ‘that cook has a good hand.’ It is a major insult to say a cook has a bad hand. Noth ing is wrong with the actu al hands, but everybody’s system reacts differently to food.

“My mother never made pickles, to be honest, her pickles were not that good. It’s not that my moth er is evil, or that she’s a bad cook with other things – but when it comes to pick ling, she had a bad hand.”

Tips from a good hand at food preservation

Oddly enough, in a crisis such as the recent pandemic, people are be ginning to realize that we must begin to think about our food sources and how to survive when all that we want to eat i not readily available.

Reegan Lessie, 40, a yoga teacher from Carls bad, is one of my most recent foodie finds who

shares a wealth of infor mation about canning and preserving.

Her grandmother, Edith Lessie, from Indiana had been growing food and preserving it her entire. When Reegan started to visit their farm when she was six years old. “They canned or pickled et they grew or bought locally.

Eddie pickled every thing that grew in her yard or the summer vegetables that came from the local market.

Reegan remembers,” The basement root cellar was full of clear glass Ball jars with everything from beans to beets, and apples and, yes, even chickens! I ate everything except the chicken.”

Alongside the storage shelves were large, grey ceramic ten- gallon crocks which housed Eddie’s ev er-growing batches of pick les and sauerkraut.

“My most exciting pur chase recently, was a 10 gallon crock, which looks just like hers,” Reegan confessed gleefully.

Since the fermentation process takes place with out refrigeration and in a dark place, Reegan has hers in a small, dark closet.

“You can smell it and taste it when it is ready, over a few weeks,” Ree gan said. “You don’t worry about it going bad because

East Cove Cottages

COMING THIS FALL

Warmington Residential presents a rare chance to buy a brand new home in the coastal town of Encinitas, about a mile and a half from the water. This limited collection of just 14 homes features charming architecture, family-friendly floorplans, design curated interiors, and premium finishes. Each home has individual nuances, which make every homesite unique and the neighborhood wonderfully eclectic. This is Encinitas living at its finest! Join the VIP interest list today. Sales begin soon!

REEGAN LESSIE of Carlsbad proudly displays her canned Cowboy Candy, made from jala peño peppers harvested from her garden. Photo by Rob Pastor

CARLSBAD RESIDENT Reegan Lessie displays food preser vation techniques she learned from her grandmother.

Photo by Rob Pastor

Transforming homes and breaking barriers

Nargis

Habib is the only woman in the world to run a rug business of this sort. As the founder and owner of The Rug Mine, based in San Marcos, she is breaking barriers in busi ness as well as lifestyle for Afghan women.

Nargis, born in Af ghanistan, was 12 years old when her school experience shifted vastly. As a female in her country, she was no longer able to attend school. Instead of continuing her standard elementary edu cation in school, she stud ied in secret, on Afghan carpets. In those years, the rugs brought her a sense of warmth and safety. She may not have known then what role these rugs would play in her future, but the story has unfolded and she’s here to share it.

After moving to the United States, Nargis jumped into her career as an artist. Having always

been interested in art, she worked as a makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics. She learned, studied, and ex celled in the study of color and color pairing. With her Afghan roots and her expe rience matching colors— and likely her time learn ing on the rugs as a young girl—the beauty of her na tion’s rugs drew her into the industry. The variety of art she had studied and prac ticed shaped The Rug Mine business.

“I could have opened an eyelash business or owned a makeup brand, which would have been great,” Nargis says, “but this meant a lot more to me.”

Historically, the rug business was dominated by men. Culturally, it was looked down upon for wom en to enter into the space. With her understanding of color theory as a makeup artist, Nargis founded an amazing business with an exceptional feminine touch

nurtured by her experience. She sought to empower women through sustainabil ity and fair-trade produc tion. As opportunities were taken from Afghan women, The Rug Mine set out to give these opportunities back.

The Rug Mine is found

How one woman is bringing beauty to homes while creating opportunities for artisans

be passed down from gen eration to generation. Their value transcends the pres ent moments created while around them to offer family memories over the span of time.

In keeping with their values of empowering wom en, The Rug Mine highly values prioritizing the well being of their female arti sans.

ed upon authenticity, quali ty, sustainability and fami ly. Female-owned to support female artisans in Afghani stan, every rug is hand-knot ted from locally-sourced wool in Afghanistan. They ensure that there is no child labor or animal cruelty among their production. The wool is hand-spun, giv ing it superior texture and quality. Wool is colored with all-natural fruit and vege table dyes, using no chemi cal dyes. All these facets of commitment to quality con tribute to the beauty and longevity of rugs created by The Rug Mine.

