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When you’re trying to build housing in San Francisco, the city is a jungle. Its overgrown regulation, astronomical costs and myriad reasons to say ‘no’ have killed many a development project.

Despite all of that, some projects somehow still get built. 

The average San Francisco building cost clocks in at an astronomical $440 per square foot, the highest in the world, according to data research group CBRE. 

Labor costs are also sky-high. A multitude of fees—some citywide, others neighborhood-specific — erode the profitability of housing projects, dollar by dollar. 

The city’s affordable housing rules require developers to either pay a massive fee or make 20% to 33% of units below market-rate in any development larger than 10 units—though political or community groups often push for more. And the Board of Supervisors can still deny a project, even if it meets all the other requirements. 

The Standard analyzed SF Planning’s housing pipeline data from Q1 2022, and had a look at the largest developments that made it through the crazy system.

The top five are located in SoMA or nearby. But other, smaller projects stretch across much of the city.

The data paints a stark picture of the city’s struggle to increase its housing stock and create affordable units. When all the projects listed in the Q1 data are complete, they will add just 4,150 new units to the city—2,098 of them will be affordable.

And the state government is cracking down on the city’s attitude towards building homes, launching an investigation into why it takes so long and demanding the city submit a plan to build 82,000 homes by 2030. 

Dan Sider, chief of staff at SF Planning, admits that the state has set high goals for San Francisco. But he says the numbers are far from bleak.

“Any unit of housing helps and the good news is that we have a lot of units coming online,” he said. “Some are market rate, some are affordable. We need all of them.”

Here are the largest projects coming down the pipeline.

Hayes Point

30 Van Ness Avenue, Civic Center

Hailed by Mayor London Breed as the kind of project San Francisco needs to “unclog the housing pipeline,” the development at 30 Van Ness Avenue—christened Hayes Point—is an unusual one.

At a time when the city is struggling to attract renters to its commercial office buildings, this new development just north of Market Street plans to place 333 condos on top of a five-story, 29,000 square foot office building.

It was possible to construct such a building because Australian developer Lendlease is able to handle the financing, construction, and development all on its own, a company manager told the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this month.

The firm officially broke ground on the project, which Lendlease values at over $1 billion, in September. It is scheduled for completion in 2025.

Notably, 25% of the units in Hayes Point—or 83 condos—will be priced below market rate, more than was required at the time. Lendlease was able to purchase and develop the property in part because it agreed to so many affordable units. 

Lendlease has been contacted for comment.

UC Hastings Student Housing, 198 McAllister St., Tenderloin

Technically, the largest housing development project in San Francisco’s pipeline as of Q1 2022 isn’t “traditional” apartments available to the broader public; it’s part of UC Hastings College of Law’s “Academic Village.”

Developed by Greystar, the residential complex in San Francisco’s rough-and-tumble Tenderloin neighborhood will add 656 new units of housing to the city — but only for graduate students from Hastings, UCSF, and other Bay Area universities. Most of the apartments will be small efficiency units and studios. According to the university, the new 14-story building, called Academe at 198, will also feature classrooms, offices, mock courtrooms, and a 400-person auditorium on its first three floors and ground-floor retail space.

Academe at 198 should be completed in July 2023. Another phase of the project, which envisions renovating the historic building at 100 McAllister Street next door, will be finished in 2025 or later.

Why is the largest ongoing housing development in San Francisco specifically for students? Part of the reason may be that Academe at 198 had an inherent advantage over construction projects: Hastings is affiliated with the University of California system, it is not under the purview of SF Planning.

David Seward, the university’s chief financial officer, disagrees that this is an advantage. He says UC Hastings works “very collaboratively” with SF Planning and takes its input, but “there’s no approval authority there.”

He says Academe at 198 aims to solve affordable housing issues for graduate students, a group underserved by much student housing, and to become a “community activator” for the underserved Tenderloin, putting students on the sidewalks and money into local businesses.

“Urban campuses—it’s really all about the energy and the vibe and the collaborations that will result” when students from different disciplines live together, Seward said.

