Like going into a dark attic to investigate a mysterious noise, Americans appear to be walking toward danger rather than away. But it’s not just in slasher movies that people make surprising decisions. More Americans are moving into areas prone to natural disasters than moving out, according to Redfin. Let’s look at where more Americans are choosing to call home and why they’re making the move. 

1. Florida

According to Redfin, Lee County on the Gulf Coast saw 60,000 more people move in than move out over the past two years. That’s the largest increase among the 306 high-flood-risk counties analyzed. Despite the high probability of severe flooding, builders continue to put up new homes, and buyers continue to get mortgage loans and snap them up as quickly as they’re built. 

Interestingly, Redfin reports that many of the folks who moved to Florida from the Northeast or West during the pandemic are now leaving. However, they’re quickly being replaced by new out-of-staters who dream of living near the coast. 

2. Texas

Just north of Dallas is Collin County, home to Plano. Collin County has welcomed 61,000 more residents than have left over the past two years. Meanwhile, Lee County, in southeast Central Texas, had a net gain of 57,000 residents. 

Climate-change modeling from the nonprofit First Street Foundation shows that Collin County has major risks from wildfires and severe winds. In addition, there’s a severe risk from heat. Lee County has a severe risk from heat due to an increase in “feels like” temperatures. A whopping 100% of homes in Lee County have a Severe Heat Factor®. Lee County also faces minor risk from flooding, major risk from wildfires, and severe risk from high winds. 

3. Arizona

An astounding 76,000 more people moved in than moved out of Maricopa County during the past two years. But, 100% of homes in Maricopa County face high heat risk. It’s no secret that Arizona is one hot state, but the folks moving into the state face more than an occasional hot day.

More: Check out our picks for the best mortgage lenders

According to ClimateCheck, in a typical year between 1985 and 2005, residents of Maricopa County could expect about seven days above 111.5ºF. By 2050, 27 years from now, Maricopa County residents are projected to experience about 41 days per year of temperatures over 111.5ºF.

4. Inland California

Among the 306 high-fire-risk counties Redfin analyzed, Riverside County had the highest number of homes facing high wildfire risk. In fact, 600,000 homes face the possibility of being damaged or destroyed in the next wildfire, and yet, Riverside County has experienced a net gain of 40,000 people over the past two years. 

5. Utah

Washington and Utah counties have each witnessed an influx of new people since 2021, despite the fact that 95.5% of homes in Washington County face high fire risk and drought. And Utah county isn’t much better off in terms of risks. While 71% of homes in the county have a Moderate Heat Factor®, Utah county also faces a moderate risk of flooding, a major risk from wildfires, and minimal risk from severe winds. 

Why people are moving

While there’s no single explanation for why people are choosing to move to high-risk areas, there appear to be at least two major reasons. 

Lower cost of living

Many who’ve moved over the past two years got in early enough to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates before inflationary pressures led the Federal Reserve to raise rates. It was the middle of the pandemic, more people were working from home, and they suddenly had the freedom to move to less-expensive areas of the country. 

Although interest rates have risen and the price of homes has skyrocketed in some areas, it’s still less expensive for someone moving from Boston, San Francisco, or New York to make a house payment in Florida or Arizona than it was back home. 

The less a household spends on housing and everyday expenses like utilities and groceries, the more they have to invest for retirement or other future goals.

What you can do: When calculating the cost of living, be sure to factor in how much more you may have to spend on homeowners insurance.  

Focus on today

There was a time when builders were less likely to construct homes in risky areas. Perhaps for that reason, disaster-prone regions have been more affordable than other areas of the country. According to Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather, “It’s human nature to focus on current waterfront views or a low cost of living, over costs that could rack up in the long run, like property damage or a decrease in property value.” 

From 1900 to 1959, just 14% of homes were built in areas with a high risk of fire, and 37% in areas with drought risk. So far this decade, 55% of homes have been built in places with a high risk of fire and 45% in areas facing the risk of drought.

To understand the potential hardship of drought, look no further than Maricopa County. Redfin reports that the explosion in population has coincided with an increasingly dire climate crisis. Due to a lack of water, Arizona plans to stop issuing homebuilding permits in parts of the Phoenix area and will cap the number of new communities that can be built.  

Fairweather believes “the consequences of climate change haven’t fully sunk in for many Americans because oftentimes, homeowners and renters don’t foot the whole bill when disaster strikes.” There’s a tendency to believe that insurance companies and government programs will foot the bill for rebuilding. 

What you can do: Investigate the area you hope to move to, including how climate change is expected to affect the region. Unless you don’t plan to stay for long, be aware that extensive flooding, wildfires, and excessive heat can all impact the value of your property. 

There’s no corner of the world immune from climate change, but some areas are more prone to catastrophic events than others. While you can’t base decisions solely on what “might happen,” it doesn’t hurt to factor risks into your next big decision, especially if it involves getting a mortgage loan. 

The post Why Pure Disasters Aren’t Discouraging Folks From Transferring to These 5 States appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

There have been so many reports of deserted downtown San Francisco lately that I almost expected, on my way to Heartwood, a cocktail bar created by the team behind the Treasury and the Beehive, that opened on Commercial Street last week, kicking tumbleweeds.

The streets are undeniably quieter now that around 150,000 workers have left the neighborhood, but in Heartwood it could have been happy hour on the second night of the service around 2019. Almost every table was packed with colleagues sharing bar snacks and sipping craft cocktails amidst exposed brick and murals depicting California poppies and trees, nodding to the neighborhood’s history.

The bar’s name refers to the innermost part of the tree trunk, which produces the toughest wood, and alludes to neighboring Transamerica Redwood Park, which is still closed for renovations. It could also be read as an indication of the core value required to open a new bar in America’s “emptiest inner city” amid a tenuous recovery from the pandemic, mass layoffs and warnings things could be getting worse.

Pedestrians cross Battery Street in San Francisco’s Financial District on April 25, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

But managing partner and operations manager Tristen Philippart de Foy reminds me that it’s spring, even if it’s been a long time coming this year.

“It’s fair to be critical. Yes, we were in a recession and it was a long winter. But whoever is here sees that we are at the beginning of an upswing,” he said.

Hope for downtown San Francisco

Heartwood isn’t the only company moving into the neighborhood. According to Robbie Silver, executive director of the nonprofit Community Benefit District Downtown SF Partnership (DSFP), 14 businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors have opened in the Financial District since 2021. The San Francisco Business Times reports that other hospitality giants such as Wayfare Tavern and House of An are on the horizon. And real estate investor Michael Shvo, who bought the Transamerica Pyramid in 2020, is investing $400 million to redesign the building and surrounding blocks. That’s a big bet for an inner city deemed dead.

Although the Heartwood team has toured many rooms across the city, they landed at the FiDi location in part because of the promising recovery that the Treasury, just a short walk away, has seen over the past year.