“Fabulous: Not only is the rug itself a thing of beauty, but the whole pro cess of selecting the right item was great…Wonderful inventory, great seller. Su per pleased!” Says custom er Nayeli S.

As longevity and the value of family go, these rugs are intended to house and nurture family relation ships.

They create spaces within a home that bring about an entirely new expe rience and ambience. With the high quality of their supplies, these rugs are family heirlooms that can

The Rug Mine pays their artisans on time and fairly. Nargis works direct ly with them to ensure they earn what they deserve for their masterful work—re moving the middleman. This also plays a role in the price point of their rugs— which are extremely rea sonably priced. They are able to sell at a far more de sirable price because they surpass going through the various vendors along the way. Hand-knotted in Af ghanistan and shipped di rectly from her home in San Diego, Nargis is personally involved in every sale from The Rug Mine.

“I wish that you create amazing memories on these rugs,” Nargis seals every purchase with a hand-writ ten note on handmade recy cled paper.

To see the beautiful work of The Rug Mine, see https://therugmine.com/.

Mortgage application denied?

Here’s what you can do next

By StatePoint

If your home loan appli cation is denied, don’t panic. There are ways to build your eligibility so that next time, your mortgage application is more likely to be approved.

Thirteen percent of all purchase mortgage appli cations — a total of nearly

650,000 — were denied in 2020, according to federal government data.

Before quickly reapply ing for a loan, it’s important to first understand the rea sons your loan was denied. The lender is required to disclose that information to you within 30 days of its decision. You can also call your lender for further ex planation.

In some instances, the situation involves a quick fix, such as providing miss ing or incomplete docu mentation. However, if the reasons cited for your appli cation denial involve down payment cost, a low cred it score, an adverse credit history or a high debt-toincome ratio, here are six steps you can take toward recovery:

1. Consult a Hous ing Counselor. Consider speaking to a communi ty-based credit counselor or a HUD-certified housing counselor. They can help you create a plan to increase your savings, decrease your debt, improve your credit, access down payment assis tance or take advantage of first-time homebuyer pro grams.

2. Improve Your Credit. In a 2022 Freddie Mac sur vey of consumers denied a mortgage application in the past four years, three in five cited debt or credit issues as reasons given for their ini tial denial. If this describes you, take time to improve your credit profile before applying for another loan. Good credit demonstrates

responsible money manage ment and gives you more purchasing power, opening doors to better loan terms and products. Visit cred itsmart.freddiemac.com to access Freddie Mac’s Cred itSmart suite of free finan cial education resources.

3. Pay Down Debt. In the application process, lenders will look at your recurring monthly debts, such as car payments, stu dent loans and credit card loans. By lowering or paying down monthly debts, you can build a positive credit history and lower your debtto-income ratio. Not sure where to start? Tackle your debt with the highest inter est rate first.

4. Obtain Gift Funds. If you’re short on money for your down payment, you may be able to use gift funds from a family member to de crease the amount you need to borrow.

5. Find a Co-Signer. A co-signer applies for the loan with you, agreeing to take responsibility for the loan should you default. The co-signer’s credit, income and debts will be evaluated to make sure they can as sume payments if necessary.

6. Look for a Low er-Cost Home. Remember, you should only borrow an amount you feel comfort able repaying. You may need to look for a lower-cost home than you’re financial ly prepared to purchase and maintain. For more informa tion and additional resourc es, visit myhome.freddie mac.com.

NARGIS HABIB is founder and owner of The Rug Mine, based in San Marcos. Courtesy photo

you’re thinking of adding a patio cover or a sunroom to your home, contact RKC Construction.

Family-owned and op erated, its CEO, Rick Craw ford, says, “We offer free on-site estimates, which will allow us to establish a clear understanding of your vision. Afterwards, our design professionals will step in to make sure your project (big or small), is done exactly how you want and with precise fits.”

In helping you to en joy San Diego’s beautiful weather, they offer an open style aluminum lattice cov er with a solid state insulat ed laminated patio cover. Or, you can choose the com bination-style Elitewood aluminum, weather resis tant, maintenance-free op tion.

