The reasons why AI startup Replit is leaving San Francisco behind are “boring, sad and predictable,” says a post on X by CEO Amjad Masad. He cites crime and dysfunction as motives for the company's decision to move to Foster City and expand its existing office space there by nearly tenfold.

In a post that has already been viewed about 300,000 times between Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon, Masad also said he was drawn to California's “long-lost pro-growth mentality,” its “Venice-like lagoon system” and the peninsula city's relative affordability.

Replit was represented by Cody Kollmann at Lee & Associates, who wrote on LinkedIn that the company would take 48,000 square feet at 1001 East Hillsdale Boulevard in the eight-story Parkside Towers office complex. According to his post, just 16 months ago, the $1.2 billion AI developer tools company was located in a SoMa live/work loft with a mostly remote workforce. In a previous post by Masad on

“This significant growth is a testament to the indispensable need for personal networking to build an iconic company and the cultural antibodies that a great workplace can engender to attract and retain top talent,” Kollman wrote in the post.

He declined to comment further on the deal, citing an NDA.

Newmark represented Heitman, the Chicago-based owner of Parkside Towers, which completed a bioscience-themed remodel of the space last year. Newmark did not respond to requests for comment.

At the time the conversion was approved, Heitman Vice President Matt White said the two-building office complex was nearly 400,000 square feet and was 80 percent leased, but that would drop to 72 percent this year as leases expired.

Derek Daniels, regional research director at Colliers, said by email that prior to this announcement he had not heard of AI groups leaving San Francisco due to crime or safety concerns and that “San Francisco undoubtedly remains the global AI hub in terms of funding and number of users.”

However, the AI ​​boom that began in the Inner Mission/Potrero Hill submarkets has now spread citywide, and AI “is certainly expanding south into the Peninsula and Silicon Valley,” he added. “As tenants gain a foothold or establish themselves in these markets, it is expected that more AI users will locate there.”

William O'Daly, a senior associate at Avison Young, said via email that he did not believe the city would lose any more AI companies due to safety and cleanliness concerns, with crime at its lowest level in 10 years, Road conditions improved and the world's “most exciting” AI companies and the largest AI venture firms and incubators “are calling San Francisco their headquarters.”

He said he's pleased that Foster City has attracted a “great AI company” and that he hopes Replit can grow and create jobs in the region, but that San Francisco is still at the top of the peninsula when it comes to that to attract talented young professionals.

“The coming generations want to live in activated cities,” he said, pointing to the continued popularity of New York City since the pandemic. “Not post-World War II family-oriented suburbs.”

In the post on

“Quiet is good. That's why Silicon Valley worked – the most fun place is building computers and software,” he posted, adding that it was also a place where Replit could make a name for itself.

“When you think of Mountain View, you think of Google; “When you think of Cupertino, you think of Apple,” he said. “I hope that in the future, when you think of Foster City, you will think of Replit.”

Read more

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With U.S. Navy ships on the move from San Diego under the cloud of a federal government shutdown Sunday, plans for San Francisco Fleet Week are moving ahead with or without military participation.

A limited version has been planned as a backup.

“In the event of a government shutdown, the military is not permitted to participate in public events,” spokesman Brian O’Rourke said.

That includes the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

READ MORE: Could U.S. Government Shutdown Cancel San Francisco Fleet Week?

Without congressional approval of appropriation bills that finance government operations, many federal functions will shut down with the start of a new fiscal year on Sunday.

This year’s Fleet Week is scheduled to begin Sunday with a parade of military vessels into San Francisco Bay including destroyers and amphibious craft. In the event of a shutdown, the ships will remain at sea and their mission will be changed to “routine training.”

If a resolution in Congress comes swiftly, they will enter the bay for the remainder of Fleet Week. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team is performing in Oregon this weekend. If there is a shutdown announced at midnight on Saturday, they will return to their home base in Pensacola, Florida.

READ MORE: Federal Government Shutdown Could Hit National Parks in San Francisco During Fleet Week

“But if there is a quick resolution in Congress, and if we can get them to San Francisco by Wednesday for preparations, then they could still perform next Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” O’Rourke said.

Other non-military aerobatic groups will perform an airshow for the crowds no matter what happens in Washington.

“We had 39 military band concerts planned through the neighborhoods,” O’Rourke said. “It really breaks my heart if we can’t do that.”

The San Francisco Fleet Week Association still has a range of non-military events that will move forward, including K9 Heroes at Duboce Park and the Fleet Week Expo on the Marina Green, which includes the Humanitarian Assistance Village, the STEM Education Center and the Career Fair.

In an earlier announcement, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said that National Park Service operations will remain open through the weekend if there is a shut down.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes the Presidio, will remain open to the public.

Questions, comments or concerns about this article may be sent to info@sfstandard.com

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This weekend saw Cal participate in the annual Battle in the Bay Classic. Three Bears took the courts at the California Tennis Club to compete in this year’s tournament.

Though the main draw headlines the Battle in the Bay, Cal showcased four freshmen in extra singles, giving them a taste of tournament play.

“The greatest thing about the freshmen is that they don’t shy away from practice or competition, proving they’re always eager to learn what they can do better. It’s a very easy group to work with, so I see a lot of success ahead of them … I’m excited for them and hopefully the enthusiasm they brought from the start continues growing,” said Cal head coach Kris Kwinta.

Junior Derrick Chen, who dominated the qualifiers, landed himself a spot in the opening singles round of 32 against Nikolas Kuraica from the University of San Francisco.

Chen got the upper hand early and cleaned up the draw in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

Chen was not the only Bear to compete in the singles as fellow juniors Carl Emil Overbeck and Alex Chang were present as well.