1064 Mission Street

1064 Mission St., SoMA

Unlike many of the other developments currently under construction, 1064 Mission St. is not the work of a major for-profit developer. Rather, it is a joint project of Mercy Housing, a national affordable housing nonprofit, and Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco.

Construction began in March 2020 and is nearing completion. The complex is set to begin receiving residents on October 3, 2022.

The two buildings that make up the complex will offer 256 affordable studio apartments for formerly homeless adults and seniors, adding to the city’s growing portfolio of permanent supportive housing. They will also have case managers and support service managers on staff. Additionally, an urgent care clinic and a satellite clinic of St. Anthony’s Medical Center, a federally qualified health center, will be located in the complex. 

Prospective residents will be referred to the facility through the city Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s Adult Coordinated Entry system.

The complex is being constructed on land provided by the federal government exclusively to house the homeless. 

It is being built using a modular construction technique, which means that the individual apartments are assembled off-site and later “clicked into place,” according to Beth Stokes, executive director of Episcopal Community Services.

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The new complex “accomplishes a commitment to continuing to create new units of supportive housing to house a growing population of folks that are chronically homeless with pretty significant disabling conditions,” she said.

Ventana Residences

99 Ocean Avenue, Mission Terrace/Excelsior

This new high-density residential complex in the Mission Terrace area will add 193 units to San Francisco’s housing stock, 48 of which will be affordable. 

It will be located half a mile from the Balboa Park BART station, giving residents access to the rapid transit system, multiple Muni lines, and numerous bus routes.

The complex will also include the Wu Yee Children’s Services, a preschool that will serve up to 75 children, on site. Developer Presidio Bay Ventures says this will be a first for a housing development project in San Francisco, where most developers simply pay into the San Francisco Childcare Impact Fee Fund.

One of the goals of the project is to accommodate young families, who might otherwise struggle to find housing that can accommodate their need for more space, Kabir Seth, chief operations officer of Presidio Bay Ventures said. These families might otherwise have to leave the city.

Getting the project approved was difficult, Seth said, explaining that his company acquired the site at the end of 2016, but couldn’t get it “shovel ready” until 2020.

In 2019, a coalition of community groups publicly opposed the project, demanding that 100% of the apartments be affordable. The Planning Commission eventually advanced the project, the San Francisco Examiner reported.

Seth told The Standard that he believes community input results in better outcomes. But materials, labor, taxes and affordability requirements already make multi-family development very difficult. When even going above the affordability minimums—as Presidio did by making 25% of the units affordable—is not enough, that can derail important construction projects. 

“Our project still got appealed,” he said, “and we still had to present it and overcome the appeal at the Board of Appeals, following what was already a very lengthy entitlement and environmental review process.”

‘Brady Block’ residential building

1621 Market St, SoMA

The building at 1621 Market St. was long the home of the UA Local 38 plumbers and pipefitter’s union. But in 2017, the union teamed up with Strada Investment Group to construct a six-building housing project, according to the San Francisco Business Times.

That project, which is located between Market and Brady streets and sometimes called the “Brady Block,” will create a total of 595 residential units. Of those, 103 will be affordable and 96 will be supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals, according to SF Planning.

The project currently coming down the pipeline is a nine-story residential building that will include 185 units. According to the Q1 2022 data, none of them will be affordable, suggesting that the below-market apartments may be in other Brady Block structures. The development is currently under construction.

The union hall originally at 1621 Market St. has been demolished and included in another building in the new development. 

Strada has been contacted for comment. 

Here’s a map of some of the larger developments coming down the pipeline:

English

Article source: https://sfstandard.com/housing-development/san-francisco-real-estate-5-huge-housing-projects-that-beat-insane-city-rules-to-get-built/

But have no fear — this guide offers a little bit of everything, from the real-life filming locations of some of the Bay Area’s scariest movies to drag horror parodies and the sources of San Francisco’s most famous ghost stories.

Here are 20 of the best things to do in the Bay Area for Halloween. 