In choosing a sunroom, they have two styles: The Horizon or The Sunscape. The Horizon sunroom has an insulted roof that is pitched to compliment your existing roof lines, while The Sunscape has an insu lated flat, solid roof.

They also have The Lif eRoom, which is a hybrid option somewhere between a traditional patio cover and a sunroom.

With the LifeRoom, you’re in total control of your environment for en tertaining guests, watch ing movies, or other ac

tivities. Along with their LifeRooms, they feature motorized Smooth Glide Screens which can offer more privacy or keep out

bugs. And if you desire, they can also include their unique Cool Mist Climate System and Soft Breeze Technology.

Other amenities they offer are exterior deco rative concrete or paving stones in various colors, as well as replacing your old

windows with Energy Star energy-efficient new ones; or adding French-style, sliding patio doors that fea ture smooth gliding stain

less steel rollers which pro vide long-lasting durability and are equipped with en ergy efficient insulating tempered glass. They can also provide solar panels on their 4-inch insulated covers.

Another option for im proving the aesthetics of your BBQ or pool area is a free-standing lattice or sol id structure.

So, call for an appoint ment to see their showroom then stop by RKC Con struction at 11649 River side Drive, suite137, Lake side, CA 92040 and talk to their CEO, Rick Crawford, or any one of their knowl edgeable professionals to discover what other options they offer besides the ones mentioned above.

Also check out their website, RKCconstruction. com, to see a number of pho tos of completed projects.

Fully licensed and in sured with an A+BBB certi fication, Rick says, “All our installs are of the highest quality along with our com petitive prices.”

He went on to say, “Presently, we’re running two specials. You can save $2,500 on all sunrooms or get $500 off all patio cov ers.”

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a. m. – 5 p. m., Closed Sat urday and Sunday.

Phone: 619-444-5899.

Email: rkcconstruc tionsd@gmail.com

WHETHER YOU WANT to have a cool place to relax, create an outdoor media room, or keep out of the sun or rain, LifeRoom allows you to completely transform your outdoor living experience at the touch of a button. Courtesy photo

Why settle for epoxy when you can have SpartaFlex?

Fornearly 40 years, southern California homeowners have used epoxy for ga rage and industrial floor coating projects despite its soft and easy to scratch sur face, its poor resistance to damage by hot, high perfor mance tires found on most cars in the San Diego area and its notoriously weak warranty.

Today, California home owners don’t have to settle for epoxy and all of its flaws anymore. SpartaFlex is an advanced, next generation high solids polyaspartic floor coating that gives your garage a beautiful finish that is 3x – 5x harder than epoxy, resists yellowing while also resisting perma nent damage from hot tires.

Perhaps best of all, SpartaFlex has the best residential warranty in the market!

Perkins Custom Coat ings and its employee own ers have been installing SpartaFlex polyaspartic on local garage floors for over 15 years and has completed nearly 10,000 floors during that period of time.

Its President, Paul Frankel is considered by many to be the most knowl edgeable contractor in the local market.

“Unlike many of our competitors, we like to do an on-site assessment and/ or moisture test on all floor coating projects we install that are over 15 years old, instead of using the ‘one size fits all’ approach. That way, we can install a coating solution for your floor that will last for decades not just a few years,” Frankel ex plained.

Perkins uses the most advanced surface prepara tion methods available and will either diamond grind or shot blast every floor they install. Old, failing & yel lowed epoxy coatings can also be removed during this same process.

“Many of my competi

tors will install their coat ings right over raw or pres sure washed concrete, or even old epoxy, just to save a few bucks – We will never do that. We always do it the right way, not the easy way,” says Paul. Perkins also of fers the largest selection of colors and sizes of flakes and materials in the local market assuring that you

Lamps don’t go out of style — shades do

will find the perfect finish for your new floor.Frankel has thousands of satisfied customers, such as Laura Sinclair:

“I wanted to thank you for the excellent job you and your crew did on my garage floor,” Sinclair said. “They removed my old peeling ga rage floor and installed a beautiful new Spartaflex ga rage floor that I absolutely LOVE! I would endorse and recommend Perkins Custom Coatings to anyone consid ering a garage floor in the near future!”

For more information on the advantages of SpartaF lex over Epoxy, you can call Perkins Custom Coatings, at 866-330-1DAY (1329) or vis it their informative website at www.perkinscustomcoat ings.com.

