Weekly Buzz (Sept. 19-23)

North Park makes list as one of the “hottest” housing markets in America

This isn’t shocking to most of us, who know how hot of a commodity the area of North Park is to live in - which is probably why it lands number 10 on this list.

“Homes in the hottest zip codes go fast, selling in an average of 25 days - a full 53 days faster on average than the rest of the country, according to Realtor.com” the Business Insider article stated. The article details many cities that lie just outside of the city center, as North Park does, to the more expensive downtown and Little Italy neighborhoods. The market is undeniably hot in one of the most happening cities within San Diego, with median household incomes resting at $47,454, according to the Business Insider piece. The story also states that more than 20,000 jobs have been added to North Park in the past year, leaving job growth at 1 percent. Seems it is safe to say that North Park is the place to be.

Modern Times opens new cafe

It’s time for a different kind of buzz at Modern Times. The brewery has officially opened a cafe located inside its Point Loma Fermentorium. The cafe will be serving up espresso, barrel-aged pour-over blends, cold brew coffee flights, cold brew horchata slushies and barrel-aged cold brews, for starters. Modern Times fans can also nosh on some vegan pastries to pair with their coffee (or a coffee beer from the bar).

3725 Greenwood St., Point Loma. moderntimesbeer.com

City of San Diego eases up on tattoo shops

Zoning laws previously existed which made it so that tattoo parlors within San Diego County had to get a conditional-use permit that required the Planning Commission’s approval before opening. Now, the City Council has approved the passing of a law that will allow tattoo shops to get the okay from the city planner. The change comes from a federal lawsuit earlier this year that was filed by local tattoo artist, Chris Yvon. Yvon had tried to open a tattoo shop on Vista Way in Vista, and stated that his first amendment rights were violated when he was denied a permit.

San Diego man gives hugs to cops in North Carolina during protests

Perhaps the most controversial story involving San Diego centers on Eastlake resident Ken E. Nwadike Jr. Nwadike is the founder of the Free Hugs Project, an organization that aims to spread love, peace and raise awareness for social issues and injustices, who was featured on DiscoverSD earlier this year, here. With his iconic “FREE HUGS” t-shirt on, he went to North Carolina during the protests over the death of Keith Lamont Scott, and offered hugs to everyone, including police offers. His actions had people upset and conflicted on the matter. Nwadike proudly claimed to remain neutral and asked onlookers to maintain a positive perspective and to understand that just because one police officer shot someone does not mean every police officer is a killer.

Source: DiscoverSD