1. Tour the Bay Area’s city of the dead

“It’s great to be alive in Colma!” or so the town’s slogan goes. Founded as a necropolis in 1924 after San Francisco began running out of space for the dead, it has a living population of about 1,700, with another 1.5 million buried 6 feet under. Today, 17 cemeteries make up 73% of Colma’s land mass — and they’re open to the public. Look for the grave of San Francisco eccentric Emperor Norton in Woodlawn Memorial Park, head to Pet’s Rest to see the final resting place of Tina Turner’s dog and stop by Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery to find the grave of Joe DiMaggio. 

Various locations in Colma.  

2. Delve into the spooky tunnel at Sutro Baths

Some people swear up and down that the 130-year-old tunnel at San Francisco’s Sutro Baths is haunted — one of the most famous tales alleges that if you enter in the middle of the night and light a candle, a drowned spirit will materialize and cast it into the rushing water. Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, which was headquartered nearby in the Richmond District, said he regularly patronized the Sutro Baths and claimed to have spent hours looking for ghosts there, even going so far as to say he placed a curse on the ruins that led to their fiery demise in 1966. (However, Blanche Barton, his partner for the last 13 years of his life, disputed rumors that satanists painted pentagrams on the walls and held human sacrifices there.) You can read the full story about the lore surrounding the tunnel, but it’s worth the visit for a bit of festive atmosphere. Light a candle if you’re feeling brave. 

1004 Point Lobos Ave. in San Francisco. Open daily. 

3. Look for the famed White Lady of Stow Lake

It’s no secret that the White Lady of Stow Lake is San Francisco’s most famous ghost story — the lore has been going around for well over 100 years. For those who’ve never heard the tragic tale, here’s a recap: In the years before the 1906 earthquake, a young mother decided to go for a stroll around the lake in Golden Gate Park with her baby in tow. Eventually, she stopped at a bench to rest her feet and talk with a friend. While the two were chatting, the stroller rolled away, unnoticed.  

A few minutes later, the mother looked over to check on her baby and realized the stroller was gone. In a panic, she ran around the lake, frantically looking for her child, who was nowhere to be found. When she realized what had happened, she cried out in agony and ran into the lake, never to be seen or heard from again. That is, while she was alive. 

Some say she still haunts the area on foggy nights, occasionally emerging from the lake to ask people if they’ve seen her baby. Others have only heard her haunting sobs. There’s only one way to find out if the fable is true.

Too spooked to venture out yourself? Cozy up with your warm beverage of choice and read the real story behind the legend. 

Stow Lake Drive in San Francisco. Open daily. 

4. Visit Point Reyes Station for ‘The Fog’

This misty retreat has plenty of haunting allure on its own, but it’s also home to several iconic filming locations from John Carpenter’s criminally overlooked 1980 horror flick, “The Fog,” which centers on a band of ghostly sailors that come back from the dead to seek vengeance on the fictional town of Antonio Bay.  

It features a legendary cast, namely real-life mother-daughter duo Janet Leigh (“Psycho”) and Jamie Lee Curtis (fresh off her breakout role as final girl Laurie Strode in 1978’s “Halloween”).

Carpenter and late screenwriter-producer Debra Hill said they chose the town of Point Reyes Station for the film because of the now 152-year-old landmark, and how creepy it looked from its perch overlooking a cliff. 

Unfortunately, you can’t go inside the lighthouse, and if you did, you wouldn’t find a radio station. But Loretta Farley, a retired ranger with the National Park Service who gave many tours of the landmark over her 20-year career there, said you can still take in plenty of the film’s chilling ambiance.

“I’ve seen ‘The Fog’ at least 15 or 20 times over the years,” Farley told SFGATE last October. “I’ve bought a number of copies of the film because it’s a great travelogue of West Marin, the lighthouse, the stairs. If you know the area and you’re from the bay and see the scenery, it’s kind of special that way.”

Inverness. Open daily.