Overbeck faced San Diego’s Lambert Ruland, facing a grueling three-set match, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-0. Much like his teammate Chen, Overbeck found himself moving on to the round of 16.

On the other hand, Chang’s time in the main draw was short-lived after his draw with the nation’s 27th-ranked singles player Iiro Vasa from the University of San Diego. Chang fought to three sets, but the tournament’s fifth-seeded player was too much for the Cal junior to handle.

Moving onto the singles round of 16, Chen and Overbeck were both matched with nationally ranked opponents, ultimately ending their tournament stints.

Chen dropped both sets, 6-2, 6-4, to No. 37 ranked Ronnie Hohmann. Chen’s level of competition is not to be disregarded as Michigan State’s Hohmann appeared in the singles finals.

“I’m happy with the way I performed in general, a little bit disappointed in the second match, which I lost, but I think the hard work that I’ve been putting in is paying off,” Chen said. “I maybe overplayed a little bit … I feel like I should have hung in the match a little bit longer and tested my opponent and put him under more pressure … but there are definitely a lot of things I can work on.”

Overbeck’s second round draw was against three-seeded Jeffrey von der Schulenburg from the University of Virginia. Overbeck held his own against the 13th-ranked singles player as he lost the draw in three sets, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

“We have to be looking to get mentally tougher and to be able to move on from unfortunate situations,” Kwinta said. “This is a big part of the game, especially in a collegiate format … but I thought the chemistry was great. Guys were cheering for each other and staying close together. The team camaraderie is great, so I’m excited in that aspect for sure”

Cal’s play didn’t end there as Overbeck and Chang paired together for doubles.

Overbeck won the previous two doubles titles at the California Tennis Club with former teammate Yuta Kikuchi, looking to three-peat with his new teammate Chang.

In the doubles round of 16 and the quarterfinals, Overbeck seemed to seamlessly mesh with Chang as they rolled past USF’s Moritz Hoffmann and Nikolas Kuraica, 8-2, and UCSB’s Pablo Masjuan and Gianluca Brunkow in the quarterfinals, 8-6.

With the title just two wins away, Overbeck and Chang met their match against Arizona’s duo of Colton Smith and Herman Hoeyerral, falling short 8-7(1).

Nonetheless, this is not the end of the road for the blue and gold, but rather just the beginning of the tennis season for Cal as each individual looks to improve on the Battle in the Bay Classic performances in future matches and tournaments.

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Andi, an artificial intelligence chatbot startup, is leaving Miami for Downtown San Francisco as its workers return to the office.

The move was motivated by the region’s better access to venture capital funding—thanks to the high concentration of potential investors based in San Francisco—and other resources, Andi CEO Angela Hoover told The Standard.

“The move to San Francisco has been exciting because of the community, the access to new resources and new ideas,” Hoover said.

Andi will move its headquarters to 600 California St. in the Financial District. Hoover said the company signed an office lease for a WeWork coworking space in March for $1,160 a month, and the lease will last until the end of 2023.

Andi’s key product is an AI chatbot, which is an alternative to other search engines such as Google, according to its website. The San Francisco Business Times first reported the move.

The move comes amid an influx of venture capital funding for the AI industry in San Francisco, which has seen $5.7 billion of funding for AI during the first half of 2023. Half of all VC investment in AI happened in San Francisco over that period.

READ MORE: San Francisco AI Companies Got $11B in Funding So Far This Year

The company is backed by $2.5 million in venture capital, Hoover said.

Hoover and co-founder Jed White have already been working out of the California Street office for about a month and plan to move three of the company’s four full-time workers back to the office. Andi also employs seven contractors who work remotely.

The startup’s website now says the company is based in San Francisco.

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Divya Aiyar, die südlich der Innenstadt von San Francisco lebt, hat viele unappetitliche Aktivitäten miterlebt – oft aus der Nähe ihres Fensters im ersten Stock.

Da stand der Mann draußen, entblößte sich und masturbierte am helllichten Tag, während er ihr bei der Arbeit zusah. Ein anderer verlangte, das Mobiltelefon ihrer Mutter zu benutzen, entfernte dann seine Beinprothese und bedrohte den Wachmann des Wohnhauses.

Meistens handelte es sich jedoch um banalere Probleme: Obdachlose lebten draußen in der Gasse, Spritzen lagen auf dem Bürgersteig und Müll türmte sich.

Bei mehreren Gelegenheiten gab Aiyar den Menschen in der Gasse Decken, Futter für ihre Hunde und Wasser.

„Wenn mich jemand aus spiritueller und kultureller Sicht um Wasser bittet, fällt es mir schwer, nein zu sagen“, sagte Aiyar, der ursprünglich aus Neu-Delhi, Indien, stammt.

Schließlich musste sie zu ihrer eigenen Sicherheit anhalten: Menschen klopften an ihre Tür und fragten – und verlangten manchmal – Wasser oder ein Feuerzeug.

Trotz allem ist Aiyar entschlossen, in ihrer Wohnung zu bleiben. Sie liebt San Francisco, seine liberalen Werte und die Gemeinschaft, in der sie lebt.

Aber sie wird Ihnen als Erste davon erzählen, dass es in ihrer Gegend – South of Market, einem an die Innenstadt angrenzenden Viertel, das sich ungefähr von der First Street bis zum Central Freeway erstreckt – Probleme gibt. Mit dieser Meinung ist sie nicht allein.

Das einst „aufstrebende“ Viertel, das oft als SoMa bezeichnet wird, war jahrelang eine Brutstätte für Technologiebüros, neu gebaute Wohnungen und beliebte Clubs.

