5 ms·

Has anyone heard of a viable escape route for sf? Every piece of news just seems to say sf is dieing but I haven't really read about any potential solutions. Sh

Has anyone heard of a viable escape route for sf? Every piece of news just seems to say sf is dieing but I haven't really read about any potential solutions. Shouldn't we be one of the most capable areas to solve a problem like this? Or did the culture or economic impact that silicon valley has produced cause this? On a side note, how is Austin? Any death spirals over there?

bombcar 3y ago
To be bluntly honest it probably has to die and be reborn; die so hard there is nothing left for the homeless so then move elsewhere. It’s a story that has played out time and time again on small scales in many places, and it’s not particularly unique to SF.
- bostonsre 3y ago
  Where are some examples of other places where that has worked? How long would you think it would take to get to the low point and what would that low point look like in sf? And what makes a city that has reached that low point a place where the homeless wouldn't want to live? I guess I'm not even sure what drove the homeless to sf in the first place.. was it mild weather and lax law enforcement?
akiselev 3y ago
Build high speed rail between Mojave and Starfleet Academy in the Presidio.
HPMOR 3y ago
Austin is becoming bad. They're trying to make it like Houston. It used to be super walkable but now they're expanding the streets into the central area and ripping out the sidewalk. It makes me sad :( I think I'm done with American cities. They're all made for cars with maybe the exception of NYC.
- ravitation 3y ago
  As someone who grew up in Austin, it was never walkable at any meaningful scale.
  - xref 3y ago
    Austin was described to me as four quadrants, divided by a giant highway system east-west and north-south. You could walk in a quadrant, but have to take a car to cross into a different one as it is all non-contiguous
  - mensetmanusman 3y ago
    It’s barely bikeable with high humidity and 100F temps. They need AC skywalks - the opposite of what exists in Minnesota.
- selimthegrim 3y ago
  New Orleans is pretty walkable.
  - nradov 3y ago
    Sure, when it's not flooded. Then it's more boatable than walkable. https://www.nola.com/news/weather/strong-line-of-storms-prompts-new-orleans-street-flooding-rescue-on-canal-blvd/article_ecc7cec6-eeaa-11ed-9a17-cbbb2c7df10f.amp.html https://www.nola.com/news/weather/strong-line-of-storms-prom...
    - nscalf 3y ago
      Venice did a good job with this, New Orleans still has hope.
- bostonsre 3y ago
  How is the drugs/crime/homelessness situation over there?
wnc3141 3y ago
Economist Jean-Baptiste Say (with some criticism) claims that in the long run, the economy will fix itself. That is because, when people attempt to solve problems for one another that inherently creates a market. John Maynard Keynes responded to claims that in the long run the "economy will fix itself", with the adage "in the long run we're all dead," meaning that the economy requires active management to stabilize, as a free market "hands off approach" economic recovery may take generations. San Francisco offers a dense cluster of educated people and economic resources (see agglomeration economics) that will at some point create innovation or internally produced resources. Of course, in a nation of free movement, those who can find opportunity elsewhere may do so leaving the city with declining ability to fund its services to those who remain. In short, my opinion: 1. San Francisco has incredible capital. Universities, tight knit communities, diversity, transit, and status as a center of global trade. It will take significant decline in this capital to undermine SF's ability to recover. 2. A solution, in my view, comes from multiple levels of government, but essentially steering the incredible resources of SF to sources of non-hyperbolic, but resilient growth. These solutions are fairly obvious, but face resistance in the current form of governance. Enabling enough housing supply such that more diverse economic participants may live within SF, Nurturing, and regulating regional/ smaller banks who are responsible for providing capital to small businesses. I would be keen to see the Bay Area region push for manufacturing, which introduces capital to the area, and provides solid employment to non-college educated workforce. Lastly, crime enforcement (breathes life to small businesses and enables tourism,) 3. My more wild idea of a sector to push: convert parking garages etc. into high intensity agricultural research operations. Use the capital in the central valley and knowledge economy to solve California's existential agricultural problems
mensetmanusman 3y ago
Things only change one death at a time. Once the progressive boomers who have all the power are gone, a new strategy can be tried.

