Tom York on Business: 10 Applicants Scramble for Each Vacant Apartment in San Diego

Yet another example of just how crazy the cost of living especially housing is getting here in San Diego.

A new report from the residential rental website RentCafe found that Diego is the state’s fourth-hottest rental market.

The competition is fierce: 10 applicants vie for every apartment that comes to market.

The occupancy rate is 94.8%, which translates into a full house.

According to the report, the surging demand stems from a lack of new apartment construction.

The number of units has increased by a mere 0.06%, while 53% of renters renew their leases.

“This has led to an RCI score of 76.4, surpassing both the national and state averages,” according to a spokeswoman. The RCI is a national score RentCafe uses to measure competition for rentals.

The national score is 73.4, which RentCafe says is moderately competitive.

And the most competitive market? That would be Miami with an impressive RCI score of 94 —the tightest market in the country.

In California, the South San Francisco Bay Area region, better known as Silicon Valley, scored more than 80 on the RCI scale. While East Los Angeles and Orange County came in at 78.8 on the RCI scale.

Those looking for apartments for rent in California are up against the tough competition and a limited number of new options due to a long-running housing shortage,” the report noted. “In this case, Orange County and San Diego vie for the title of the most competitive rental market in the Golden State. Even so, in a surprising turn at the beginning of this rental season, Silicon Valley emerged as the hottest renting spot in California.”

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A medical-surgical fellowship program at Scripps Clinic that trains doctors in a specialized surgery technique for skin cancer has officially graduated its 40th class.

According to a spokesman for the clinic, 68 dermatologists have completed the one-year program led by Hugh Greenway who heads the skin cancer division at the Scripps Cancer Center.

The fellowship helps trainees master the complexities of many dermatologic surgeries and procedures.

Doctors particularly use the Mohs surgical technique most often with skin cancers that are aggressive or are located in areas of the body “where its tissue-sparing capabilities are crucial.”

According to the American Cancer Society, cancers of the skin are the most common of all types of cancer in the United States and the number of new cases has been increasing for many years.

Greenway is among the world’s most experienced Mohs surgeons, having performed more than 41,000 cases in his career.

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Local high-end natural foods grocer Jimbo’s has leased 25,000 square feet of space at The Watermark, a shopping, dining, hospitality, office and entertainment destination on 22 acres at the corner of Scripps Poway Parkway and Interstate 15.

Developer Sudberry Properties says it will start construction in 2025, with an opening planned for 2026.

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we are excited to add a Jimbo’s to Scripps Ranch and become part of the very fabric of community life,” said Jim “Jimbo” Someck, founder and owner of Jimbo’s.

Someck opened the first Jimbo’s in 1984 in North Park and currently has four locations in San Diego County.

In addition to the Scripps Ranch location, Jimbo’s has leased 25,000 square feet for a future store in Sudberry’s Civita development in Mission Valley.

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Carlsbad electric vehicle battery developer Smartville has entered a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to pursue a $10 million long-term energy storage demonstration program.

The company said the money will be spent to support its efforts to repurpose discarded EV batteries.

“By repurposing retired EV batteries, Smartville is helping to create more sustainable and affordable energy systems for communities across the country,” said North County U.S. Rep. Mike Levin in a news release.

The demonstration program “aims to validate new energy storage technologies and enhance the capabilities of customers and communities to integrate grid storage more effectively,” according to the release.

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To mark Comic-Con’s return for another season, the San Diego Convention Center is reprising the production and sale of its popular but limited-run chocolate bars.

The bars are made by Sodexo Live, the French-based conglomerate under contract to provide food and beverage services to the center. Chef Sufi Karaien and Pastry Chef Kristianna Zabala are the creators of the bars, which come in a variety of added flavors as well as chocolate.

Convention center communications employees worked with the Sodexo chefs to produce the names, themes and wrapper design.

A spokeswoman said Sodexo employees are cranking out 100 bars every 90 minutes at the firm’s onsite kitchen during the period leading up to Comic-Con, one of San Diego’s biggest conventions of the year.

The spokeswoman said Sodexo will turn out 10,000 bars, which will be exclusively sold to Comic-Con attendees at a booth outside Ballroom 20 at the center.

If you want to get a jump on what flavors are offered, check out the news release that gives a first look at the 2024 flavors.

By the way, there are four “golden tickets” hidden inside four of the bars that will be sold. The tickets can be redeemed for a $100 gift card at Starbucks.

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Meanwhile, food bank Feeding San Diego is releasing its new comic book “Hunger Action Heroes Unite!” just in time for the Comic-Con.

According to a news release from the food bank, the book can be purchased on the non-profit’s website,

The publication features characters developed by local students who won an art contest held by the organization in collaboration with the Comic-Con Museum.

“It serves as an integral tool to educate youth about the problem of food insecurity and ultimately inspire them to act,” according to the release.

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Finally, this item of note….UC San Diego Health’s hospitals in La Jolla and Hillcrest have made U.S. News & World Report’s honor roll as the magazine rolls out its annual list of the Best Hospitals.

The annual best hospitals feature evaluates 5,000 hospitals with more than 30 medical and surgical services.

The magazine says that 20 hospitals with exceptional breadth and depth of excellence comprise the Honor Roll.

Oakland-based HMO Kaiser Permanente, which operates a number of hospitals and clinics in the region, said 37 of its hospitals received recognition from the annual hospital analysis.

San Diego Medical Center and Zion Medical Center ranked among the top 60 hospitals in the state.

Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, and Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and Sharp Memorial Hospital in Serra Mesa were also highly ranked in the annual survey.

According to a quick search on the internet, California has 336 hospitals of varying types, making us the state with the largest number of such facilities in the United States.

Tom York is a Carlsbad-based independent journalist who specializes in writing about business and the economy. If you have news tips you’d like to share, send them to tom.york@gmail.com.