Divya Aiyar blickt aus ihrer Wohnung im Stadtteil SoMa in San Francisco. | Jeremy Chen/Der Standard

Die neuen Gebäude bleiben bestehen, aber viele der Techniker sind weg. Geschäfte schließen, Teil einer Spirale von Schließungen, die die Innenstadt erfasst. Die Straßen fühlen sich leerer an, Drogen und Obdachlosigkeit werden sichtbarer denn je.

Während sich San Francisco von der Pandemie erholt, erscheint die Frage nach der Zukunft von SoMa nach Corona existenziell: Was passiert mit einem Viertel und seinen Bewohnern, wenn die treibende Kraft, die seine Entwicklung vorantreibt – ein boomender Technologiesektor – über Nacht verschwindet?

Booms und Büsten

Die meiste Zeit seiner Geschichte war SoMa nie besonders glamourös. Traditionell gab es dort Lagerhäuser und Fabriken sowie Unterkünfte für Einwanderer und Arbeiter. Die preiswerten Wohnhotels beherbergten Seeleute und schlecht bezahlte Arbeiter.

In den 1960er Jahren wurde das Viertel zu einem Zentrum der Leder- und LGBTQ+-Community und verlieh SoMa eine kulturelle Identität, die bis heute anhält.

Ein Fußgänger geht am ehemaligen Eingang von The Stud vorbei, einer queeren Bar im SoMa-Viertel von San Francisco, die im Mai 2020 geschlossen wurde. In der Region ist seit der Pandemie ein dramatischer Anstieg von Obdachlosigkeit, Drogenkonsum und geschlossenen Geschäften zu verzeichnen. | Jeremy Chen/Der Standard

Während des Dotcom-Booms in den 1990er Jahren wandelten Internet-Startups Lagerflächen in der Gegend in Büros um. Ihre Mitarbeiter zogen in der Nähe ein und das Viertel erhielt den Spitznamen „Multimedia Gulch“.

Selbst nach dem Platzen der Dotcom-Blase hinterließ diese Zeit bei SoMa unauslöschliche Spuren.

„Es herrscht eine gewisse Ungepflegtheit, und man kann sich immer noch in einen Club begeben, der zu cool ist, um seinen Namen über der Tür anzubringen“, schrieb 2006 ein Reisebericht der New York Times über das Viertel. „Aber bei all seinem jugendlichen Geist fühlt sich SoMa erwachsener an.“ – up – nicht schwerfällig, aber erwachsen – als je zuvor, mit Familienattraktionen am Tag und Energie, die auch nach Einbruch der Dunkelheit anhält.“

In den Jahren vor der Pandemie war SoMa erneut das Zentrum eines Technologiebooms. Schnell wachsende Start-ups wie Uber, LinkedIn, Airbnb und Pinterest haben Büros in der Gegend erworben, und Kräne, die neue Wohnungen hochfahren, sind über die Skyline verteilt. Tech-Mitarbeiter strömten in die Gegend und insbesondere in das angrenzende Viertel Mission Bay. Laut der Volkszählung 2020 wuchs die Bevölkerung so schnell, dass San Francisco im Jahr 2022 die Grenzen seines Aufsichtsbezirks ändern musste, um dem Zustrom von Wählern Rechnung zu tragen.

Dann kam Covid. Aus dem Büro befreit, flohen Techniker aus der Stadt.

SoMa wurde hart getroffen. Daten zu Adressänderungsanträgen des US-Postdienstes deuten auf eine starke Nettoabwanderung von Einwohnern und Unternehmen aus der Nachbarschaft Mitte 2020 hin. Es hat keine Massenrückkehr gegeben.

Aufgrund der geringeren Nachfrage in der Gegend boten die Apartmentkomplexe von SoMa großzügige Preisnachlässe bei der Miete und die Preise für Eigentumswohnungen sanken drastisch.

Laut einem Bericht des Immobilienunternehmens JLL aus dem Jahr 2023 stehen derzeit 33,9 % der Büroflächen in SoMa leer.

Einige Anwohner glauben, dass die Entscheidung, während der Pandemie mehrere Hotels in SoMa in Notunterkünfte umzuwandeln, zu mehr Obdachlosigkeit und Drogenkonsum in der Gegend geführt habe.

Matt Dorsey, der SoMa seit Mai 2022 im Aufsichtsrat vertritt, glaubt, dass die Nachbarschaft von einem perfekten Sturm heimgesucht wurde: Covid, die Entscheidung, eine unverhältnismäßig große Anzahl von Notunterkünften in der Gegend zu errichten, und die Ankunft von Fentanyl in San Francisco.

Distrikt-6-Aufseher Matt Dorsey, Mitte, und Mitarbeiter und Freiwillige der San Francisco Public Works stehen am 15. Oktober 2022 während eines Gemeindereinigungs- und Verschönerungstages in der Nähe der Kreuzung von Mission Street und Eighth Street an einer Straßenecke. | Kori Suzuki für The Standard

„Es hat den Charakter auf sehr sichtbare und beunruhigende Weise verändert“, sagte er.

Er malt das Good Hotel, das an der Kreuzung der Seventh Street und der Mission Street liegt, als Aushängeschild für die Ausgabe. Als es in eine Notunterkunft umgewandelt wurde, sei dieser Block „den Drogendealern völlig verloren gegangen“, sagte Dorsey.

Um die Sache noch schlimmer zu machen, blieb SoMa nicht von einer Reihe von Einzelhandelsschließungen nach der Pandemie verschont, die Flure in und um die Innenstadt aushöhlten: Die Gegend verlor ein Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond, OfficeMax, Cole Hardware und ein Peet’s Coffee zahlreiche kleine Unternehmen.