Heartwood CEO Tristen Philippart de Foy at his restaurant in San Francisco’s Financial District on April 25, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“There was a revival and we’re miles ahead of that a year ago,” Philippart de Foy said. “There are smaller windows in which we’re employed, but those windows are promising.” The same can be said for the acquisitions of companies for conventions, which he says are even stronger than 2019, and the hybrid working models, the lunch and happy hour for Bring employees back at least a few days a week.

Of course, trying to get a business up and running with far fewer hours and customers is unsustainable. And, as the area has learned the hard way, it doesn’t rely on workers in any industry to keep businesses afloat, either.

For this reason, DSFP, Philippart de Foy and many other business owners are working on a public sector action plan aimed at reinventing FiDi as a cultural destination.

Customers enter Heartwood in San Francisco’s Financial District on April 25, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

A pilot of the program, funded by the city and provided by DSFP and Sitelab, an urban design studio, is slated to launch this summer right outside Heartwood’s doors at the intersection of Leidesdorff and Commercial Streets.

Bring pedestrians back to FiDi

In front of Heartwood, Philippart de Foy leads me around the block as if it were an extension of his bar. Where there are a few parked cars and a boarded-up storefront with someone camping at the entrance, he sees potential and paints a picture of a busy pedestrian street that you would find in most European cities. The projects promise murals and historical plaques here, a coffee cart there, health clubs to lure workers out of their offices, and cultural activities to lure families and visitors.

“The construction of these inner city hotspots of culture will be a crucial part of the recovery,” said Philippart de Foy.

Light displays will be projected onto the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange building as part of the “Let’s Glow SF” art installation on Tuesday, December 8, 2022 in San Francisco.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

There is already evidence that activities like this work in the neighborhood. In December, DSFP hosted Let’s Glow SF, a 10-day holiday celebration where 51,000 visitors and residents saw light shows projected onto four downtown buildings. According to Silver, most of the participants were families, and the project raised $3 million for the region and its businesses.

In addition to cultural activities, DSFP recently launched its first micro-grant program to provide up to $40,000 in funding to eligible restaurants to improve their sidewalk and curbside dining areas.

Peter Quartaroli, owner of the 150-year-old Sam’s Grill and DSFP board member, says beautifying downtown streets is an important part. “If we can make the curb in front of our store, in front of our neighbor’s store, a little better, it’s going to make a big difference,” he said.

Customers exit Sam’s Grill in San Francisco’s Financial District on April 25, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Grants like those from DSFP, along with Mayor London Breed’s recently announced plan to change the city’s tax structure to make it easier for businesses, aren’t the only signs of imminent change some businesses are optimistic about the city centre make.

Philippart de Foy said landlords are starting to work with business owners on unconventional deals to weather the slow recovery and inspire long-term leases, such as: B. Profit-sharing, where rents are based on the success of the company.

A “For Rent” sign hangs in a window in San Francisco’s Financial District on April 25, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Mason Harrison, a representative of the Transamerica Pyramid, said there is promising leasing activity among creative agencies and design firms in the area. Silver hopes that bringing nightlife to the area will also help diversify the neighborhood’s economic core, noting that incubator programs could allow artists to establish a more permanent presence in the area, which would help Changing perceptions of what the neighborhood has to offer.

The road to recovery

San Francisco’s recovery from the pandemic is slowing compared to other cities, but the Bay Area still ranks among the top 10 fastest-growing metro areas in the United States, according to a study by LinkedIn. And although tourism spending in the city is about 77% of 2019 levels, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, it more than doubled in 2022, giving some hope that a full recovery is now on the horizon. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate editorial offices.)

There is still a long way to go. Heartwood’s closest neighbors are still a boarded-up storefront and construction zones. But in the bar, the focus on natural elements, from the exposed original wooden beams to the tiny pine cone adorning my cocktail, is more than just a gimmick. It’s a reminder that spring always returns.

Customers have lunch at Heartwood in San Francisco’s Financial District on April 25, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

A less tangible, but perhaps even stronger, element fuels business owners’ hope for downtown. And that’s the spirit of San Francisco itself.

The post Why these San Francisco companies aren’t giving up on troubled FiDi appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco plans to get rid of single-family zoning and instead allow fourplexes in every neighborhood and six-unit homes on all corner lots, a change long sought by housing development advocates.

But champions of greater housing density are worried that San Francisco’s legislation might result in very few new homes being built. They fear that restrictive provisions limiting who can take advantage of the new permissions and how fast property owners can get their projects approved will stymie new construction.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors narrowly approved the legislation, which is intended to alleviate the city’s notorious housing crunch. The vote marks the culmination of more than a year’s work by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman to pass legislation that would promote fourplexes in San Francisco. In early 2021, Mandelman announced a more modest plan that failed to advance. He returned last summer with a new proposal that the board passed in a 6-4 vote Tuesday, with Supervisors Ahsha Safaí, Catherine Stefani, Shamann Walton and Matt Dorsey dissenting. Supervisor Connie Chan was absent.

Some supervisors opposed the legislation because it circumvents the fast-tracked permit approval process required by a new state law — SB9 — that was passed to promote the construction of more multi-unit housing.

With the ordinance, Mandelman and co-sponsor Supervisor Myrna Melgar are trying to encourage more density while preserving local control over new development. Mandelman has acknowledged that his legislation leaves more work to be done to address the housing crisis.

“I share the frustration of those who feel that a measure that was already modest and incremental to begin with ended up even more so after working its way through the legislative process, but I believe today’s vote is nonetheless a move in the right direction for San Francisco,” Mandelman said in a statement after the vote. “Still, the reality is that this board needs to do better and be bolder if we are to have any hope of achieving the significant increase in housing production required by state law and demanded by the moment.”

Richard Hillis, the city’s planning director, said the impact of the fourplex ordinance will likely be “fairly small” as measured by new housing units. But he called the act of ending single-family zoning “a pretty big step” — at least in terms of recognizing that building multi-family rather than single-family homes is good policy.

But he added that he’s “nervous that the changes they’re making are either not going far enough, or they’re putting requirements in place that will result in too few units being produced.”

Currently, about 40% of San Francisco’s land area is zoned for only single-family homes. The ordinance rezones all those areas to allow duplexes by default. Property owners can then receive a density exception from the city that allows them to build up to four units, six on corner lots.

Any one building more than two units would have those extra units subject to rent control — a program that some developers say can make the economics of building more homes harder to pencil out.

And only those who have owned their properties for at least five years — or inherited it from a family member who did — can qualify for the density exception at all.

The latter provision, implemented in committee at the urging of Supervisor Dean Preston, could hamstring the ordinance’s ability to translate into much new development, some observers say.

Preston pushed the restriction in order to prevent rampant real estate speculation. But critics say the ownership restriction could simply push more developers toward building more expensive duplexes and single-family homes rather than more affordable fourplexes.

