Sponsored link
Saturday, April 4, 2026

Sponsored link

Why building more market-rate housing can’t possibly solve the city’s crisis

JULY 15, 2014 — Yesterday, we presented Part One of our Housing Video Series, explaining how San Francisco got into this mess. And in Part Two, we show how the “market-based solution” that the mayor and so many others appear to favor — just building and building for-profit market-rate housing — will eventually bring down costs.

Fact: We have abundant empirical data to show that’s just not true. Check out this video and understand why trickle-down housing economics won’t work in San Francisco — and to get a sense of what will.

By the way: If you want an idea of what happens to a city that is enamored of building highrise housing without much limit, check out Vancouver. Once a jewel of the West Coast, it now looks like … Hong Kong.  Or Miami Beach on steroids. And housing prices are still out of reach for many.

You want SF to look like this?
You want SF to look like this?

 

Tim Redmond
Tim Redmond
Tim Redmond has been a political and investigative reporter in San Francisco for more than 30 years. He spent much of that time as executive editor of the Bay Guardian. He is the founder of 48hills.

48 Hills welcomes comments in the form of letters to the editor, which you can submit here. We also invite you to join the conversation on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Sponsored link

Sponsored link

Latest

Brian McDonald’s waggish works key into an overstimulated world

Mission-based mixed media collagist cites Basquiat, Rauschenberg, and 'Xavier: Renegade Angel' as influences.

John Elberling, advocate for economic and housing justice, dies at 79

'Elbo' helped define the affordable housing and slow-growth movement that was a critical part of the San Francisco left for decades

Screen Grabs: Aliens, witches, mermaids, and other swell company

'Touch Me,' 'Dead Lover,' 'The Serpent's Skin,' more offer fun twists on genre thrills. Plus: A spooky Irish tale rises again.

Drama Masks: Mad, bad, and dangerous to see

'MJ' is no thriller, despite technical expertise; 'Our Class' shows the risks of inaction in highly charged times.

You might also likeRELATED