Zu den Verlusten zählten sogar Kultstätten, die eng mit der Kultur des Viertels verbunden sind: Letzten Monat schloss das einzige Café der Stadt, das auch als Bildungsstätte für die Kink-Community diente, seine Türen.

„Kampf gegen die Stadt“

Es ist nicht schwer, lokale Geschäftsinhaber und Anwohner zu finden, die über die Situation verärgert sind.

Adam Mesnick lebt seit über einem Jahrzehnt in SoMa und betreibt Deli Board, einen Sandwichladen an der Kreuzung der Straßen Folsom und Russ. Obwohl es seinem Restaurant gut geht, sagt er, dass SoMa zu einem schwierigen Ort für die Führung eines Unternehmens geworden ist.

„Sie können sicher sein, dass die verbleibenden Unternehmen alles tun, um nicht zu schließen“, sagte er.

Aber Drogen und Kriminalität machen das schwieriger, sagt Mesnick, der auf Twitter unter dem Pseudonym @bettersoma aktiv – und manchmal wütend – über die Probleme der Nachbarschaft schreibt.

Im schlimmsten Fall seien die größten Opfer von SoMa Menschen aus der Arbeiterklasse, die versuchen, ihrer Arbeit nachzugehen, sagt er.

Adam Mesnick, Inhaber von Deli Board, stellt in seinem Restaurant in SoMa Blumenvasen zusammen. | Isaac Ceja/Der Standard

„Die am stärksten ausgegrenzten Menschen werden durch das, was hier vor sich geht, zum Opfer und terrorisiert“, sagte Mesnick.

Mark Sackett, dem der Veranstaltungsort Box SF in der Nähe der Seventh Street und der Howard Street gehört, sagt, sein Unternehmen habe in diesem Jahr Einnahmen in Höhe von über 100.000 US-Dollar verloren, was er auf die schlechten Straßenverhältnisse zurückführt.

Zuletzt arbeitete Sackett an der Organisation einer Firmenveranstaltung im Moscone Center im Wert von 40.000 US-Dollar. Aber nachdem der CEO des Unternehmens die Nachbarschaft gesehen hatte, zog er sich zurück, sagte Sackett.

Sackett versuchte, den Deal zu retten, indem er die Einrichtungen in der Gegend anpreiste, aber „wir können nichts gegen den Bundesstaat San Francisco unternehmen“, sagte er.

Es war nicht das Schlimmste, was Sackett widerfahren war: Im Juni 2021 wurde er erstochen, als er versuchte, einem nahegelegenen Geschäftsinhaber bei einem Raubüberfall zu helfen.

Wenn es eine Organisation gibt, die die Straßenverhältnisse aus erster Hand kennt, dann ist es SoMa West Community Benefit District, eine gemeinnützige Organisation, deren Reinigungsteam Müll und Exkremente von den Gehwegen entfernt. Aber auch sie haben Frustrationen.

Der Geschäftsführer der gemeinnützigen Organisation, Christian Martin, schloss sich einer Meinung anderer an und sagte, dass die Stadt ihre sozialen Probleme wie Obdachlosigkeit und Drogen sowie die mit diesen Problemen verbundenen Dienstleistungen in SoMa abschließe.

„Es ist schwierig, eine saubere und sichere Atmosphäre aufrechtzuerhalten, wenn so viele Menschen auf der Straße kämpfen“, sagte Martin.

„In gewisser Weise kämpfen wir gegen die Stadt, um die Lebensqualität in unserer Region zu erhalten, was nicht der Fall sein sollte“, fügte er hinzu.

Nur wenige in der Nachbarschaft haben das Gefühl, dass die Stadtführer ihre Stimme hören.

Als für SoMa verantwortlicher Vorgesetzter ist Dorsey sich ihrer Frustration bewusst. Er glaubt aber auch, dass das Viertel wieder auf die Beine kommen wird, wenn die Stadt besser auf die Drogenkrise reagieren kann. Er fordert eine vollständige Besetzung der Polizeibehörde und arbeitet an einer Satzungsänderung, die die Stadt dazu verpflichtet, über eine Mindestanzahl an Beamten zu verfügen.

Doch Dorsey, der sich öffentlich zu seinen eigenen Suchtproblemen geäußert hat, glaubt, dass eine wirksame Reaktion auch Interventionen erfordert, die die Menschen in die Behandlung drängen.

„Ich denke, San Francisco macht politisch etwas durch, das sich nicht von dem unterscheidet, was eine Familie durchmacht, wenn sie jemanden hat, der mit der Sucht zu kämpfen hat“, sagte er.

Menschen sitzen und bewegen sich entlang der Mission Street an der Kreuzung mit der Seventh Street in SoMa. | Jeremy Chen/Der Standard

Nicht nur Untergang und Finsternis

Wenn Sie nur die Nachrichten lesen, denken Sie vielleicht, SoMa sei eine gefährliche Einöde. Doch Ladenschließungen und Obdachlosigkeit sind nur ein Teil der Geschichte.

Für viele Bewohner ist es auch ein glückliches Zuhause – ein Ort, an dem Menschen leben, arbeiten, Kontakte knüpfen und kreativ sind.

Kayla Brittingham, eine Innenarchitektin, die in dem an die Mission angrenzenden Teil von SoMa lebt, sagt, dass es ihrer Nachbarschaft trotz der Pandemie gut ergangen sei. Lokale Geschäfte, LGBTQ+-Bars und Straßenmärkte boomen.

„Die Drag Queens halten unseren Teil des Viertels wirklich am Leben“, sagte sie lachend.

Obdachlosigkeit und Drogen seien in der Gegend schon immer präsent gewesen, sagte sie. Für sie sieht SoMa heute kaum anders aus als vor einem Jahrzehnt.