“That doesn’t make sense to us in terms of what we think the public policy objective should be, which is … to encourage more small units and more rent-controlled units,” said Tom Radulovich, the executive director of Livable City .

Todd David, executive director of the Housing Action Coalition, said he thought the original version of the bill wouldn’t have much of an impact, but the amendments made that even more true.

“They took the original policy they knew would create little housing and they added some additional bells and whistles to ensure that it will create very little to no housing,” David said.

Additionally, the ordinance allows San Francisco to get around a key provision of SB9.

The 2021 state law lets homeowners who want to add extra units get approval through a streamlined process that bypasses city officials’ ability to use their discretion to reject housing developments. But the law applies only to areas zoned for single-family homes, so San Francisco’s rezoning of the whole city would make SB9 no longer apply to the permit approval process.

The San Francisco legislation’s end-run around SB9 was cited by Safaí and Dorsey when they explained to their colleagues why they were voting against the local measure.

“I believe it’s too small of a step,” said Safaí, who had proposed his own fourplex ordinance that was not incorporated into Mandelman’s.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat and co-author of SB9, said in a statement after the board vote that, while Mandelman’s original ordinance was a “good-faith proposal,” the amended version, “sadly, doesn’t cut it.”

“The ordinance avoids SB9 without offering an alternative robust path to more housing,” Wiener said.

Even without San Francisco’s restrictions, however, SB9 likely would have had limited impact in the city, according to housing experts and a Chronicle analysis.

Mandelman has previously said he was open to discussing ways of fast-tracking permit approvals but that any such changes would have to be made by supervisors later.

“This is not the final statement on density in low-density neighborhoods,” he said Tuesday.

Hillis said that streamlining approval for fourplexes and sixplexes once the city is rezoned would likely require a ballot measure to amend the City Charter. San Franciscans are already voting on at least one amendment — possibly two — in November aimed at accelerating housing production for some projects.

Wiener said he did not believe that San Francisco could rely on its newest fourplex law to comply with its state-mandated plan to meet housing production goals. The city must plan to build 82,000 units between 2023 and 2031.

“This is further evidence that the voters are going to have to take matters into their own hands to ensure San Franciscans have enough housing to meet our city’s needs,” he said in his statement.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who supported the ordinance, said Tuesday that he was “actually kind of shocked that there is opposition to this.” He and Preston both said they believed the real reason for the resistance was that many of those in favor of more housing development also oppose rent control.

“Let’s be clear: They hate rent control and that is why they are opposing a bill that increases density in San Francisco,” Peskin said.

JD Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris

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• MLB traditionalists aren’t happy with the Giants’ neglecting for baseball’s unwritten rules
• San Francisco doesn’t care, they’re more interested in winning
• Read more MLB news here

The San Francisco Giants have been taking some heat from baseball traditionalists.

In a blowout win over the Padres on Tuesday, San Francisco players and management opted to neglect some of the sport’s “unwritten rules” in an attempt to gain an advantage for games later in the series.

The most egregious offense was a sixth inning bunt-for-base hit by Mauricio Dubon with the Giants leading the game by nine runs. San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin didn’t take kindly to what he views as bad sportsmanship.

San Francisco Manager Gabe Kapler Responds

Giants manager Gabe Kapler sees no issue with the bunt, or a variety of other incidents that happened throughout the game.

The San Francisco leader also mentions a second inning steal by Steven Duggar with his team leading 10-1. Check out his postgame comments below.

“I fully support both of those decisions. I support the decision that Duggar made, also support the decision that Dubon made to bunt right there. Our goal is not exclusively to win one game in a series, it’s to try to win the entire series.

“Sometimes that means trying to get a little deeper into the opposition’s pen, and I understand that many teams don’t love that strategy. And I get why… It’s not to be disrespectful in any way… It’s the best way to try and win a series.

“If other clubs decide they want to do the same thing to us, we won’t have any issue with it.”

He’s got a point.

Working the opposition’s pitching staff deeper into games can be key to winning a three- or four-game series. And let’s get real, these are professional players. As Kapler notes, it’s not meant to hurt anyone’s feelings, it’s about getting as many wins as possible.

Giants Players Have Embraced This Strategy

Kapler mentions that his team talked about the strategy prior to the year. His players seem to share the same sentiment.

#SFGiants are fully behind their strategy to pile on.

Joc Pederson: “If you don’t like it, play better.”

Alex Cobb: “We know they’re not going to be happy. And that’s OK.”

Dubon: “We’re trying to win a series. I’m not trying to disrespect anybody.”https://t.co/HyC1voJ13W

— Evan Webeck (@EvanWebeck) April 13, 2022

Dubon, specifically, was asked about the bunt after the game. He mirrored what was said by his team’s manager.

It will undoubtedly rub more opponents the wrong way moving forward, but don’t expect the Giants to change their line of thinking. San Francisco won their first series of the season using these tactics. They’ll try to pick up another series win in the finale versus San Diego.

As long as it continues to work, they won’t care what their opponents think.

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Amazon’s signature smiley blue logos are spreading across southeast San Francisco’s industrial landscape. And not everyone is happy about it.

The second most valuable company in the world, Amazon has been gobbling up space throughout the southeast corner of the city, taking advantage of zoning meant to preserve blue-collar jobs in a market in which housing and office space has typically generated higher revenues.

At 888 Minnesota St., at the foot of a slow street and across from Esprit Park, Amazon has established an UltraFastFresh logistics center. A half-mile southeast at 435 23rd St., just to the south of the Potrero Power Station, a large sign outside a 75,000 square foot warehouse says “welcome Amazonians.” And further to the south, at 749 Toland St., Amazon has a 112,000 square foot delivery hub.

But Amazon’s biggest and most controversial incursion into San Francisco is a proposed 725,000 square foot delivery hub at 900 7th St., a six-acre rectangular parcel in Showplace Square Amazon bought for $200 million. For decades that site was home to garbage trucks, a fleet of 300 that each morning would rumble out onto the streets of Showplace Square at an hour the streets were still dark and most city residents still in bed.

Now the trash trucks are gone — the garbage company Recology relocated them to Brisbane — but a proposal from the new property owner is causing consternation from neighbors who say that a heavy industrial use no longer fits in a creative neighborhood that has evolved into a mix of housing, design and artist spaces, light “advanced” manufacturing and an expanding California College of the Arts campus.

Amazon plans to expand into San Francisco by turning this location at 900 7th St., and others, into facilities for the company.

Samantha Laurey/The Chronicle

David Meckel, senior adviser to the president at CCA, said three daily shifts of 400 workers would generate 2,800 car trips, in addition to the 70 Amazon trucks that will be coming and going from the facility. The traffic could create a pedestrian nightmare for CCA’s 1,600 students as well as for residents at 888 7th St, a 224-unit that overlooks the future Amazon site.