5. Go to a haunted house in historical digs with a vampire-themed bar

If you dare to brave the depths of the Old Mint building on Fifth and Mission, you’ll find the best haunted experience San Francisco has to offer. Returning with an all-new theme, drag legend and filmmaker Peaches Christ’s immersive attraction “The Summoning” is back and better than ever. First, guests are invited to mingle with sultry ghouls at its ’80s new wave-themed cocktail lounge, Fang Bang — a nod to the bygone goth club Roderick’s Chamber — before journeying through the 148-year-old vaults to retrieve the severed head of Lucretia, a disgraced vampire queen. Unlike previous years, guests can go up to the third floor of the building and even see the guillotine from Christ’s 2010 horror comedy, “All About Evil,” dodging plenty of scares along the way.  

88 Fifth St. in San Francisco. Wednesdays to Sundays through Nov. 5. Tickets $55-$75.

6. Or try a haunted Victorian

For the last decade, a 136-year-old Victorian between Washington and Jackson streets in San Francisco has transformed into Mayhem Mansion, a horrific reimagining of the carefully preserved Haas-Lilienthal House. If you dare, embark on a guided tour of all three stories facilitated by history-focused nonprofit SF Heritage, which is also headquartered in the spooky abode. Just be wary of the spirits hiding in the shadows of every room. 

New this year, guests can also calm their nerves at the Spookeasy in the ballroom and, as always, dip into the complimentary candy cauldron.

2007 Franklin St. in San Francisco. Oct. 21-22 and 27-29, 7-11 p.m. Tickets $20-$30.

7. Party at a dive bar themed around Halloween 365 days a year

If you have to choose one spot to grab a drink on Halloween, make it the Avenue in Oakland. Operated by die-hard horror fans Curtis and Tana Howard, it’s the only bar in the Bay Area themed after the holiday every single day of the year, with a treasure trove of horror movie relics bursting from every corner. On one side of the bar, you might see a pinstriped cavern of killer clowns like Pennywise from “It,” while evil jesters with yellow eyes ominously play on a teeter-totter. On another, you could encounter a DIY escape pod from “Alien” complete with a creature bursting through the wall, a xenomorph table and real footage from the International Space Station. And that’s barely scratching the surface. For the ultimate experience, be sure to go to the bar’s annual Halloween party and costume contest. 

4822 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. Open nightly.

8. Pay your respects at the Winchester Mystery House

The famed mansion is going all out this year with a celebration of life for heiress Sarah Winchester, who died in her curiously designed abode just over 100 years ago. While it’s likely that everything you know about the Winchester Mystery House isn’t true — namely, claims that Winchester built her estate to escape from vengeful spirits and held seances there — you’ll find that today it’s home to one of the most popular walk-through haunts in the South Bay, “Unhinged: Nightshade’s Curse.” As usual, guests can go on guided daytime tours of the mansion and are invited to leave flowers, cards, photos and mementos in the front gardens to honor Winchester. Looking for something a little more supernatural? Check out “Beyond the Veil,” where psychic medium James Van Praagh will lead guests through the halls of Winchester’s home and attempt to contact the spirits within. Midway games, ax-throwing and more will round out the festivities. 

525 S. Winchester Blvd. in San Jose. Tickets $64.99-$250. 

9. Get your scary movie fix 

There are so many horror classics to see at the Bay Area’s historical movie houses this month that it’ll be hard to choose just one. And why should you? Here’s what I think you shouldn’t miss — but be sure to check your local theater’s website for other programming. 

The Alamo Drafthouse will present the 1983 gothic vampire thriller “The Hunger” starring David Bowie, Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve on Oct. 17 as part of Peaches Christ Presents: Queer Horror, with a special intro recorded by the former host of “Midnight Mass.” A double feature of “Predator” and “Predator 2” will be shown on 35 mm at the Castro Theatre on Oct. 22. The Roxie Theater’s Gialloween series on Oct. 18-27 will return with four blood-drenched murder mysteries from the ’60s and ’70s, including the San Francisco-set “Perversion Story.” Best of all, a series pass grants you free admission to Dario Argento’s latest film, “Dark Glasses.” The Balboa Theater will present “The Exorcist” on 35 mm on Oct. 24, followed by the 1924 Austrian silent horror film “The Hands of Orlac” accompanied by a live orchestra on Oct. 26, plus the 1987 slasher “Blood Diner” with a director QA and a DJ afterparty on Oct. 30. Finally, Grace Cathedral and SF Jazz will join forces for a screening of the 1923 silent film classic “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” live scored by organist Dorothy Papadakos, on Oct. 31.    