Brian Wiedenmeier, der die Organisation Friends of the Urban Forest leitet, lebt seit 2010 in SoMa. Er glaubt, dass die Gegend viel zu bieten hat: eine einzigartige Stadtform mit einer Mischung aus breiten Straßen und engen Gassen, lebhaften Einwanderer- und Queer-Gemeinschaften und Nachtleben.

Obwohl er sich in der Nachbarschaft nicht unsicher fühle, räumt er ein, dass andere Menschen das auch tun – und dass der Verlust von Geschäften und Fußgängerverkehr nicht hilfreich sei, sagte er.

„Wenn es keine Nachtclubs, Geschäfte, Restaurants und Dinge gibt, die die Nachbarschaft aktivieren, gibt es nichts, was diesem Narrativ entgegenwirken könnte“, sagte Wiedenmeier.

Er glaubt jedoch auch, dass einige der Herausforderungen auf größere Probleme zurückzuführen sind, denen weniger Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt wird als Drogen und Obdachlosigkeit: Zu viel von SoMa wurde für die Unterbringung von Autos und Großmärkten gebaut, und damit das Viertel gedeihen kann, muss sich das möglicherweise ändern , er sagte.

„Ich denke, eine wichtige Sache ist, dass die Stadtführer dieses Viertel wie ein echtes Viertel behandeln“, fügte er hinzu. „Wir sind nicht nur die Auf- und Abfahrten von Autobahnen.“

Es ist nicht nur ein Zuhause für Costco und die Autobahninfrastruktur. Es handele sich um eine lebendige, vielschichtige Gemeinschaft – etwas, das in der Flut negativer Geschichten leicht untergehen könne, sagte Wiedenmeier.

Maria Jenson stimmt zu. In nur sieben Jahren als Leiterin des SOMArts Cultural Center hat sie miterlebt, wie das Schicksal des Viertels in die Höhe schoss und dann wieder zusammenbrach.

Um den Kreislauf von Boom und Pleite zu durchbrechen, sollte sich die Stadt ihrer Meinung nach auf die Unterstützung der Künste und der kreativen Produktion in der Region konzentrieren und nicht auf Technologie und große Läden.

„Ich denke, dass dies ein Moment der Abrechnung und der Rückkehr der Menschen zu den Wurzeln der Stadt ist“, sagte sie.

Kleine Unternehmen und „Menschen, die Dinge machen“, schlagen in der Nachbarschaft Wurzeln, locken andere in die Gegend und bilden das Gefüge einer Gemeinschaft, sagte sie.

Die Gemeinschaft könnte SoMas Rettung sein. Das ist es, was Aiyar, die mit der Situation vor ihrem Fenster zu kämpfen hat, in der Gegend verwurzelt hält.

Divya Aiyar (links) spricht mit dem Nachbarn David Robertson (Mitte) und Simmy Shah (rechts) in ihrer Wohnung. Aiyar musste ihre Großzügigkeit gegenüber Obdachlosen aus Sicherheitsgründen einstellen, lebt aber immer noch gerne in SoMa. | Jeremy Chen/Der Standard

Aiyar, die sich selbst als „sehr liberal“ bezeichnet, veranstaltet jedes Jahr eine Party zur Folsom Street Fair, einem Lederfestival, das jedes Jahr im September stattfindet.

„Ich liebe die Nachbarschaft, weil ich einfach jede Form von allem feiere, was passiert“, sagte sie. „Die Leute sind großartig.“

Als San Francisco letzten Monat Pride feierte, bekamen die Leute einen Vorgeschmack auf ein anderes SoMa. Trotz des bewölkten Wetters strömten die Feiernden in farbenfrohen Outfits auf die Straße. Musik und Gespräche erfüllten die Nachbarschaft.

Fillip Ilgner, einer von Aiyars Nachbarn, bemerkte es.

„Ich erinnere mich, dass ich zu meiner Freundin gesagt habe, dass es schön ist, die Stadt so lebendig zu sehen“, sagte er. „Aber gleichzeitig ist es ziemlich traurig, weil man weiß, dass die Lebendigkeit nur an diesem Wochenende anhält.“

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brewers shortstop Willy Adames walked out of Friday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants after being hit by a foulball by teammate Brian Anderson while watching from the dugout.

Anderson batted at the end of the second inning when he hit a line drive that hit Adames.

The game was suspended for a few minutes to allow Milwaukee’s coaching staff to check on Adames, who was on the bench. Anderson looked worried as he waited near the batter’s box.

Adames eventually exited the dugout and headed to the clubhouse. The Brewers said he was taken for a scan and left the stadium for more tests and evaluations.

Brice Turang replaced Adames at the shortstop in the top third.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed, or redistributed without permission.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Employees at start-up Flow Health didn’t receive their paychecks Friday morning.

When the deposits didn’t run out, the people in the human resources department were confused. But Alex Meshkin, Flow Health’s CEO, said he knew immediately what went wrong.

The company uses another startup called Rippling to run its payroll process. “I said, ‘I guarantee you, you’re with Silicon Valley Bank. We’re screwed,'” he said.

The Silicon Valley Bank, lender to some of the biggest names in tech, collapsed on March 10. Regulators acted quickly to avert a meltdown. (Video: Reuters)

Flow Health employees were just a fraction of the thousands of people likely affected by Friday’s stunning Silicon Valley bank collapse, which marked the second largest bank collapse in U.S. history and sent shockwaves through the tech and financial worlds.