“To me it’s not about Amazon, it’s about the intensity of the use,” said Meckel. “I’d have the same concerns if it were FedEx or UPS. For me it’s about urban design.”

Will Roscoe, who lives at 888 7th St., said the pollution and traffic would worsen air quality in a neighborhood in which freeways and Caltrain already generate high levels of particulate matter. About a decade ago, Roscoe, who works for a nonprofit, was evicted from a building in the Western Addition. He feels like the Amazon project will once again force him to move.

“Hundreds of people now have come in to make this their neighborhood and this just really turns the clock back to a massive usage that is antithetical to a livable neighborhood for people with children, seniors,” he said. “It’s contrary to that.”

But while a busy distribution center may feel out of sync with Showplace Square’s current vibe, it is in fact just what city zoning calls for. And Recology only decided to sell the site after neighbors had rejected an earlier 2018 plan to build about 1,000 units of housing there.

At a pre-application meeting at the site on June 27, 2019, a packed room of Dogpatch and Potrero Hill residents lambasted the idea of ​​building housing on the site. One called it a “a land grab and giveaway to developers.” Another resident said San Francisco suffered from a “PDR crisis” — PDR stands for production, distribution and repair — and that the property should remain zoned for industrial uses. One attendee called it “a bad project,” while another argued that “housing is not needed in the neighborhood.”

If the vocal opposition was intended to give Recology cold feet, it worked. Recology first cut the number of proposed units in half. Then, facing an uphill approval process that was likely to drag on three or four years, not including delays from environmental lawsuits common in San Francisco, the rubbish company gave up and sold the six-acre site to Amazon.

“We received an offer and determined it was in Recology’s interest to accept it,” said Eric Potashner, the Vice President & Senior Director of Strategic Affairs at Recology.

While the housing plan would have required a series of zoning changes and conditional use authorizations, Amazon’s proposed 57-foot high warehouse is consistent with the Eastern Neighborhoods land use plan adopted in December of 2008 after a decade of debate. The site is part of a block of parcels roughly bounded by 7th Street, Division Street, Potrero Avenue and 16th Street, that were zoned for industrial uses.

Ken Rich, who was project manager at the Planning Department for the Eastern Neighborhoods rezoning, said the city tried to strike a balance between protecting industrial jobs and creating room for new housing. The plan has generated thousands of new housing units in Dogpatch and Potrero Hill. It has also prompted property owners at sites like 1 DeHaro, 100 Hooper and 150 Hooper to build PDR spaces for advanced manufacturing.

The Eastern Neighborhood Plans goal of protecting light industrial jobs on a swath of land that would otherwise have been gobbled up by tech office and housing developers has done what it was intended to do, according to Anne Taupier, director of development at the Mayor’s Office of Economic and workforce development.

“A clear set of rules to play by were established and it really hasn’t changed since then,” said Taupier. “We think it has worked and is continuing to work.”

The opposition to Amazon’s 7th Street plan is motivated not just by land use issues but by the company’s track record of crushing unionization efforts and reputation for grueling work conditions, according to JR Eppler, a board member with Potrero Boosters.

Eppler said that neighbors around 888 Minnesota St. have had success over the last year working with Amazon on issues like traffic, parking and security. Friends of Jackson Park is in talks with Amazon about the company possibly contributing funding to badly needed improvements. But the labor issues are harder to negotiate, he said.

In a recent SF Standard article two San Francisco Board of Supervisor members, Aaron Peskin and Shamann Walton, suggested that the city had been overly receptive to Amazon’s project and less than upfront with residents and other stakeholders about the project.

Taupier said Amazon is at the very beginning of its approval process and there would be ample time for residents and elected officials to shape the project.

“We are going to have conversations with Amazon about supporting our local small businesses, including our brick and mortar retail businesses,” said Taupier. “We will make sure they understand that San Francisco has expectations that if you are going to do business here you are going to be part of the community.”

In the meantime the empty rectangular lot feels like an island in a neighborhood that has moved on. To the north is the condo building at 888 7th St., which houses many senior Chinese immigrants. To the south on Hooper Street is headquarters for Adobe and a new SFMade building that houses a roster of manufacturing businesses including robotics groups, a distillery and a fabricator of everything from drapes to bags to hydrogen tanks for the automobile and industrial markets.

Scott Mason, a San Francisco commercial real estate broker who specializes in industrial properties, said Amazon is among a select group of well-funded users who qualify for PDR sites but have far deeper pockets than the typical family run auto body or plumbing supply company. He said mom and pop PDR companies needed to make a city like San Francisco function can not compete in a market dominated by Amazon.

“Your every day smaller company in San Francisco is having a tough time,” he said. “The venture-backed tech-driven company can pay more per square foot because they are not working off a regular balance sheet.”

Stephen Maduli-Williams, Amazon’s manager of economic development policy, said construction at the old Recolgy site would not start for 18 to 24 months. He said there would be retail at the site and Amazon would work with local residents and businesses to determine what sort of goods might be sold. He said the company is looking into how Amazon could support Jackson Park.

“We intend to use this time to listen to and engage all of our neighbors and stakeholders, with the goal of reaching a shared vision not only for the project, but to also create long lasting partnerships” he said.

For Dogpatch and Potrero residents there is an increasing sense that Amazon “has the neighborhoods surrounded,” said Eppler. Roscoe said he is concerned that some neighborhood groups will successfully squeeze Amazon to fund various needs, leaving residents to live with the trucks with the blue smiles coming and going.

“Nobody speaks for our building,” said Roscoe. “We don’t want it. Nobody I’ve talked to is like, ‘Oh yes, good idea.’ The others in the coalition are going for community benefits — but what community benefits could they give us? Free gas masks? Lifetime cancer screening? The benefit we need is to not be subjected to traffic and pollution.”

JK Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen

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The future of the Houston Texans remains up in the air as general manager Nick Caserio searches for a new head coach and offensive coordinator. But in this search forward, it might be wise for Texans to look to their past.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans was a 2006 second-round draft pick for the Texans. The linebacker went on to be named Rookie of the Year, was named to two Pro Bowls, and was a 2007 first-team All-Pro. Ryan’s was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012 before retiring after the 2015 season.

Ryans transitioned into coaching in 2017 as the 49ers’ defensive quality control coach. This was followed by a promotion to inside linebackers coach from 2018 to 2020, after which he was promoted to coordinator, replacing Robert Saleh, who just finished his first year as head coach with the New York Jets.

In his first year as coordinator for the 10-7 49ers (who are in the playoffs), his defense ranked third in total length allowed, sixth in passing yards, and seventh in rushing yards, despite only having three players all 17 games started . Ryans also helped defensive end Nick Bosa reach his second Pro Bowl.

In a league where every team is trying to find a promising young manager who can bring new ideas and a fresh spirit, what better way for Houston to do so than in the form of one of their former players.