SpartaFlex comes in a wide variety of solid, chip and quartz colors for you to choose from. “We can even customize a color especially for you!” said Frankel.

Lampshade

Gallery is a family-owned busi ness in Del Mar with three generations in the lighting business. After making the move from Des Moines, Iowa, the family opened their first San Di ego location in La Mesa in 1986, which operated until 2001.

Lampshade Gallery opened a second location in Del Mar in 1990, where for 30-plus years it has offered an enviable selection of ta ble and floor lamps, as well as pre-made and custom lampshades.

Lampshade Gallery offers over 10,000 lamp shades to ensure that each customer has a variety of options that best suit their home décor, personality and style.

According to Kelly, who has been selling and making lampshades since she was 15, there are many factors to consider when choosing lighting to deco rate your home.

Factors such as style, shape, texture, size, gener al ambiance and color all contribute to your home’s look.

To make the most of your visit to the Lampshade Gallery, Kelly recommends bringing in your lamp so that you can make the right lampshade decision. “Noth ing beats seeing it on the lamp so you can be sure you like it just as well with the light on as you do when it’s off,” Kelly says. “Bringing the lamp saves you time and allows you to explore all shade options.” Kelly’s own home is decorated with lamps that she’s refurbished that were passed down to her from her mother.

Another important note from Kelly? “Lamps do

not go out of style, shades do!”

In a world of fast fash ion and high turnover, there is something to be said about treasuring fami ly heirlooms and breathing new life into your items and space.

Aside from the large selection of lampshades, the gallery offers a unique collection of quality table and floor lamps at their showroom, at 2745 Via De La Valle, Del Mar.

According to Kelly, the

gallery has a “great selec tion of all kinds of lamps from jade to porcelain … transitional to custom one of a kind. Night lights to minis. Cordless LED and task.”

The focus of the Lamp shade Gallery is personal ized service and working with people’s “timeless treasures” to ensure that families can pass down their lamps from genera tion to generation, just as the Lampshade Gallery family has passed down

their knowledge and expe rience.

For exceptional service and superior lighting, trust Lampshade Gallery. Call Kelly at 858-793-0701 or email lampshadegallery@ yahoo.com or just drop in, bringing your lamps with you, during their normal business hours of Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at their cen trally located store at 2745 Via de la Valle, Del Mar.

More information at thelampshadegallery.com.

Protecting your home: Tips for wildfire preparation

By Courtney Klosterman, Hippo Consumer Trends Expert

We are facing another active wildfire season this year with heat waves and drought conditions ham mering the west coast and several fires already trig gering evacuations. As we continue to see wildfires burn more intensely, it’s im portant to remember that preparation is key.

In the current climate, proactive home mainte nance can be the differ ence between mitigating small issues or tackling more costly issues down the line. Nearly one in three homeowners report damage from severe weather or cli mate-related issues in the past year, and only two in five have made updates to their home to protect them selves against these types of issues, according to Hip po’s Homeowners Prepared ness Report.

While many of the el ements causing wildfires are out of our control, there are important things home owners can do to proactive ly protect their homes and their families. As leaders in the protective and pre ventive home care, Hippo recommends proactively

maintaining your home and its surrounding areas to cre ate a clear defensible space to prevent wildfire damage to your home.

• Create defensible space.

• Your local fire depart ment can always guide you with best practices more ca tered to your area.

• Move or store all pa tio/outdoor furniture, tram polines, woodpiles, barbe cue grills, etc., outside the defensible space.

• Landscape your home and entire property with wildfire prevention and safety in mind. This includes selecting trees, shrubs and building mate rials that are fire retardant.

• Maintain the critical structures on your proper ty.

• Clean the roofs and all the gutters of your home and outbuildings on the property.

• Have the tools in your toolkit if a wildfire occurs.

• Have a garden hose long enough to reach any where around your home and any other structure on your property.

• If you live in a two story house, purchase col lapsible ladders for each

upstairs bedroom. Typical ladders measure 15 feet and cover two stories of your home.

• Homes should include wildfire preparedness in their emergency plans, and the first step is assembling a Wildfire Readiness Kit. To get a downloadable tem plate, click HERE.

• Install smart smoke and CO detectors outside each bedroom and on each level of your home in attics, basements and garages.

• Provides alarm no tifications on your smart phone, unlike other smoke detectors.

• Allows you to connect them to your home security system so it can easily alert the fire department of any issues within your home even when you’re not there.