While the government took over the bank, known for lending to start-ups but also providing private banking with mortgages and other services, deposits are only insured up to $250,000. The assets of the bank amounted to more than 200 billion dollars. About $42 billion was withdrawn from the bank on Thursday alone, according to the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

Silicon Valley Bank ended with the second largest bankruptcy in US history

Start-up founders feared they would be forced to lay off employees if money held by the bank was frozen or lost. Big companies like connected TV provider Roku and video game maker Roblox have warned investors that they have deposited hundreds of millions in cash with Silicon Valley Bank that may be at risk. And venture investors canceled scheduled meetings with startups, unsure of the implications for the industry. Other startups publicly assured customers that they were not exposed.

According to its website, Silicon Valley Bank has had relationships with more than half of the venture capitalized companies in the United States.

If the bank isn’t bailed out quickly, the fallout could be dire for many startups and the broader tech scene, said Garry Tan, chief executive officer of Y Combinator, one of Silicon Valley’s top startup incubators.

“This is an extinction-level event for startups and will set back startups and innovation by 10 years or more,” Tan said.

To all Sentry users, rest assured that Sentry does not have any accounts with SVB. Also, up until now, none of our service providers have flagged any issues that would interfere with our services to you. Sending our best to all our customers and the wider tech community today

— Sentry (@getsentry) March 11, 2023

Silicon Valley Bank did not respond to a request for comment. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which acquired the bank on Friday, said Silicon Valley Bank had total assets of about $209 billion and total deposits of about $175.4 billion at the end of December, but it’s unclear how much the bank has on their balance sheet now.

Depositors could withdraw up to $250,000 Monday, the FDIC said. A hotline number has been provided for those who deposited more to call.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank adds to a challenging time for tech companies after months of stock prices falling and tens of thousands of layoffs. After years of rapid growth, things have slowed and become more unstable – an apparent disconnect from the broader US economy.

Lackluster earnings reports show Big Tech’s golden age is fading

The sudden collapse of one of the industry’s most important institutions is fueling fears that the sector’s economic health may be worse than anticipated, and has tech leaders grappling with the fallout of losing a key chunk of the financial assets the industry relies on.

“There are a number of companies that can’t do payroll because their money is locked up with SVB,” said Brad Hargreaves, co-founder of the Coding Boot Camp General Assembly and a member of several start-up boards. “I think there will be layoffs.”

Founded in 1983, Silicon Valley Bank has served the technology industry through the ups and downs of the past four decades. During the start-up boom that followed the 2008 financial crisis, the bank grew rapidly, using its reputation to cater to the needs of fast-growing, ambitious start-ups. Companies that raised money from venture capitalists deposited it with the bank. Venture capitalists themselves also banked with the company, borrowing money to fund investments in new start-ups. And technicians and executives used the bank for their personal wealth management and to finance mortgages.

“They see themselves as a collaborative lender to the entire ecosystem,” Hargreaves said. “The best analogy would be almost a credit union in a small town, except it’s much larger and imagines the small town is technology.”

The bank required some customers to work exclusively with it to access credit, further centralizing its role within the tech ecosystem. One founder, who spoke on condition of anonymity to maintain his relationship with the bank, said he previously split his money across several banks until a deal with Silicon Valley Bank forced his company to put all of its money there.

Fears that the bank’s collapse could spill over to other companies and the broader economy echoed on Wall Street and in Washington on Friday. Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said she was monitoring the situation, and Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Economic Advisory Council, said the bank stress tests conducted after the 2008 crisis meant the financial system was primed to deal with “these species to withstand shocks.”

The collapse of the Silicon Valley bank raises fears of a broader financial contagion

Shares of other regional banks fell, including First Republic Bank, which also serves the Bay Area and caters to startups and wealthy tech workers.

A Bay Area start-up founder concerned about the impact of Silicon Valley Bank went to First Republic Bank on Friday to wire his money to Chase, a much larger firm, in a rush he feared to overcome deposits. The founder, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize his relationship with the bank, attempted to visit a more obscure Oakland location but said there was still a line of customers outside the door requesting cables.

“I just raised a bunch of money and I can’t believe it could just fizzle out,” he said in a text message sent from a bank conference room awaiting the transfer to be processed. Some of his friends who are startup founders and bank accounts at Silicon Valley Bank “believe they lost everything but $250,000,” he wrote. His transfer eventually went through before the cutoff.

As Silicon Valley Bank served startups and wealthy individuals, the majority of its deposits were above the state-insured $250,000, raising the prospect that billions of dollars worth of funds may go unrecovered. In the past, the government has paid out sums in excess of $250,000, but it’s unclear if that will be the case here.

On Friday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said he opposed a “taxpayer bailout” by the bank.

The potential financial toll became clear on Friday as listed companies were forced to warn investors about the risk.

Roblox told investors that about $150 million of its $3 billion in cash has been deposited with Silicon Valley Bank. Roku said $487 million of its $1.9 billion in cash was held by the bank. Medical device maker iRhythm Technologies said in a filing that $54.5 million of its $213 million in cash and short-term investments was there.

The time of the “Moonshot” in Silicon Valley is over

Other companies said they were facing serious consequences without disclosing details. Pharmaceutical company Axsome Therapeutics said it had “substantial” cash deposits with Silicon Valley Bank and one other bank, but believed the second bank’s account and an existing loan would be sufficient to sustain funding operations. National toy chain Camp on Friday urged customers to shop from its online collection of stuffed animals, art supplies and toy cars at 40% off during a special “BANKRUN sale.”

A San Francisco-based entrepreneur said he withdrew $250,000 after investors urged him to withdraw at least some money on Thursday, but attempts to transfer the rest of the money failed. The company has now frozen $2 million in funds.

With about 90 percent of his company’s reserves frozen, he faces bankruptcy within weeks. But he knew other startups whose cash and lines of credit were now frozen and could fail much sooner.