We say this while acknowledging that Caserio’s search for the head coach appears to be about picking names from the Patriots tree – namely Brian Flores. Or about working with guys who are friends in the front office – namely Josh McCown.

No problem; The boss can hire whoever the boss wants. But a full search should be complete.

Meanwhile, if getting one 49ers coach isn’t enough, why not two? Wes Welker, coach of the Niners receivers, began his coaching career in Houston as an offensive assistant and special teams adviser under Bill O’Brien for two seasons before joining the 49ers.

Since then, the former All-Pro has worked his magic on Deebo Samuel, who himself was named to his first All-Pro team this year.

Welker was someone who had wide audiences gravitating towards him during his time in Houston, trying to soak up as much information as possible from the former New England Patriot — yes, Welker fits the “Patriots South” mold. Another young coach rising through the ranks Welker would be able to bring a wealth of experience to the table, having played alongside the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to perhaps freshen up this often stale Texans offense.

There is nothing wrong with “Patriots South”. But during a quest? There’s nothing wrong with “The Best of Texans” either.

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Berrien County, Michigan, ist nicht der Ort, von dem man erwarten würde, dass er Einwohner verliert. An der Küste des Michigansees gelegen, sind die „Hamptons des Mittleren Westens“ weithin bekannt für ihre Sandstrände und Weinberge, die viele Touristen aus dem nahe gelegenen Chicago und Indianapolis anziehen. Aber der Landkreis hat diese Touristen noch nicht zum Bleiben überredet, und seine Bevölkerung ist seit den 1970er Jahren rückläufig. Letztes Jahr wurde Rob Cleveland, der Leiter einer regionalen Organisation für wirtschaftliche Entwicklung, kreativ. Wenn Sie ein Telearbeiter aus einem anderen Bundesstaat sind, der ein Haus kaufen und sich in Berrien niederlassen möchte, können Sie sich bei Clevelands Gruppe, der Cornerstone Alliance, bewerben und erhalten 10.000 bis 15.000 US-Dollar.

Seit dem Start des Programms im September haben sich mehr als 2.500 Menschen aus dem ganzen Land gemeldet, um ihr Interesse an den Anreizen zu bekunden, sagte mir Cleveland. Er verband mich mit einer von ihnen, Jill Urbanski, einer langjährigen Einwohnerin von Chicago, die im Oktober im Radio von dem Angebot hörte. Ende Februar war sie nach St. Joseph, Michigan, gezogen und hatte ihre 10.000 Dollar gesammelt. „Es machte absolut Sinn“, sagte mir Urbanski. “Alles ist für mich aufgereiht.”

Es gibt nur ein Problem. In den 10 Monaten seit dem Start des Programms ist Urbanski die einzige Person, die das Angebot der Cornerstone Alliance angenommen hat. Cleveland sagte, dass zwei weitere Familien bald in die Grafschaft ziehen werden, aber er ist noch lange nicht in der Nähe seines ursprünglichen Ziels, bis Ende dieses Jahres 25 Anreize zu verteilen. Jetzt hofft er, dass er fünf schlägt.

Umzugs-Incentives wie in Berrien liegen derzeit voll im Trend. Laut der Website MakeMyMove geben mehr als 40 Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten Menschen Geld für den Umzug. Die Shoals, Alabama, zahlen Ihnen 10.000 US-Dollar. Im Nordwesten von Arkansas erhalten Sie außerdem 10.000 US-Dollar – plus ein kostenloses Fahrrad. Topeka, Kansas, bietet Jimmy Johns Sandwiches im Wert von bis zu 15.000 US-Dollar und 1.000 US-Dollar an. Morgantown, West Virginia, hat eine Welle der Medienaufmerksamkeit erhalten, indem es das vielleicht großzügigste Angebot gemacht hat: eine Kombination aus Geldzuschüssen, kostenlosem Verleih von Outdoor-Ausrüstung, kostenlosen Skitickets und anderen Vergünstigungen im Gesamtwert von 20.000 USD.

Diese Initiativen variieren je nach Größe der Stadt und wie sie finanziert werden (einige, darunter Berriens, werden vollständig mit privaten Dollars finanziert), aber die Idee dahinter ist die gleiche: Durch baumelnde Belohnungen hoffen schwächelnde Gemeinden, neue anzuziehen Einwohner – insbesondere Telearbeiter – aus wohlhabenderen Teilen des Landes. Diese Programme stammen aus der Zeit vor der Pandemie, aber sie haben an Popularität gewonnen, da ein Teil der Unternehmen die Remote-Arbeit dauerhaft einsetzt. „Vielleicht treffen die Leute die Entscheidung, sich von den beengten Büros in Downtown Manhattan zu entfernen“, sagte mir Craig Armstrong, der Architekt des Incentive-Programms in Newton, Iowa. “Wir sind wahrscheinlich gut aufgestellt, um die Vorteile zu nutzen.” Sogar das Wall Street Journal hat bewegende Initiativen gefeiert und gesagt, dass sie neue Wege für “die heutigen Legionen von Remote-Arbeitern, die es jucken, von ihren hochpreisigen, dicht besiedelten Grenzen in Städten wie San Francisco und New York zu springen”, eröffnen.

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Aber die Art und Weise, wie diese Programme ablaufen, entspricht nicht ihrem ursprünglichen Versprechen. Anstelle von etwas, das den Wohnort der Amerikaner grundlegend neu ausrichten kann, sehen fast alle diese Initiativen aus wie in Berrien: Sie bringen einige neue Einwohner an, aber nicht genug, um die Bevölkerungsprobleme der Städte nennenswert zu verändern. Bei all dem Hype um Remote Work tut es für viele schrumpfende Städte eindeutig wenig bis gar nichts.

Umzugsanreize gibt es schon seit einiger Zeit, aber 2018 gingen sie zur Hauptsendezeit. In diesem Jahr begann eine Stiftung in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 10.000 US-Dollar für Remote-Mitarbeiter anzubieten, die in die Stadt gezogen sind. Die Idee – Geld verdienen mit Umzug! – wurde schnell zu einer Mediensensation, die Tulsa genau die Aufmerksamkeit bescherte, die sie suchte. In den letzten drei Jahren haben sich rund 47.000 Menschen für das Programm namens Tulsa Remote beworben. Zwischen den aufgenommenen und den mitgezogenen Familien sind mehr als 1.000 Menschen aus dem ganzen Land in die Stadt gezogen. Der Erfolg von Tulsa ist einer der Hauptgründe, warum so viele andere Gemeinden ihre eigenen Anreize geschaffen haben.

