Since moving to San Francisco, two things hit me. First, how low-rise and outdated the housing stock is. Second, rent and sales prices of that housing stock.
Turns out these things are connected. In 1978, San Francisco downzoned all residential neighborhoods, making it almost impossible to build new housing in most of the city. Add NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard - an idea that neighbors can oppose any changes to their neighborhoods), which also originates in San Francisco, to the mix and you end up with a city like in amber - beautiful but unchanging.
San Francisco prides itself on its progressiveness and openness. There is some truth to that. But for a newcomer, the city also feels very nativist - and bear in mind that I come from a conservative country, so if I feel it, it must be pervasive.
This map is sort of a provocation towards that self-perception of San Francisco. In a city where no Republican can even dream of being elected, nearly half the residents still live in buildings constructed under Republican mayors' administrations - even though the last one ended nearly 60 years ago.
It might not seem that far back, but consider this: when George Christopher vacated the mayor's office as the last Republican to hold it (probably ever) in 1964:
Interracial marriage and gay sex were still illegal in California. Today, San Francisco prides itself as a global symbol of LGBTQ+ acceptance, has a Black woman as a mayor, and even the traditional Republican party openly embraces minorities of all kind (at least in California!)
The United States had only 151 million people, of which 88.9% were white. A year later, Congress passed the immigration act that completely transformed America. Today, the U.S has over 331 million people, of which 38.2% are people of color, and 28% are immigrants (myself included).
People were mesmerized seeing a man in space for the first time in history, after massive, military-inspired government programs by both the US and USSR. Today, we just saw first space tourists - private citizens. And these men went to space with computers a thousand times less powerful than what we hold in our pocket or on our wrist every day.
It's time to keep up with the times, San Francisco - built new housing to launch itself into the 21st century!