“That’s my bigger fear right now,” said the start-up founder, who spoke on condition of anonymity about concerns about the company’s financial disclosures. “I really hope that investors can save us.”

“Everyone I know has their money with SVB,” he added.

Many startup CEOs don’t know how to pay their employees and run their businesses.

Parker Conrad, CEO of payroll company Rippling, tweeted Friday that the company was moving its settlement bank to JPMorgan Chase and would start receiving money to employees no later than Monday. He apologized to employees who were not paid on time.

“They rely on us and we haven’t delivered. While payroll is ongoing, I know delays of any length have real repercussions, especially for anyone living paycheck to paycheck,” he wrote.

Meshkin, the health tech startup’s CEO, said ahead of Rippling’s latest update that the company will have to find a way to manually pay its more than 1,000 employees in the United States if the funds don’t make it to workers early next week States and Canada, for which they currently have no infrastructure.

“We have a lot of disgruntled employees,” Meshkin said.

Shondra Washington, who works part-time as the chief financial officer at several companies, said one of her clients was working with Rippling and was waiting for payroll. Other customers used Silicon Valley Bank for their own funds and cannot access their accounts at all.

“We don’t even know where the money is. It’s somewhere in the ether,” she said. “We don’t really know where it is or when it’s coming.”

They try to transfer their money to other banks but cannot access it. Some of their customers have not been able to pay sellers. “We’re panicking,” she said.

Michael Coren, Aaron Gregg, Lisa Bonos, Naomi Nix, and Joseph Menn contributed to this report.

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RIO DELL, Calif. — At least two people died, nearly a dozen were injured and dozens were displaced Tuesday as California’s North Shore — a rugged and remote stretch of redwood country overlooking the Pacific Ocean — worked to turn from a 6.4 to recover -earthquakes.

The powerful shock in the cold darkness at 2:34 a.m. Pacific Time damaged bridges and roads, collapsed walls and smokestacks, and cut power to more than 70,000 utility customers in Humboldt County. By evening, power had been restored to about half of those customers, but about 34,000 were still without power, according to Pacific Gas and Electric, and some parts of the county were left without running water and major transportation routes.

The quake struck just offshore, about 12 miles west of the community of Ferndale and more than 200 miles north of San Francisco, in a seismically active region. Exactly one year ago, the same area was hit by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake. More than 50 aftershocks followed Tuesday’s earthquake, including a large one measuring 4.6 magnitude about five minutes later, according to the US Geological Survey.

William F. Honsal, the Humboldt County sheriff and chief of emergency services, said at least two people, ages 72 and 83, died because they suffered medical crises around the time of the earthquake and could not be reached quickly by emergency responders .

Among the damaged roads is the one that crosses Fernbridge, a historic multiple-arch bridge over the Eel River that is the main route for Ferndale residents to Eureka, the county’s largest city. The bridge was closed early Tuesday and photos showed a billowing crack had formed in the road nearby.

In Rio Dell, an old logging community about 10 miles southeast of Ferndale that the sheriff dubbed “ground zero” because of the effects of the earthquake, city manager Kyle Knopp said 15 homes were already deemed uninhabitable due to earthquake damage, and the inspectors said continued to study structures. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Humboldt County officials declared a state of emergency to expedite aid.

Mr Knopp, who estimated that up to 150 of the community’s 3,300 residents would be displaced by the time inspections were completed, also said the city may not be able to provide tap water until Wednesday at the earliest.

“It’s been a tough day,” said Greg Allen, the Rio Dell Police Chief. “This shock hit us pretty hard.”

Witnesses, many of whom had previously experienced severe earthquakes, said Tuesday’s quake felt unusually strong, leading to horrific moments when they were jolted awake.

At Rio Dell, Kirstin Collins, 32, said she was woken up by a violent rattle and immediately thought of her 8-year-old son Liam, who was sleeping on the opposite side of the house. Her husband, Johnnie Collins, 30, ran to fetch Liam in the dark and cut his feet on broken objects on the ground, she said.

A dresser fell on her bed and a fallen mirror almost barricaded her in the room, she said. The home’s water heater broke and a broken pipe flooded the laundry room where the family dog ​​slept.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to leave the house,” Ms Collins said hours later as she assessed the aftermath of the quake in the rain. As day grew, she said, she found more damage both inside and outside the home and wondered how she would feed her son, charge her phone or find shelter.

“We have nothing,” she said. “Everything is broken in our house and we don’t know where to go or what to do.”

Another Rio Dell resident, Joe Filyau, 59, said he’s experienced other earthquakes before but “never felt one so strongly.”

The “earth just banged up and down,” he said.

A tile from the countertop in his newly renovated kitchen fell off the wall, he said, and he had to turn off the water after a pipe burst and water sprayed under his house.

“Everything in the house is just everywhere,” he said.

But Mr Filyau had more pressing concerns: His 87-year-old mother, Beverly, is dependent on oxygen, and he didn’t know how long her gas-powered generator would be running to power her oxygen machine. All of the nearby gas stations were closed, so he planned to drive to Ferndale in the hopes that a gas station there would be powered and operational.

In the town of Fortuna, five miles east of Ferndale, local traders said Tuesday’s quake was even stronger than that of December 20 in the same area. By dawn, many people were already busy sweeping up broken glass on the sidewalks.

Kathy Comerer, owner of Fortuna Fabrics and Crafts, said the earthquake destroyed seven of her storefronts, “a record”. Nearby, the smell of alcohol wafted from a Beverage Plus store, its floor littered with smashed liquor bottles. Pharmacy owner Robert Johnson said his storefront is only intact because he installed sturdier windows after a previous earthquake.