Aber im Gegensatz zu fast allen anderen Orten, die diese Programme anbieten, ist Tulsa eine Großstadt mit Hunderttausenden von Einwohnern. (Die einzige größere Stadt mit Anreizen ist Baltimore, die nur 20 Stipendien pro Jahr vergibt.) Angesichts der Größe der Stadt machten die neuen Einwohner nur einen unbedeutenden Bevölkerungszuwachs von 0,25 Prozent aus. Und weil Tulsa den Trend ankurbelte, hatte es einen Vorsprung bei der Gewinnung neuer Bewohner. „Ich denke, Tulsa hatte einen großen Vorteil, weil es der First Mover war und sich einen Namen gemacht hat“, sagt Richard Florida, Professor für Wirtschaftspolitik und -analyse an der University of Toronto.

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Um herauszufinden, ob andere Programme den kleinen Erfolg von Tulsa Remote wiederholt haben, habe ich 10 von ihnen kontaktiert und mich auf diejenigen mit den großzügigsten Anreizen konzentriert. Ich habe von acht von ihnen gehört und Vertreter von ihnen interviewt. Alle waren gespannt, was ihre Stadt geleistet hatte. Aber keine Stadt kam auch nur annähernd an Tulsas Rekord heran.

Denken Sie an Topeka: Die Wirtschaftsförderungsagentur der Region hat im Dezember 2019 ein Anreizprogramm gestartet. Seitdem hat sie etwas mehr als 65 neue Einwohner zu einer Stadt mit mehr als 125.000 Einwohnern hinzugewonnen. Die Shoals, die Heimat von mehr als 70.000 Menschen, haben seit Juni 2019 nur 25 neue Bewohner durch ihre Initiative angesiedelt. Cleveland aus Berrien County ist stolz auf sein Programm und führt die Underperformance auf den verrückten Wohnungsmarkt zurück. Aber wenn die Cornerstone Alliance schließlich alle 25 budgetierten Plätze besetzt, werden die Gewinne im Grunde genommen nichts ausmachen. Der Landkreis hat 153.000 Einwohner. Selbst wenn die verbleibenden 24 Plätze an Familien mit vier Kindern gehen, würde die Bevölkerung um knapp 0,1 Prozent steigen.

„Ich bin ziemlich skeptisch [that these programs] die Einwohnerzahlen einer Stadt oder eines Bundesstaates spürbar werden“, sagte mir Brett Theodos, Senior Fellow am Urban Institute. Er verglich die Anreize mit einem teuren Marketingprogramm mit begrenztem Nutzen. “Es wird nur so viele Nachrichtenartikel über dieses Phänomen geben”, sagte er.

Das Problem ist nicht nur, dass die meisten dieser Anreize sporadisch mediale Aufmerksamkeit erhalten. Sogar Programme, die vor oder neben Tulsa gestartet wurden, hatten nur minimalen Erfolg. Armstrong schätzt, dass Newtons Initiative seit ihrem Start im Jahr 2014 zwischen 125 und 150 neue Menschen in die Stadt gebracht hat – ein Bevölkerungszuwachs von 1 Prozent, verteilt über mehr als sieben Jahre. Britt, Iowa, hat eines der effektivsten Programme, und die Ergebnisse sind noch recht bescheiden. Es hat seit Beginn des Angebots im Jahr 2018 acht Grundstücke an Familien verschenkt; nach Abschluss der Bauarbeiten und Ankunft der neuen Einwohner wird die Einwohnerzahl der Stadt um 1 bis 2 Prozent steigen.

Das bedeutet nicht, dass die Anreize keine Vorteile haben. Newtons Programm sei teilweise geschaffen worden, um widerstrebende Baufirmen zum Bauen in der Stadt zu bewegen, sagte Armstrong, und dies sei gelungen. Die Grundstücke, die Britt verschenkt hat, sollten sowohl die Bevölkerung der Stadt vergrößern als auch dazu beitragen, unbebautes Land loszuwerden. Britts Bürgermeister Ryan Arndorfer sagte mir, dass das Programm bei Letzterem sicherlich geholfen hat. Und jeder neue Einwohner bringt den schrumpfenden Städten einen gewissen Nutzen, insbesondere wenn es sich um hochverdienende Fachkräfte handelt – was überproportional bei Remote-Arbeitern der Fall ist. Solche Leute geben im Allgemeinen mehr in lokalen Geschäften aus und zahlen mehr Steuern. Außerdem sind sie dafür bekannt, Cluster zu bilden. Wenn sich genügend Angestellte an einem Ort versammeln, ziehen sie Gleichgesinnte an und wachsen die Bevölkerung organisch.

Aber Experten sagten mir, dass es unwahrscheinlich ist, dass die Programme eine kritische Masse von Angestellten an diese Orte verlagern werden. Ein Teil des Problems besteht darin, dass die Beamten hinter diesen Programmen zwar davon träumen, aus großen kosmopolitischen Städten wie Seattle und Austin, Texas, zu ziehen, die Anreize jedoch in Wirklichkeit nur Gemeinden mit ähnlicher Größe und ähnlichem Wohlstand stehlen. Von den acht Familien, die nach Britt zogen, kamen sechs aus anderen Teilen Iowas. Die beiden, die es nicht taten – einer aus New York und einer aus Kalifornien – hatten immer noch Verbindungen zum ländlichen Iowa.

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Diese Programme „sind ein Nullsummenwettbewerb“, sagt Cristobal Young, ein Wirtschaftssoziologe an der Cornell University, der untersucht, wie Staaten Steuern verwenden, um Einwohner anzuziehen. Wenn die Programme öffentlich finanziert werden, sagt er mir, ist es „schlechte Politik, nur Geld von sesshaften Einwohnern zu nehmen und es mobileren Menschen zu geben“. Selbst wenn sie privat finanziert werden, besteht die Gefahr, dass die Programme Druck auf die Peer-Gemeinschaften ausüben, ihre eigenen Anreize zu verteilen, was einen Wettlauf nach unten antreibt.

Die grundlegende Tragödie von Umzugsanreizen besteht darin, dass diese Gemeinschaften dringend mehr Menschen und mehr Arbeitsplätze brauchen. Im Jahr 2006 verlor Newton einen Fortune-500-Arbeitgeber namens Maytag, dessen Hauptsitz mehr als ein Jahrhundert lang zur Erhaltung der lokalen Wirtschaft beigetragen hatte. Als Maytag von Whirlpool übernommen wurde, verlor Newton weit über 1.000 Stellen. Jetzt hat Whirlpool seinen Hauptsitz in Berrien County. Die Geldgeschenke, sagte Cleveland von der Cornerstone Alliance, sind letztendlich zweitrangig gegenüber seinem Pitch. Whirlpool – und das damit verbundene Talent – ​​ist ein weitaus größeres Verkaufsargument. “Die Leute werden nicht für 15.000 Dollar umziehen”, sagte Cleveland. “Es muss Annehmlichkeiten und Möglichkeiten geben.”

