The Featured Image is one of those off-chance opportunities—assuming anyone but me gets it. On May 6, 2025, as I walked along Alabama Street in my neighborhood of University Heights, something snagged my attention: An apartment building’s “For Rent” sign visible through a car’s front windows. The fabricated illusion: The owner of the vehicle seeks someone to rent it, to live in.
In San Diego County, such an idea isn’t far-fetched whatsoever. An estimated one in four homeless people live in some kind of vehicle, whether car, RV, truck, or van. Across the county, the number reportedly exceeds as much as 65,000 people.
According to Zillow, in San Diego, the average monthly rental for a studio is $1,950. One-bedroom apartment: $2,300. Two bedroom: $3,095. Three bedroom: $4,250. Four bedroom +: $15, 249. Ah, yeah. Tonight, in my neighborhood, 224 rentals are available, ranging from $1,550 to $8,550.
By comparison, renting a car to live in—for almost any price—would be a high bargain. Hence, the photo.
I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens for this one. In NX Studio, I applied the Somber filter to accentuate the sign. Vitals: f/6.3, ISO 180, 1/500 sec, 200mm; 10:25 a.m. PDT.