• Create an evacuation plan.

• Plan two evacuation routes in each room of your home

• Keep a whistle in each of your bedrooms to wake up your family members in the night if there’s a fire.

• Teach your family how to feel the temperature of the bottom of doors and avoid opening doors if they are too hot.

• Keep the plan in a safe place, where anyone can access it, such as your refrigerator.

• Keep a few fire extin guishers in the home and garage.

If you do experience a wildfire, it’s important to do a thorough inspection of your home upon returning.

• For interested home owners, Hippo provides a post wildfire checklist on our website.

• If you’re a Hippo cus tomer, contact our experts who can provide preventive home maintenance services and advice for homeowners and can help you make a plan. This complimentary service allows Home Care experts to share how to best protect you and your home from wildfires this season.

About Hippo: Hippo offers a different kind of home insurance, built from the ground up to provide a new standard of care and protection for homeowners. Our goal is to make homes safer and better protected so customers spend less time worrying about the burdens of homeownership and more time enjoying their homes and the life within.

SPARTAFLEX comes in a wide variety of solid, chip and quartz colors for you to choose from. Pictured above, clock wise from top left: Shoreline, Dark Granite, Indian Summer and Midnight Blue. Courtesy photos

I would endorse and recommend Perkins Custom Coatings to anyone considering a garage floor in the near future!”

Laura Sinclair Customer

OVER 10,000 lampshades are offered at Lampshade Gallery to ensure each customer has choices that best suit their home décor, personality and style. Courtesy photo

Brand new coastal cottages coming to Encinitas

Construction is under way, and sales will begin this fall on a limited collec tion of 14 coastal cottages in Encinitas. East Cove Cot tages by Warmington Resi dential, a new home builder with roots in Encinitas, is located at McKinnon and Santa Fe, just about a mile and a half from the water.

This new neighborhood offers one- and two-sto ry single-family detached homes with charming ar chitecture, family-friendly floorplans, design-curated interiors, premium finish es, backyard hardscape and landscape, and many efficiency features, includ ing energy star appliances, tankless water heater, and a SunPower solar electric system. Other exceptional features at East Cove Cot tages are spacious, open floorplans, entertainers' kitchens with sophisticated Italian-crafted Bertazzoni stainless steel appliances, and a suite of expandable smart home automation powered by Amazon Alexa.

Included solar is an exciting and modern ben efit of owning a brand-new home at East Cove Cottag es. By converting sunlight to electricity, solar has the potential to save homeown ers hundreds of dollars in utility costs each month.*

Each of the 14 home sites at East Cove Cottag es has individual nuances that make it unique and the neighborhood as a whole

wonderfully eclectic.

No two homesites, floor plans, or design-curated in terior packages are alike, so choosing a home is exciting and fun! Prospective buy ers may take virtual tours and explore every homesite with floorplan and included design details at eastcove cottages.com.

The model homes at East Cove Cottages will open for touring this fall.

Warmington's choice lender is scheduling financing con versation appointments for those who would like an op

portunity to purchase a home when sales begin later this year. Prices will start from the mid-$1 mil lions.

Sylvia Rose Sales representative

A VIP interest list is now forming. Visit eastcov ecottages.com for informa tion or text/call Crystal at 760.263.6799 to have your

name added.

"East Cove Cottages presents such an incredible opportunity to own a home in Encinitas that is stateof-the-art in every way, low maintenance and ready to enjoy from day one," said Sylvia Rose, sales represen tative at East Cove Cottag es. "We've compared and can say there is no better value for a new home this close to the water. Don't miss it!"

The Warmington group of companies has been building new homes since

1926 and has roots in San Diego County, having craft ed homes in some of the area's most beautiful neigh borhoods. This includes Scripps Ranch, Santaluz, Aviara, and La Costa, and in the communities of Enci nitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and San Marcos.

*Quoted monthly sav ings is an estimated aver age of utility electricity savings. Your monthly bill will vary based on actual energy usage. No minimum monthly savings is implied or guaranteed.

GARDENING

CONTINUED FROM 7

there is a strong brine with salt. I do stir it every few days.”

Discover your new favorite food passion

The impact of the wealth of knowledge that her grandmother possessed did not really hit her until the past few years during the pandemic when she had, as many did, more time and less access to fresh food.