Various locations, dates and ticket prices. 

10. Experience ‘The Shining’ like never before

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Head over to Rye bar in Nob Hill throughout the month of October for an eerie tribute to the Overlook Hotel’s cocktail lounge — red jacket-wearing bartenders, creepy twins and all. Imbibe on a Red Rum (Denizen vatted dark rum, Campari, pineapple, lime and coconut with a large red ice cube), an Overlook Old Fashioned (spice-infused Knob Creek rye, creme de cacao, pumpkin and bitters served on an ice cube with an orange twist) and other beverages on a themed menu inspired by the horror classic written by Stephen King and directed by Stanley Kubrick. Just look out for swinging axes!

688 Geary St. in San Francisco. Open nightly. 

11. Go on a corny ghost tour 

Walking tours aren’t just for out-of-towners anymore — they’re a great way to take in the history of the city, and the possibility of encountering an apparition along the way is just fun, whether you believe in them or not. The Haunt offers a walking tour through Chinatown and Jackson Square, and you might hear about the tale of whiskey king A.P. Hotaling or the mysterious pale face in a window that shocked scores of San Franciscans in the late 1800s. Or, check out the Haunted Haight Pub Crawl, which promises a paranormal adventure through the haunted bars and clubs of the neighborhood. And the Vampire Tour of San Francisco led by Kitty Burns-Nasarow will guide you through a special gothic history of Nob Hill. 

Various locations, dates and ticket prices. 

12. Ward off undead pirates

Pirates of Emerson’s walk-through attraction is back after hosting the Bay Area’s only drive-through haunted house during the pandemic, preserving the same commitment to a good scare that it had when it began more than 30 years ago. 

Founder Brian Fields and his parents, Patty and Karl Fields, have managed their DIY haunted theme park for just over three decades, beginning in the backyard of their Fremont home on Emerson Street in 1991. Over time, the haunt grew in size and popularity, and they had to find a new venue.

“We started with a keg and some friends in the backyard and a bunch of the neighborhood kids,” Brian Fields told SFGATE in 2020. “It got bigger and bigger. During our last year at the house, we had 3,000 people show up over two nights, and so the city shut us down and said we couldn’t do it anymore.”

The annual haunt moved to the Alameda County Fairgrounds 13 years ago, and since then, it’s been one of the most popular Halloween attractions in the Bay Area, featuring mazes, live music, a “misfortune” teller and other horror-centric entertainment.

Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Various dates in October. Tickets $20-$78.

13. Trek to the Bay Area towns still living in the shadow of ‘The Birds’

It’s been nearly 60 years since Alfred Hitchcock’s avian thriller “The Birds” was released in theaters and became one of the most iconic horror movies of all time, paving the way for creature classics such as “Jaws” and inspiring the likes of Carpenter and Guillermo del Toro. Today, thousands of fans still flock to Bodega and Bodega Bay, the tiny Bay Area towns where the movie was filmed. Stop by the St. Teresa of Avila Church and the historical Potter Schoolhouse where Tippi Hedren and dozens of children fled from a murder of crows, and grab a bowl of clam chowder for lunch at the Tides Wharf Restaurant where the town’s residents sought shelter from the winged predators. You can also pose for a photo with Hedren and Hitchcock mannequins at Seagull Antiques and purchase a souvenir at Artisans’ Co-op, where crows are etched into pottery, painted on plates and carved into gold vermeil jewelry. Just be aware that you might have to dodge some birds yourself, as I did.

Bodega and Bodega Bay. Most attractions open daily.

14. Try your hand at zombie paintball

You’ll have to venture just outside of the Bay Area for this one, but where else can you find 15 acres of terror replete with a Fear Farm, a sinister hospital and a hayrack ride that culminates in a game of zombie paintball? On its website, Corbett’s House of Horror calls itself the largest haunt in Northern California and promises meticulous set design from artists featured on “Yard Crashers” and “Turf Wars,” plus a team of dedicated live actors and plenty of terrifying effects. What are you waiting for?