Ich war überrascht von der Offenheit, aber er hat recht. Im Kampf um Remote-Arbeiter können Städte nicht einfach für den Sieg bezahlen. Wenn sie nicht die Arten von Restaurants und begehbaren Vierteln haben, nach denen Profis suchen, werden 15.000 US-Dollar einfach nicht ausreichen. Möglicherweise müssen sie sogar attraktive, persönliche Jobs anbieten: Neue Bewohner arbeiten bei ihrer Ankunft möglicherweise aus der Ferne, möchten oder müssen jedoch möglicherweise den Beruf wechseln.

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Die Sieger werden wahrscheinlich Orte wie Boise, Idaho sein; Salt Lake City, Utah; und Nashville, Tennessee – Städte, die vor der Pandemie größer und wohlhabender wurden. Mit anderen Worten, Städte, die bereits gewonnen haben. Anreize „könnten in einem Bozeman funktionieren“[, Montana]“, sagte mir Florida. „Du könntest das vielleicht in einer Traverse City machen[, Michigan]; a Hudson, New York – all die Orte, an denen, wenn man sich die Volkszählungsdaten ansieht, eine Migration stattgefunden hat. Aber es ist immer noch eine kleine Untergruppe von Orten.“

Dass Bewegungsanreize so laue Ergebnisse gezeitigt haben, verheißt nicht gerade etwas Gutes für die Vorstellung, dass Remote-Arbeit den Wohnort der Amerikaner grundlegend verändern wird. Sicher, einige Outdoor-Typen ziehen vielleicht in angesagte Bergstädte. Kostenbewusste Leute könnten in billigere, aber immer noch coole Städte im Landesinneren aufbrechen. Aber bei allem Gerede über die verschwommene Zukunft der Großstädte scheint die Remote-Arbeit nicht viel daran zu ändern, wie sich diese Orte vom Rest des Landes entfernt haben.

Diese harte Realität wird den Boom der beweglichen Anreize wahrscheinlich nicht stoppen. Aber Bargeld und Spielereien sind kein Ausweg aus dem Teufelskreis, in dem sich kämpfende Gemeinden befinden. Stadtprofis ziehen an Orte, um hochwertige Möglichkeiten und Annehmlichkeiten zu erhalten. Und die meisten kleinen Städte werden Schwierigkeiten haben, diese Dinge zu generieren, bis sie genügend Fachkräfte haben. Letztendlich sind die einzigen wirklichen Gewinner von Moving Incentives die buchstäblichen Gewinner: die Empfänger. Das Stipendium von 10.000 Dollar war großartig für Jill Urbanski. Aber war es eine gute Investition für Berrien County? Urbanski hatte bereits versucht, Chicago zu verlassen, und liebte die Grafschaft, weil er dort Urlaub machte. Ich fragte sie direkt, ob sie auch ohne all das Geld umgezogen wäre. Sie zögerte nicht: „Ja.“

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SAN FRANCISCO – A barrage of masked and hooded shoplifters sprinted downtown getaway cars with armfuls of designer handbags from a Neiman Marcus downtown last week – a scene captured on video that raised fears that thieves’ rings were raiding retail stores.

The incident, which is still under investigation, was just the latest to give a sense of the lawlessness that is rampant in San Francisco stores, where people were caught on record openly wiping products with seemingly no effect.

But city guides are pushing that image back after a mid-year public safety report was released Monday. Police data shows total thefts decreased 9 percent in the first six months of the year compared to the same period in 2020 when the city was on lockdown and many businesses closed at the start of the pandemic.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott and the Mayor of London Breed admitted that the total number of violent and property crimes has fallen, while some crime, including aggravated assaults, murders and incidents involving guns, has increased.

“The statistics contradict the story,” Scott said at a press conference, admitting that some crimes may go unreported.

“Unfortunately, we have received a lot of negative attention when it comes to crime,” added Breed. “What doesn’t attract attention is that if you come to San Francisco and commit a crime, you will be arrested by this department.”

Retail thefts have attracted the most attention on social media due to the series of videos. But San Francisco isn’t the only city grappling with the problem: in Seattle, police last month said they had more than 50 arrests related to coordinated thefts at nine major retailers and grocery stores, as well as in Albuquerque, New Mexico The top of the state, prosecutors, police and wholesalers announced this month a partnership to fight “organized retail crime”.

In recent years, some retail stores have placed not only high-end items but also everyday items like toothpaste and shampoo behind security locks. But chains say even more drastic measures are needed.

Target said earlier this month that six San Francisco locations had closed four hours early after a “significant and alarming increase in theft and security incidents in these stores,” NBC Bay Area reported.

Both CVS and Walgreens say shoplifting in San Francisco outperforms thefts in their stores across the country. In October, California’s attorney general announced the disbanding of a large theft ring in the Bay Area that allegedly stole $ 8 million worth of goods from Target, CVS and Walgreens and then sold them in other countries and washed the proceeds back to the United States became states.

In an interview with NBC News last week, Scott suggested that California Proposition 47, passed by voters in 2014 lowering the penalties for certain non-violent crimes, such as shoplifting and check forgery, is being exploited by those trying to commit theft. The initiative set a $ 950 shoplifting threshold, which is considered a misdemeanor that does not induce law enforcement to arrest, rather than a crime that could result in harsh penalties such as jail time.

“Some people say, ‘Hey, you know, I don’t want to go over $ 950 so let me steal $ 949 worth of property,'” said Scott.

“If it is a crime, our officials can take action,” he added. “But if it’s an offense, that arrest has to be the arrest of a private individual. And that makes a difference because you have to be ready to do it.”

Store workers are often uncomfortable meddling, and some retailers have an increased security presence but with limited results.

“Think of these people in these stores who are witnessing these crimes. They are also affected,” said Rachel Michelin, president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, a trade group.

connected

She said retailers are doing their best but are concerned that some city guides have been gentler on arrests.

City prosecutor Chesa Boudin, who took office in January 2020 on a progressive platform pledging to fight incarceration rates and support diversion programs, was the focus of a recall following complaints about the city’s rising crime rate.

Rachel Marshall, a prosecutor’s spokeswoman, said in an email Monday that it was serious about destroying “shameless” networks of organized thieves and working with the California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force to stop the rings.

Bill, through state law and endorsed by the California Retailers Association, would renew and fund the Organized Retail Crime Task Force through the end of 2025 and focus on “ringleaders and conspirators of these criminal networks, not the low-level petty thief ” focus. One company that was dissolved was valued at $ 50 million.

“The balance here is to provide a level of public safety to ensure consumers don’t get caught in the middle of an ongoing theft by providing law enforcement with adequate resources to resolve organized retail crime before planning a crime series Rep. Reggie Jones-Sawyer, a Democrat representing parts of Los Angeles, said.

Criminal justice experts say if California officials agree that moving away from mass incarceration and toward decriminalizing low-level crime is imperative, then it is important to track down the bosses and co-conspirators rather than focus on the shoplifters themselves who may paid youth and homeless, officials said.

