How San Francisco broke America's heart

[SpankMe]

This is a great piece from WaPo. I was born in S.F., and there's still a lot to like about the city. But this critique really hits the nail on the head.

Personally, I think the city is lost forever to outsiders with money who have no loyalty to, or long term interest in, the city. Liberal values are clashing with money and greed there and the outcome is very bad and gives the RW a rallying point.

Instead of trying to save SF, progressives looking to establish a new "...refuge for immigrants, bohemians, artists and outcasts..." - as the article describes old-school SF - should find a new locus for the movement and start building. There are awesome towns in Northern California that are diamonds in the rough for such a resurgence.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/how-san-francisco-broke-americas-heart/ar-AABGKVD?li=BBnb7Kz

[dalton99a]

1. The hipster hordes are doing the same thing to Austin and other places

Real estate, income inequality, $20 salads, the homeless, adult children unable to move out, non-tech workers unable to move in.

[walkingman]

2. In a much smaller sense, Austin is experiencing the type of changes as it goes from

being a amazing, very progressive, eco-friendly town to one that is now dominated by unaffordable housing and development by tech companies. The jobs are wonderful but along with them comes the influence of $$$ which is slowly changing the culture of the city. As a "blueberry" in the middle of a giant sea of conservative Texas I hope what made it a cool town does not go away and just become another Houston (which is a REAL city) minus the fossil fuel industry.

[Stuart G]

3. Just finished reading this. Interesting not sure yet, still thinking about it..

[kimbutgar]

4. It's so sad, I am a native and still resident of SF

When I drive around I see a lot of shuttered old time businessesand no longer recognize areas I grew up around. I live in the western part of the city and see all the time mostly white people standing at freeway on and off ramps asking for money. The other day I actually saw a guy I knew from high school who was scruffy and glassy eyed. My friends who lived in apartments have ended up losing their places because the buildings have been sold and the new owners kick them out to renovate. While I am fortunate to own a home in SF the funky part of the city is almost gone. It’s all these unfriendly techies who are glued to their smart phones.

And today in the S.F. chronicle this guy Joe Garofoli wrote that fat donnie could get re -elected because we in the west coast bubble don’t realize the working class in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania like his message. Years ago a writer wouldn’t dare write this right wing bs in the liberal SF Chronicle.

[murielm99]

5. My brother has lived there for many years.

He is afraid to move, because his apartment is rent controlled. He has no desire to leave the city.

[BigDemVoter]

6. Amen.

I still live here, but it is an entirely changed city from 20 years ago. I won't stay after I retire, and even if I COULD afford to, I'm not sure that I still would. I never thought I'd have a desire to live elsewhere, as it IS fantastic city. The expense is so awful now that hardly any stores can remain open in the Castro, as the rents are so astronomical that nothing can stay open more than a few months. Imagine how many coffees a cafe would have to sell to pay $10,000 or more per month in rent. The average price of a one-bedroom apartment in the city is now approximately $4000/month. I don't see how this is sustainable.

[kimbutgar]

8. I hear you

I went to college in Chico and my husband and I thought about buying a second home to spend some retirement time. But then the paradise fire happened and the house we thought about went from $180,000 to almost $300,000 so that dream ended. Fortunately our home is near the bus and in walking distance to a grocery store. But a nice little cottage in Chico would have been a nice place to spend the late spring and late fall months.

[msongs]

7. the next quake will put a stop to all this nonsense. urban removal on a massive scale nt