Sponsored link
Tuesday, February 17, 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

For Trump and his toadies, the reckoning will come

Some day, maybe fairly soon, the majority of this country will realize how horrible this time has been—and Bezos. Zuckerberg, Musk and the rest will be held accountable

Phil Manzanera shares his life’s sounds, from a Cuban Revolution childhood to Roxy Music

Guitarist sits down for night of reflection, archival imagery, and live performance at Great American Music Hall.

Trump maxes human endangerment with greenhouse gas ruling rollback

Climate change has already killed people. And death is generally agreed to be bad for one’s health.

Happy hours, hometown heroes: Our essential guide to the 33rd annual Noise Pop

An especially tender year, with adieus to iconic venues, avant-rock supergroups, and after-hours local legends.

You might also likeRELATED