To some people perhaps. But there is and always has been a clear distinction between "the valley" and "the city" - we still talk about city startups vs valley s

To some people perhaps. But there is and always has been a clear distinction between "the valley" and "the city" - we still talk about city startups vs valley startups - which is why this rant struck me as a little odd. Regarding affordable living, I think you'd be suprised what you can find. In just about every county there are affordable housing developments and less affluent areas. Those people taking your fast-food order for minimum wage and cleaning your house have to live somewhere. Of course even entry level jobs in tech preclude you from the government assistance many poor people here rely on. But "I make too much money for affordable housing" is bit different thing to say than "SF has no place for you to fall ... There are no slums. There are no marginal areas."