Airbnb bookings are down worldwide because interest rates are sky-high, and people have less discretionary spending.<p>Here's an article from Australia talking about how Airbnb bookings are down in our tourist destinations: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-19/airbnb-hosts-revert-back-to-long-term-rentals/102468936" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-19/airbnb-hosts-revert-b...</a>
Where did this recent-ish "hellscape" reputation come from? San Francisco has always been a "hellscape"; there's always been homeless, crime, drugs, etc. I've been going into San Francisco since the 80s and it doesn't seem like much has changed. If anything, I think I've/we've changed to be less tolerant of that stuff. Maybe that's just part of everyone getting older. Or, maybe everyone moved to San Francisco expecting it to be paradise, but quickly discovered it has problems just like every other city. Or, maybe the reputation is just a boogeyman created by politicians and political pundits. Not sure.
Isn't Airbnb nosediving everywhere? It's no longer cheaper than a hotel and can't be assumed to provide the equivalent level of hospitality.
Well I must say it’s quite a beautiful afternoon out here in the dystopian hellscape. Just got back from a run in fort mason and it was loaded with tourists.
It’s not bad press. Bad press implies that the stories are untrue. But the stories are totally true.The city is untenable.<p>Drugs done openly in the streets, rampant crime getting bolder and bolder. The cops don’t do shit. And people aren’t allowed to defend themselves. You hear about the repeated armed robberies in noe valley? Mothers getting beaten and robbed for their phones. the cops had the perpetrators location and did jack shit. So what happened? they came back and did it again the next day. Same people, same block, same MO.<p>When you don’t intervene criminals just keep on doin crime.<p>So huh. People stop coming to SF. How could anyone have predicted this!? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t really blame the cops for going limp. Justice is a multi part process. Without the other parts in place, the sharp end of the stick is useless.
This is just AirBNB. According to the SF Travel Association, "tourism is down about 16% from 2019." That doesn't seem like that much of a drop for San Francisco. If it were closing in on 30% then that is bad.<p>It pains me to see stories about the "demise" of San Francisco. I lived above a bar in the Noe Valley and it was incredible. Now I would choose some place else to visit, things are unpredictable right now with crime and enforcement. My urban days are over, perhaps, but I would prefer something more stable and peaceful.
I asked this on another thread:<p>> What are your thoughts on the city's future? I've seen a lot of doomerish articles of late, many did seem to leave during Covid etc. however I still know many who happily look to buy property or relocate to the city right now. Do you believe the core innovation drive is in trouble, threatening it becoming a new Detroit? (Or even just the city itself, while the suburbs continue to boom and do well in the future as the city collapses - like Metrodetroit?)
It's not just bad press--the city is fundamentally mismanaged and not safe. Car break ins are shockingly common and not at all addressed by SFPD. You can get violently robbed in public and no one is going to intervene.
All that's very well to report but a one month 2 br Airbnb in SF is going to cost you some $6k if you aren't lucky enough to get a Blueground on the cheap. Just look right now. It's been that way for months.