Is DC on the way to being San Francisco ?

[Anonymous]

First, you do realize that real estate is subject to the laws of supply and demand. The reason both DC and San Francisco are so expensive to live in is because lots of wealthy people and other people want to live there! If no one wanted to pay high rents for those places, the rents would not be so high.

Second, SF ranks 40th among the top 50 cities for murder rate (in 2022 so don't tell me things have changed). Well below DC, so if we are headed in the direction of SF, it is the right direction! Of course SF's murder rate is well below such liberal bastions as Indianapolis, Nashville and Tulsa.

Third, for the above reasons (and many others) you should not believe what you see on TV about these things. There are homelessness issues in many places and there may be reasons it is more visible in some places, including SF. That is something that people of good will can try to address through policies. It is plain that retail in downtown areas is having issues, but those issues are arising in almost all cities with remote worker issues, including but not limited to DC. Again, those are things to work on. But generally, except for in the world of Fox News, SF remains one of the most desired (and rich) cities in the country (and one of the big cities where you are least likely to be murdered).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Feds are moving back into the office minium of 3 days/week before 2024 election. It’s happening.

It wouldn’t change anything even if it were true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feds are moving back into the office minium of 3 days/week before 2024 election. It’s happening.

It wouldn’t change anything even if it were true.

Exactly. This drumbeat makes no sense. Take the metro, bring our own lunch…I do not help float the downtown economy and I’m in massive amount of company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feds are moving back into the office minium of 3 days/week before 2024 election. It’s happening.

It wouldn’t change anything even if it were true.

Exactly. This drumbeat makes no sense. Take the metro, bring our own lunch…I do not help float the downtown economy and I’m in massive amount of company.

I’ve been a fed my entire life, and I’ve seen feds buy stuff at work all the time. Even if it’s Starbucks, CVS, and Dunkin Donuts, they are buying.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we even had that one earthquake!

[Anonymous]

So wait, now it's supposed to be *bad* to be like San Francisco? Huh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So wait, now it's supposed to be *bad* to be like San Francisco? Huh.

Low information voter.

[Anonymous]

I am a fed and back at least 4 days a week but usually5. I rarely go out to get anything that’s not cvs or maybe a happy hour drink but it’s so incredibly rare it won’t make a dent:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These discussions about how an entire city are doing miss a lot of subtlety. In SF, like DC, the downtown business district is suffering but many of the outer neighborhoods are thriving with work from home. I've heard that many new businesses are opening in the Sunset (which had been a sleepier part of SF), and I'd guess places like Pacific Heights and Forest Hill are also thriving. In DC, Logan Circle and SW Waterfront are incredibly vibrant. Dupont and Upper NW seem tired, but that was true before COVID as well. Again, it's really the CBD that is suffering not the city as a whole.

Upper NW is tired because of the death grip from a bunch of homeowners who bought in the 80's and 90's and are riding the property value wave but wanting to "preserve the character" of the neighborhoods at all costs. Any change put forward is met with swift resistance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, you do realize that real estate is subject to the laws of supply and demand. The reason both DC and San Francisco are so expensive to live in is because lots of wealthy people and other people want to live there! If no one wanted to pay high rents for those places, the rents would not be so high.

Second, SF ranks 40th among the top 50 cities for murder rate (in 2022 so don't tell me things have changed). Well below DC, so if we are headed in the direction of SF, it is the right direction! Of course SF's murder rate is well below such liberal bastions as Indianapolis, Nashville and Tulsa.

Third, for the above reasons (and many others) you should not believe what you see on TV about these things. There are homelessness issues in many places and there may be reasons it is more visible in some places, including SF. That is something that people of good will can try to address through policies. It is plain that retail in downtown areas is having issues, but those issues are arising in almost all cities with remote worker issues, including but not limited to DC. Again, those are things to work on. But generally, except for in the world of Fox News, SF remains one of the most desired (and rich) cities in the country (and one of the big cities where you are least likely to be murdered).

Been to SF recently. It was lovely. Stayed in Haight-Ashbury, visiting surrounding neighborhoods like Mission and Castro frequently while there, but also hitting up many of the tourist sites. All the local, colorful businesses in the neighborhoods were all bumping. The more chain-stuff downtown in the financial district area, not-so-much. Wonder why? It's a mystery. I should consult Fox News and they will tell me.

[Anonymous]

I think the NPS’s greater ability to sweep encampments will help DC compared to SF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just watched an episode of the whole story on Max with Anderson Cooper and saw a few similarities between what has occurred there and what is occurring here. The cost of living is high here creating displacement, then the pandemic happened and remote work has led to high earners fleeing. I don’t see as many tent encampments but I’m wondering if DC is headed in the general direction of San Fran or not. What are your thoughts?

I was just in SF for the first time since 2019. It was fine. Please stop spreading right-wing media talking points on local forums, you shill.

I guess it depends on what your definition of “fine” is. In addition to the homelessness and open drug use, retailers are fleeing.

https://sfstandard.com/business/union-square-stores-closing-san-francisco/

Um. What is the sfstandard?

Source real sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_San_Francisco_Standard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just watched an episode of the whole story on Max with Anderson Cooper and saw a few similarities between what has occurred there and what is occurring here. The cost of living is high here creating displacement, then the pandemic happened and remote work has led to high earners fleeing. I don’t see as many tent encampments but I’m wondering if DC is headed in the general direction of San Fran or not. What are your thoughts?

I was just in SF for the first time since 2019. It was fine. Please stop spreading right-wing media talking points on local forums, you shill.

I guess it depends on what your definition of “fine” is. In addition to the homelessness and open drug use, retailers are fleeing.

https://sfstandard.com/business/union-square-stores-closing-san-francisco/

Um. What is the sfstandard?

Source real sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_San_Francisco_Standard

I don't know about that news source, but what did they write that's untrue? I'm going next year for a conference and the conference hotel just decided to stop paying their loan due to the bad business environment. Organizers said they may have to scramble to move the conference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a fed and back at least 4 days a week but usually5. I rarely go out to get anything that’s not cvs or maybe a happy hour drink but it’s so incredibly rare it won’t make a dent:

But, umm, with millions of federal workers it will indeed make a dent.

Also, with tourists coming back, I think downtown is, little by little, getting to be more crowded and bustling again.

Meanwhile, my DC neighborhood is thriving. We have new businesses moving in all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feds are moving back into the office minium of 3 days/week before 2024 election. It’s happening.

Nope. Nice try.

I’ve heard 2-3 days/week, but either way, they are most definitely going back unless they have permanent telework status.