46500 County Road 32B, Davis. Various dates in October. Tickets $20-$40.

15. Summon the famed ‘ghost girl’ at the Chapel

Next time you go to this former mortuary-turned-music venue in the Mission District, you might want to keep your wits about you. Six years ago, ex-employees were reviewing security footage after a theft had taken place there only to discover an unsettling sight: a little girl in a white dress running toward the front door before disappearing out of frame. Her presence was unexplained — no children had been in the building that morning. 

Staff told SFGATE that other creepy occurrences have taken place at the Chapel over the years, from doors slamming shut with no explanation to floating beer cans and creepy shadows in the bathroom. You’ve been warned.

777 Valencia St. Open most nights.

16. Have a gourd time at Half Moon Bay’s 50th annual pumpkin festival

The weigh-off results were just announced, and this year’s largest pumpkin grown by Travis Gienger broke the U.S. record at a whopping 2,560 pounds. This weekend, you can enjoy even more festivities, from a costume contest, Great Pumpkin Parade and back-to-back pie-eating contests to pumpkin-carving and the 44th Annual Pumpkin Run.

Main Street, Half Moon Bay. Oct. 15-16, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

17. Trick or treat with the best of them

Eucalyptus Avenue in San Carlos isn’t just known for its over-the-top Christmas decorations — the two blocks connecting Tamarack and Orange avenues go all out for Halloween, too. Expect animatronics, live actors, dry ice, fake blood and lots of candy. Just be sure to be respectful of the people living there. In recent years, the city has had to mitigate crowding and traffic issues. 

Looking for an alternative? Russell Street in Berkeley and Grand Street in Alameda are similarly popular destinations for trick-or-treating. 

Various locations and dates. 

18. Explore a giant corn maze or pumpkin patch

Petaluma Pumpkin Patch is just as well known for its 4-acre corn maze, and you can also partake in pony rides, enjoy a carnival fun slide and chow down on funnel cake and kettle corn. You’ll find several other pumpkin patches throughout the Bay Area for all of your jack-o’-lantern needs. Clancy’s Pumpkin Patch at 2101 Sloat Blvd. was the first pumpkin patch to pop up in San Francisco and has been around for 59 years. The Great Pumpkin Patch just past Stern Grove at 317 Sloat Blvd. offers fun houses and a small train for children, while Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch in Oakland even rigs up a haunted house. 

Various locations and dates.

19. Watch a horror-themed drag show

Do you like scary movies? Then, you’d better head to Oasis. For most of October, you can catch “SQREAM,” D’Arcy Drollinger’s immersive ’90s drag slasher parody musical loosely based on Wes Craven’s hit film set in Tomales. Fans of the Boulet Brothers’ horror-centric drag competition “Dragula” will also want to be sure to stop by the club on Oct. 14 and 15 for a very special “Reparations” show presented by Nicki Jizz and featuring Saint, the winner of “Dragula Resurrection.” 

298 11th St. in San Francisco. Various dates and ticket prices. 

20. Rest in peace in the San Francisco Columbarium 

Tucked away in the Inner Richmond is one of the only places still inhabited by the dead in San Francisco. Housing thousands of memorial niches and vaults for cremated remains, the Columbarium is the last active nondenominational resting place in the city. The urns on display range from Summer of Love-era music producer Chet Helms to “Muppets” writer and puppeteer Jerry Juhl to Carlos Santana’s father, violinist Jose Santana. In the Athena Room, just beyond the entryway of the Hall of Olympians, you can also say hello to the San Francisco twins, Marian and Vivian Brown. This city landmark is a tranquil, hidden gem. 

1 Loraine Court in San Francisco. Open daily. 

Article source: https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/sf-bay-area-halloween-events-17499377.php

A home in a prime Bay Area location is selling for under $800,000.

Sounds like a hot deal, but there is a catch – there’s always one right?