“I guess I am a bit of a throwback, not many people here do what I do,” Reegan said. “And my part ner Rob loves to eat what I make, but he doesn’t have time to take part in the pro cess.”

Reegan and her part ner Rob Pastor own Baba Coffee House on State Street in Carlsbad, which is frequented by locals

who enjoy the roasted cof fee, tea, healthy drinks and homemade pastry and lunch menu.

To find a copy of Ree gan’s favorite new recipe for Cowboy Candy or Can died Jalapenos, go to www. food.com/recipe/jalapeno.

Reegan will also be posting her recipe soon at the Baba Coffee House.

There may be other lo cal gardeners who are inter ested in food preservation, so visit the www.sandiego mastergardener website and to find ongoing resourc es and classes in San Diego. teaches Master Canning and Preservation classes or online. And check with Coast Roots Farm in Enci nitas for upcoming harvest festivals at www.coastal rootsfarm.com

Fall planting in the garden

One of my favorite sites

for shopping for seasonal vegetable plants in Ander son’s La Costa Nursery in Encinitas.

Steven, the site manag er, passed on his newsletter tips for creating a fall gar den.

“Now is the time to plant cool-season crops such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage, radish, carrot, on ion and swiss chard,” Ste ven said.

Stop by the nursery for a full tour of the fall vege tables and soil preparation tips to start your fall gar den.

We hope you have a wonderful fall season of planting in your garden and preserving nature’s bounty.

Jano Nightingale is a master gardener and horticulturist who teaches classes at the Carlsbad Senior Center. Contact her at janos garden@gmail.com.

After 40 years

Landscape

Encinitas Mike Hirsch

MEMBERS OF the Carlsbad Senior Garden Club, Emilita Moll, Janet Bicknese and Mary Ipps, display their harvest of red beets at the Pine Street Community Garden. Photo by Jano Nightingale

EACH OF THE 14 homesites at East Cove Cottages has individual nuances that make it unique and the neighborhood as a whole wonderfully eclectic.

Courtesy photo

We’ve compared and can say there is no better value for a new home this close to the water. Don’t miss it!”

Andrew & Carol Worthington Explorers of life

With a fondness for kayaking and sunsetwatching, Andrew and Carol are routinely found pursuing their creative and varied interests in coastal North County San Diego.

After decades on the east coast, they headed out west and arrived somewhat unexpectedly upon Carlsbad By The Sea. Discovering such a warm community—both literally and figuratively— was fortuitous.

They have taken root on the west coast. They explore the galleries and cafés in the village, they hit the beach and the surrounding trails, and the sunrises and sunsets bookend their full days here.

With so much to do, it’s hard to settle down, but they’re glad they didn’t wait too long. This is the perfect time and the perfect place to land. And there’s still plenty to explore. After all, retirement is the age of discovery.

Continue your lifelong pursuits and find new adventures at Carlsbad By The Sea, offering independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing on-site.

Organic mattresses, furniture create non-toxic environment

You’ve

probably tried to buy organic food, beauty prod ucts, even clothing — but what about your bed or your living room sofa?

The Futon Shop has been in business for more than 40 years, and CEO and founder Suzanne Diamond says the company prides itself on using eco-friendly and organic ingredients to create affordable healthy non-toxic furniture.

“Organic ingredients that are non-toxic offer you a safer, deeper and healthy night sleep,” she said. “Mat tresses and furniture com monly use flame retardants, VOCs and petro-chemical pollutants that stay in your home and body and creates disease.”

It isn’t just organic mattresses The Futon Shop makes either. “We offer natural furniture including sofas, toppers, futons, plat form beds, pillows, dog beds and even crib mattresses,” Diamond said. “We also spe cialize in chemical-free boat cushions, and handcrafting custom-size cushions for in door or outdoor furniture. And, of course, we special ize in futon sofa beds.”

The Futon Shop does all the manufacturing and distribution from their workshop in San Francisco, enabling them to offer the highest quality ingredients at the best prices. “We buy organic cotton and wool from farmers,” Diamond said. “We manufacture

our furniture with the best micro-coils, organic Dun lop latex, coconut coir and fabrics from all around the world. We combine these ingredients to produce

comfortable and affordable chemical-free, natural and organic furniture.”

The Futon Shop is also excited about the launch of a new 100 percent organic

latex and coconut coir mat tresses “There are alternat ing layers of organic coco nut coir and organic latex, with wool and it is complete ly customizable,” Diamond

said.

