J. Walcher Communications Announces New Ownership and Leadership Transition
By JWC | J. Walcher Communications
J. Walcher Communications (JWC), one of San Diego’s public relations and marketing communications agencies and a Forbes “Best PR Agencies in America” honoree, has announced a leadership transition. Sandy Young, a 16-year veteran of the firm and long-time vice president, is now the PR agency’s new CEO and owner.
Founder Jean Walcher will remain an integral part of the agency, supporting the leadership transition, serving clients and focusing on business development initiatives.
“I’ve gotten so much satisfaction from running J. Walcher Communications for the last 24 years, and I look forward to seeing where Sandy takes it next,” said Jean Walcher. “She’s been an effective right-hand and has played a pivotal role in mentoring staff, cultivating long-standing client relationships, and developing strategic communications and crisis management programs that have earned client and media respect and trust.”
County Supervisors vote down proposal to restrict foreign investment in housing
By City News Service | Times of San Diego
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday to reject a proposal to have the county advocate for “statewide restrictions or bans on foreign investment in entry-level and single-family housing, particularly near military installations and critical infrastructure.”
Supervisor Jim Desmond, who authored the proposal and was the sole yes vote, said the goal was to prioritize local homeownership and give San Diegans a “fair shot” at buying a home.
According to Desmond’s office, “more than $56 billion in U.S. real estate was purchased by foreign investors last year, with 15% of those sales in California. In many cases, foreign buyers are paying in cash, which puts local residents who rely on traditional mortgages at a disadvantage.”
Battle Lines Drawn on Vacation Rental Tax
By Scott Lewis | Voice of San Diego
Wednesday, the Rules Committee for the San Diego City Council will consider Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s push for a tax on empty second homes and vacation rentals. He and his supporters have polled the issue and asked whether voters supported an up-to $5,000 per bedroom annual tax on vacation rentals.
The business community and AirBnB seem to see it as an existential threat.
First, the argument for: As announced at Politifest, Elo-Rivera wants the city to start seeing tourism differently: not as a precious industry that needs to be coddled and nurtured but instead like oil in Norway: An incredibly valuable resource that the city should extract more social benefits from.