Photos from the Redfin listing show obvious fire damage to the 1,390 square foot residence in Oakland’s Upper Laurel neighborhood. And there’s also not much to see inside, but the bones are still intact for those looking for a fixer-upper house.

Get notified about more surprising listings in our housing newsletter

Here’s how the real estate agent describes the opportunity to own the home, which was built in 1912:

“Don’t miss out on a dream of a deal on Midvale Ave! Rare opportunity to get in for less and renovate…”

View the full listing on Redfin.com.

See a listing that’s too good to be true? Tell us about it by sending @NBCBayArea a direct message on Twitter or Instagram. You can also send us a message on Facebook.

Investigative Series

Article source: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/east-bay/burned-oakland-home-sale/3027217/

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A mass exodus from San Francisco. New numbers from the Census Bureau indicate that 55,000 people moved out of San Francisco in a single year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s more than 6% of the city’s population.

Those dramatic numbers put San Francisco on the map in a different way.

So many people are leaving San Francisco metro area or are thinking about it.

Many people agree: living in San Francisco can be a truly remarkable experience.

RELATED: For $90K this premium parking spot in SF can be yours, a discount from its previous price

“Right now, I’m excited to be in the Bay area because of all the perks — the nature, the sunshine, the weather,” said Lisa Gonzalez. “All the awesome outdoor activities we get to do that.”

But it’s an expense that comes at a very steep price tag, says Gonzalez, who rents in the city.

“Right now, I’m fortunate to have a salary that allows me to be here. But that’s not the case for everyone,” she said.

New U.S. Census Bureau Data shows 7.6% of San Francisco metropolitan area residents surveyed considered moving to a different city in the next year.

The American housing survey shows SF at the top of the list for people thinking about leaving. That’s followed by Seattle and Dallas.

RELATED: Bay Area’s great migration is creating a ‘Megaregion’ as residents move out, not away

“I’m not surprised. It is crazy expensive,” said Chris Seavey, who rents in SF.

“One friend moved to Denver. Another friend moved to Austin,” Gonzalez said.

“The cost of housing is really high here. I know of people who have left. And many of them have moved to states like Texas. Sometimes it’s housing. Sometimes it’s state taxes,” said San Francisco resident Sachin Chawla. “I think it’s more than housing costs. My suspicion is now with work-from-anywhere, people are finding they can have a bigger space, maybe a more comfortable life. Perhaps they want to move back to their family and where they grew up, and I suspect some people are moving back to just their hometowns or to other cities that are building up.”

“We’ve seen a lot of people leave the Bay Area for other destinations elsewhere in the country. The Southeast is pretty popular, and Atlanta or the Carolinas,” said real estate agent Kevin Ho.

RELATED: Bay Area housing prices up 20% since January, according to new report

More people say they’re moving for quality of life reasons and because their dollar can go much further elsewhere.

“Median prices here in San Francisco are still well over $1 million,” said Ho. “A single family house will go anywhere from $1.6 million to $2 million on average. And a condominium isn’t too far behind.”

“The last time interest rates were where they are at now, the prices were at half of where they are right now. As interest rates go up, affordability becomes even more of a challenge for folks,” Ho added.

Ho says both buyers and sellers are being tested right now.

“We are seeing lots of qualified folks leave and people who would otherwise stay here. There are plenty of folks who want to take their places. But the mortgages rates being $500 to $1000 more than before, it’s just too much for people to bear.”

Earlier this year, Ho said when clients would leave, it would take a week or two to sell their home. Now, he says it’s taking a month or more.

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

Article source: https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-metro-area-census-bureau-data-affordable-housing-prices/12326094/

And no one really knows why. Or at least, no one can agree on why.

Casting and timing were the most likely culprits a second season never materialized, even though it was allegedly greenlit for one originally. While their stories didn’t match up even today, stars Justin Fichelson, Andrew Greenwell and Roh Habibi all agreed there was one cast member the network fired — but none would admit it was him. Bravo declined to comment for this article.