The Futon Shop has a locations in San Marcos at 1232 Los Vallecitos Bou levard #118 and in La Jol la at 7470 Girard Avenue.

For more information and to see the full line of prod ucts available, visit www. thefutonshop.com or call 800-44-futon for a store near you.

RAIN, WIND, AND FIRE...

“The three menaces to any chimney, fireplace, or stove.”

Every year there are over twenty thousand chimney / fireplace related house fires in the US alone. Losses to homes as a result of chimney fires, leaks, and wind damage exceeds one hundred million dollars annually in the US.

CHIMNEY SWEEPS, INC., one of San Diego’s leading chimney repair and maintenance companies, is here to protect you and your home from losses due to structural damage and chimney fires.

Family owned and operated and having been in business for over 30 years, Chimney Sweeps Inc. is a fully licensed and insured chimney contracting company (License # 976438) and they are certified with the National Fireplace Institute and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

For a limited time, readers of this paper will receive a special discount on our full chimney cleaning and safety inspection package with special attention to chimney water intrusion points in preparation for the rainy season.

THE FUTON SHOP in San Marcos prides itself on using eco-friendly and organic ingredients to create affordable, healthy, non-toxic furniture. Courtesy photo

STATEPOINT — From the walk-in closet to the kitchen pantry, catch-all spots make all the differ ence in daily routines -- but only if they’re kept neat and tidy.

Family organizing ex pert Jessica Litman, also known as “The Organized Mama,” is on a mission to help families declutter and stay organized. She’s shar ing her pro tips for getting your home in shape for this busy time of year.

CLEAR AWAY CABINET CLUTTER.

‘Tis the season for au tumn chili, stew and other comfort foods. That means it’s also time to put your essential slow cookers and pans where you can reach them, so food prep will be hassle-free.

“When the weather starts to cool, I swap out summer cookware for win ter bakeware,” says Litman. “I put the grilling items in the back of the cabinet and pull the turkey roaster and baking dishes to the front.”

For added storage, Lit man recommends using a shelf rack or vertical orga nizer to keep cutting boards and pie pans neatly upright and easily accessible.

PREP THE PANTRY.

Create a system that gives grab-and-go snacks and cooking necessities a home. This will help keep the kitchen tidy in the midst of busy work and

school schedules.

“Do a pantry cleanout,” Litman says. “Remove ev erything from the area and wipe down the shelves. Take the canned goods you didn’t eat and donate them to a local food bank.”

Use a combination of Duck brand’s Clear Classic EasyLiner shelf liner and new containers to restore order to the space. Measure the shelves, cut the liner to length and then lay it flat. The shelf liner is durable, waterproof and designed to keep surfaces dry while making them easy to wipe clean. Use the measure ments to get an idea of what size bins will best fit the area. Store crackers, cereal, oats and pasta in clear con tainers with labels, and put spices and seasonings in a slim organizer.

“Set up items similar ly to grocery store shelves by placing like items to gether,” Litman suggests. “When you do this, it's like you are shopping in your pantry instead of hunting for things.”

OUT WITH THE OLD.

Before pulling out your fall wardrobe, declutter the piles of “stuff” from the closet. This will make your space seem bigger and more organized.

“Remove clothes from this past season,” Lit man recommends. “Look through each garment. If you didn’t wear it, donate, toss or sell it.”

Now that there is more room, hang an over-the-door shoe rack for rain boots and work shoes and use a closet organizer to store accesso ries, such as belts, purses and scarves. Litman also recommends dry clean ing winter jackets now so they’re ready to wear when cold weather comes.

FIND BALANCE IN THE BATHROOM.

Whether it’s the prima ry bath or the kids’ wash room, make the most of your space by organizing everything into different categories, like towels and haircare. Once everything is grouped, you can decide what will be kept where based on the available ar eas. Use a tray on the count er and bins in pullout draw ers.

Litman says to wipe and line surfaces, espe cially under the sink, with Solid Grip EasyLiner with Clorox before putting es sentials away. Antimicrobi al agents inhibit mold and mildew growth to protect the liner, and will catch makeup smudges and water spills to give the area an ex tra clean feeling. She also recommends waiting until after the organizing process to buy bins and caddies, so you know exactly what you need.

Once these organizing projects are complete, your home will be ready for all the fun fall festivities and family gatherings.