Bay Area Current: Moderate Rule, Maximum Harm: A Year of SF’s Surrender to Oligarchy
As socialists score electoral wins across the US — most notably in New York City — San Francisco's billionaire backed "moderates" have seized government control, with disastrous results. For working-class San Franciscans, their rule has only made life harder.
San Franciscans face an extreme affordability crisis. San Francisco rents are the highest in the Bay Area. Evictions are at their highest level in a decade. Only 7% of union members can afford housing in San Francisco. Rather than offer rent subsidies, affordable homes, or eviction bans, Mayor Lurie is instead moving forward a plan to incentivize the demolition of rent-controlled housing. He has also diverted affordable housing funds, and defunded social housing entirely.
Economic security is eroding, too. AI is automating entry-level jobs, and unemployment is up for white collar jobs as well. Construction workers are out of work because rather than ramping up a social housing program, political leaders are busy deregulating for developers who aren’t building. Government positions are being eliminated for the benefit of privatization and contractors.