bombcar 3y ago

To be bluntly honest it probably has to die and be reborn; die so hard there is nothing left for the homeless so then move elsewhere. It’s a story that has played out time and time again on small scales in many places, and it’s not particularly unique to SF.

bostonsre 3y ago
Where are some examples of other places where that has worked? How long would you think it would take to get to the low point and what would that low point look like in sf? And what makes a city that has reached that low point a place where the homeless wouldn't want to live? I guess I'm not even sure what drove the homeless to sf in the first place.. was it mild weather and lax law enforcement?

akiselev 3y ago

Build high speed rail between Mojave and Starfleet Academy in the Presidio.

HPMOR 3y ago

Austin is becoming bad. They're trying to make it like Houston. It used to be super walkable but now they're expanding the streets into the central area and ripping out the sidewalk. It makes me sad :( I think I'm done with American cities. They're all made for cars with maybe the exception of NYC.

ravitation 3y ago
As someone who grew up in Austin, it was never walkable at any meaningful scale.
- xref 3y ago
  Austin was described to me as four quadrants, divided by a giant highway system east-west and north-south. You could walk in a quadrant, but have to take a car to cross into a different one as it is all non-contiguous
- mensetmanusman 3y ago
  It’s barely bikeable with high humidity and 100F temps. They need AC skywalks - the opposite of what exists in Minnesota.
selimthegrim 3y ago
New Orleans is pretty walkable.
- nradov 3y ago
  Sure, when it's not flooded. Then it's more boatable than walkable. https://www.nola.com/news/weather/strong-line-of-storms-prompts-new-orleans-street-flooding-rescue-on-canal-blvd/article_ecc7cec6-eeaa-11ed-9a17-cbbb2c7df10f.amp.html https://www.nola.com/news/weather/strong-line-of-storms-prom...
  - nscalf 3y ago
    Venice did a good job with this, New Orleans still has hope.
bostonsre 3y ago
How is the drugs/crime/homelessness situation over there?

wnc3141 3y ago

Economist Jean-Baptiste Say (with some criticism) claims that in the long run, the economy will fix itself. That is because, when people attempt to solve problems for one another that inherently creates a market. John Maynard Keynes responded to claims that in the long run the "economy will fix itself", with the adage "in the long run we're all dead," meaning that the economy requires active management to stabilize, as a free market "hands off approach" economic recovery may take generations. San Francisco offers a dense cluster of educated people and economic resources (see agglomeration economics) that will at some point create innovation or internally produced resources. Of course, in a nation of free movement, those who can find opportunity elsewhere may do so leaving the city with declining ability to fund its services to those who remain. In short, my opinion: 1. San Francisco has incredible capital. Universities, tight knit communities, diversity, transit, and status as a center of global trade. It will take significant decline in this capital to undermine SF's ability to recover. 2. A solution, in my view, comes from multiple levels of government, but essentially steering the incredible resources of SF to sources of non-hyperbolic, but resilient growth. These solutions are fairly obvious, but face resistance in the current form of governance. Enabling enough housing supply such that more diverse economic participants may live within SF, Nurturing, and regulating regional/ smaller banks who are responsible for providing capital to small businesses. I would be keen to see the Bay Area region push for manufacturing, which introduces capital to the area, and provides solid employment to non-college educated workforce. Lastly, crime enforcement (breathes life to small businesses and enables tourism,) 3. My more wild idea of a sector to push: convert parking garages etc. into high intensity agricultural research operations. Use the capital in the central valley and knowledge economy to solve California's existential agricultural problems

mensetmanusman 3y ago

Things only change one death at a time. Once the progressive boomers who have all the power are gone, a new strategy can be tried.