Habibi said the replacement real estate agent quit after a few weeks of filming a second season. Greenwell said they found a new agent for the new season but the timing didn’t work out for the network. However, it’s unlikely casting was the only problem, and the decision to cancel the second season permanently probably is attributable to a combination of factors. Each cast member mentioned that San Francisco wasn’t as flashy and drama-filled as its Los Angeles and New York competitors. Buyers and sellers in San Francisco are also much more private. Moreover, the real estate isn’t as flashy and modern as other cities.

Plus, since it was an inaugural season, it was difficult to get clients to agree to put themselves or their properties on TV. By the time talk of the second season began, though, both Fichelson and Habibi said people were lining up to be on the show. 

Greenwell said he was constantly turned down by people he approached. “San Francisco is hard because people are really private,” Greenwell said. “I was doing deals that were really interesting with huge players and they didn’t want to be on television.”

Even with plenty of gorgeous city panoramas, real estate listings from high rises to wineries and even a Kathy Hilton cameo (IYKYK), it didn’t make up for the show’s rough spots. The cast members weren’t at ease in early episodes, family and relationship drama felt manufactured, and the mention of “tech” and “tech people” throughout the season became an almost grating cliche. Greenwell said that type of buyer doesn’t translate as well on TV.

“I could hold an open house and someone could show up in $10 thrift store pants and they could be worth a billion dollars,” Greenwell said. “I just don’t think we had the right group that wanted to be on television.”

There were plenty of moments, in particular, tailor-made to make the local viewer cringe, especially watching nearly eight years later. The complexities and slow timeline of renovating a Victorian. A potential buyer complaining about a giant redwood blocking a home’s city view. An agent who calls Bernal Heights “the hood.” The unanimous praise of Stanley Saitowitz. An attempt to sell a home in St. Francis Wood as anything but sleepy. The moment when Fichelson says the construction is part of what makes the Millennium Tower such a top-tier building. (Though he of course had no idea what would happen in the future.)

Overplayed drama is part and parcel with reality TV, but at least one part appears authentic: The San Francisco cast members did not know each other before the show started filming and they aren’t in touch today. While Greenwell and Fichelson seem cordial, Habibi said he doesn’t get along with either even now. “I didn’t like either one of those guys and I’m sure they didn’t like me,” he said. “It was three alpha personalities trying to be the star of the show. We didn’t get along. We still don’t get along.”

The one thing the three stars unanimously agreed on was how much the show helped their careers. “There is no better way to build your brand than national or international television,” Habibi said. “What would have taken me 20 years to build, I did in one season.”

Habibi later founded the Habibi Group, which currently operates in the Bay Area, Hawaii and Lake Tahoe.

Fichelson said a tech entrepreneur called him up after watching the show’s season and asked him to represent him for a sale. While he wouldn’t reveal who the client was, he said he had founded one of the biggest unicorn companies in SF and he went on to do multiple multimillion dollar real estate deals with the entrepreneur. “It was as if I added several years to my career that weren’t there,” Fichelson said. 

Fichelson, an SF local, now runs the brokerage firm Avenue 8, operating throughout California and New York.

Greenwell, who founded his own real estate brokerage as part of Sotheby’s and sells in the Bay Area and Hawaii, said he met amazing clients because of the show. 

The cast members did agree on one other thing — the fashion on the show wasn’t representative of the city at all. “All the clothes from the show, I haven’t worn them since,” Greenwell said with a laugh. 

Fichelson, often seen at his tailor on the show, concurred, “I never wear ties.”

Eight years later, they don’t get recognized as much as they used to, but it still happens occasionally. Both Fichelson and Greenwell said people often say they look familiar and they can’t quite place them.

Greenwell said he’s thankful social media wasn’t like it is today and thinks he might feel differently if it was. He said the day before the show premiered they all got several threatening notes from an organization that accused the show of assisting in gentrifying the city. He said he stayed in a hotel for several nights as a precaution. 

If there’s one thing that’s definitely not to blame for the show’s demise, it’s the real estate transactions themselves. In a market where all cash, multimillion dollar overbidding wars are normal, there’s plenty of drama to be had. You just won’t see it on TV.

Article source: https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/million-dollar-listing-sf-failed-17499802.php