About a 15-minute drive away, Daniel Zingale, a retired state political strategist who now lives on eight acres of redwood forest, said the quake startled his two donkeys, Niño and Pinto; had his cat Macaroni submerged; and had knocked a statue of the Virgin Mary from a manger onto the mantelpiece. But otherwise, he said, his cabin escaped without serious damage.

“It’s very dark here at night and very quiet and all of a sudden the house was rocking and rolling,” Mr Zingale said. “A large mirror fell off the wall and we didn’t even hear it because the sound of the tremor was so loud.”

Boutiques in Ferndale, a small town of 1,350, had merchandise strewn across their floors. Valley Grocery’s windows were smashed and signs read “Cash Only” because the power was out while patrons shopped for essentials in the dark. Susie Klatt, an employee of Ring’s Pharmacy, said the quake left not only her workplace but also her vacation home adorned with rubble and damage.

“I’m a big Christmas person, so three trees fell down,” she said. “Santa Clauses everywhere.”

The most recent and most recent earthquake occurred in a region where three of the major crustal plates meet. Known as the Mendocino Triple Junction, it is an area of ​​high seismic activity, averaging about 80 magnitude 3 or greater earthquakes per year.

Along most of the California coast, the Pacific Plate is slowly sliding northwest past the North American Plate. This leads to the San Andreas Fault and other large faults that occasionally cause large earthquakes.

In the northernmost part of the coast, however, a third plate, the Gorda – part of a larger plate called Juan de Fuca – comes into play. At this triple junction, the Gorda slides under the North American Plate, a process called subduction, and simultaneously slides past the Pacific Plate, creating a fault called the Mendocino Transform. The combination of these different stresses leads to the large number of earthquakes in the region.

Kitty Bennett contributed to the research. Ollie Hancock contributed reports from Ferndale, California, Henry Fountain from Albuquerque, and Jacey Fortin from New York.

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Six days after Paul Pelosi, spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi’s husband, suffered a fractured skull in a vicious attack, he was released from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

Mr Pelosi, 82, is resting at home recovering from injuries to his head, arm and hand. He spent most of his time in the hospital in intensive care, according to a person familiar with the matter.

“The Pelosi family is grateful for the wonderful outpouring of love, support and prayers from around the world,” Ms. Pelosi said in a statement. “Paul is grateful to the 911 dispatcher, EMTs, trauma care team, ICU staff and all medical staff at ZSFGH for the excellent and compassionate life-saving treatment he received after the violent attack at our home.”

She added that her husband “remains under medical care as he continues his long process of recovery and convalescence. He is home now surrounded by his family, who are asking for privacy.”

A 42-year-old man, David DePape, has been charged by federal prosecutors with attempting to kidnap Ms. Pelosi and assaulting a relative of a federal agent after he broke into the couple’s San Francisco home on Oct. 28. He also pleaded not guilty to multiple state crime charges Tuesday.

Mr DePape, who has subscribed to far-right conspiracy theories, beat Mr Pelosi with a hammer in front of police, according to prosecutors, telling investigators he wanted to break Ms Pelosi’s kneecaps if she “lied” and saw her as a lesson for other lawmakers ” rolled into Congress”.

His early-morning break-in into the Pelosis’ home in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood was described in a filing filed by local prosecutors this week as they argued that Mr. DePape should be detained without bail. On Friday, prosecutors and Mr. DePape’s defense team will appear before a San Francisco judge who will set a date for his preliminary hearing and a bail hearing.

Mr DePape, who brought zip ties and two hammers, smashed down a glass door at the back of the home and confronted Mr Pelosi, who had been sleeping in his bedroom, according to two filings released by state and federal prosecutors this week. The suspect requested to see Ms. Pelosi, who was in Washington at the time, according to authorities.

After some discussion, Mr. DePape allowed Mr. Pelosi to use the bathroom where Mr. Pelosi called 911 and attempted to secretly signal the dispatcher that he was in trouble while Mr. DePape listened to the call, prosecutors said. When police officers got to the house, they saw the two men who had gone downstairs fighting for control of one of the hammers.

Mr. DePape pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and hit him in the head with it before being attacked and restrained by officers. “Mr. Pelosi was unresponsive for about three minutes and awoke in a pool of his own blood,” according to the local attorney general’s filing.

Mr. DePape later told officers he was there on a “suicide mission” looking for Ms. Pelosi, and that he had other targets as well: a local professor and several state and federal politicians and their families.

“I’m sick of how many lies are coming out of Washington, DC,” Mr. DePape told officials, according to authorities.

Mr. DePape was raised in British Columbia, Canada and moved to California approximately two decades ago. Mr. DePape lived for years in Berkeley, California, where he was intermittently homeless before moving into a garage in nearby Richmond about two years ago.

Mr. DePape was easygoing, calm, and a hard worker, according to Frank Ciccarelli, a carpenter who has employed him for the past six years. But he also began to subscribe to political conspiracy theories and believed the 2020 election was stolen, Mr Ciccarelli said.

A few years ago, Mr. Ciccarelli tried to help Mr. DePape by taking him off the street and into his friend’s garage. But Mr. Ciccarelli believed this gave Mr. DePape greater access to the internet and allowed him to become more isolated and trapped in his darkest thoughts.

Mr. DePape appeared to have written a blog full of tirades about the 2020 election, anti-Semitic beliefs, and QAnon conspiracy theories. “He went down the rabbit hole,” said Mr. Ciccarelli.

On Tuesday, Adam Lipson, Mr DePape’s public defender, signaled that his client’s “vulnerability” to political misinformation and propaganda could be a possible strategy for his legal defense.

“We’ll definitely look into that,” said Mr. Lipson.

Holly Secon contributed coverage.

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