Charis Kubrin, a professor of criminology, law, and society at the University of California, Irvine, who examined Proposition 47 and its public safety implications, found that the initiative had no nationwide impact on most crimes during the year after it was passed and the incidence of thefts and car thefts, while increasing modestly, was too few to draw any significant conclusions.

A similar study in the Journal of Criminal Justice published this month found that Proposition 47 and another related reform bill have successfully helped reduce the number of state prisons and that the increase in crime that the initiatives may be involved in the Los Angeles area were “generally small”.

“Evidence seems to be mounting that Prop 47 is not the culprit, or at least not the main culprit,” said Kubrin, adding that criminal justice reforms have become “a scapegoat” to accuse high crime perceptions.

California, she added, has seen its property and violent crime drop to historic lows in some cases in recent years when the state reformed. However, more research is needed, Kubrin said, to see the impact something like Proposition 47 has on San Francisco and other local communities.

“Nobody cares about big, comprehensive statistics,” she said. “They care what happens in their backyard.”

On Monday, Scott said officials in San Francisco were being deployed to even more crime-ridden neighborhoods. However, he also admitted that it was difficult to recruit new police officers for the city department, which is still short of hundreds of officers in a climate where policing continues to be scrutinized.

“Robbery is one of the categories that police officers play a role in on the street,” he told reporters.

Ambrosio Rodriguez, a criminal defense attorney and former assistant district attorney in Los Angeles, said cities like San Francisco, battling over policing amid appeals amid rising crime rates, are facing the need to see the public at large in relation to smaller, “victimless” individuals is willing to tolerate “Crime over the general quality of life is an issue.

“I think no one is going to have a lot of empathy for Neiman Marcus, but that doesn’t matter,” said Rodriguez. “There are shops there too. So when people stop going to Neiman Marcus and closing the stores in the area, it will have a greater impact on other businesses and the perception of whether a place is safe to visit. “

“The San Franciscans have to choose what to endure,” he added.

Erik Ortiz reported from New York and Jacob Ward from San Francisco.

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California’s grand reopening on Tuesday allowed its pandemic-ravaged people to return in droves to places missed from loving to less: cafes and booths, restaurants and gyms, amusement parks and industrial parks.

But an important public space remains quieter than usual for many communities: the library. This is a particular problem for neighborhoods that depend on it not only for books and other media, but also for access to computers, the Internet, public services, and job vacancies.

The San Francisco library system is a stark example of the slowness with which this service has emerged from closings caused by the coronavirus. While the city’s main library reopened last month and resumed regular operations on the upper floors on Monday, most of San Francisco’s 27 branch libraries will remain closed.

“We heard that June 15 is basically the day everything opens in California,” library attorney Peter Warfield said at a recent meeting of the city’s library board. “What about the library? I believe the library is an essential service and should be open to full service in all of its activities. “

Only two of the San Francisco branch libraries, Chinatown and Mission Bay, are open to personal browsing and bounce service, which allows limited daytime and computer use upon reservation. Library officials say they plan to offer limited hours and services in four more branches next week, another six in July and all branches by “early fall,” although they warned that reopenings are staffing dependent and subject to change. Around half of the city’s branches currently offer a “to go” service where customers can request and pick up materials and print jobs. In the coming weeks, the offer on the roadside will be expanded.

Editing of the Chronicle

But the system has yet to provide “one minute” of evening shifts, Warfield noted, and the closed branches leave most of the city’s residents unable to conveniently access library computers and Internet connections, which could connect people to jobs and services as the city goes out Pandemic and the associated economic and employment decline. “We have a lot of people struggling with unemployment,” Alex Walker, an adviser to MP Phil Ting, told commissioners Thursday. “I… have helped hundreds of voters and see the digital divide – people who have internet access at home and people who don’t. It’s really important to have more public computers. “

City Librarian Michael Lambert said Thursday’s relaxation of state occupational safety regulations could help the system “accelerate the restoration of service, including more access to our computers.” However, library officials say the reopening has been hampered by staff shortages as over a fifth of the system’s posts are vacant due to the brain drain or redeployment of library staff to contact search and other pandemic services. City libraries were also repurposed last year to support some of the children hardest hit by another service that is notoriously slow to resume, public schools.

San Francisco’s closed libraries are certainly not alone. According to a survey by the American Library Association, over 80% of the country’s public libraries were closed or only offered roadside services last month, although more than a third reported plans to reopen this month or next. Libraries in the Bay Area suburbs also generally have limited hours and services.

However, there is a nearby example that San Francisco should emulate: Oakland, which restored pre-pandemic hours and services to its main and branch libraries starting June 15. Like schools, libraries should lead California reopening rather than abandoning the public that depends on them behind it.

This comment is from the editors of The Chronicle. We invite you to express your opinion in a letter to the editors. Please submit your letter using our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.

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Despite the rumors you may have heard from the conservative media, California residents are not fleeing in droves to places like Texas, where life is good and taxes are low. Yes, the census data released on Monday suggested the state will lose a seat in Congress. However, the same data also showed that we have gained 2 million residents in the past decade.

We are still growing, and neither are some other states.

The myth of people giving up California is cheap Texas boosterism. Those of us who live here – and understand how California works – know that the opposite is true. Most Californians do not flee; They cling to their houses when they own them. And the character of the neighborhoods that surround these houses. This restricts urban housing development and drives up prices in and around municipal employment offices.

The result is indeed an exodus from our great cities. But not to Texas, to the suburbs.

California is not shrinking. It doesn’t grow sustainably.

Dense urban centers such as San Francisco and Los Angeles are experiencing an exodus. But smaller, car-related towns like Fresno, as well as suburban and suburban communities – often in Tierra del Fuego – are booming. In the tiny town of Lathrop, nine miles south of Stockton, a new 5,000 acre parish is underway that will include 11,000 single family homes. Home sales are also skyrocketing in the suburbs of Sacramento, as well as in the drought and forest fire-hit areas of Sonoma County and Inland Empire and desert communities in southern California.

Newly discovered work-from-home options for high-paid office workers are fueling part of this movement. However, these migration patterns were in place long before COVID-19, when these workers’ homes were separated from their workplaces.

Rental prices in San Francisco have fallen slightly, but they are barely affordable. Los Angeles also remains impenetrable. People chase the California dream wherever they can afford it. And right now that’s in the distant suburbs.

There is an old-fashioned word for this pattern of migration and development: it is called urban sprawl. And the state’s fight against climate change is kneeling down.

Of course it doesn’t have to be that way. Big California cities still have room to grow. We need them if the state wants a sustainable future. Dense housing near workplaces, transit, and entertainment has a much smaller carbon footprint than suburban auto-centric homes.

But the way to get there is doubtful. California may not be growing as fast as it used to be, but its future doesn’t look much different than its past: suburban and unsustainable.

This comment was edited by The Chronicle. We invite you to express your opinion in a letter to the editor. Please send your letter using our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.

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