Why I want to leave San Francisco (Napa, Marina: apartment, rent)

[sfca30]

When I came to San Francisco nearly ten years ago in 2008, there was a lot I liked. The year-round mild weather and escape from summer humidity was really good for me. Beautiful scenery, lush winters, etc. Made some good friends over that time frame (most of whom who have now left the city). The place wasn't perfect (higher than average homeless population, etc) but I liked it.

Fast forward to 2018, and I can't wait to leave. I am looking to move to the east coast. There are a number of reasons why I want to leave and I wanted to post here to see if anyone has had similar experiences. I understand that my experience with the city may be unique and not everyone will agree, etc.

Some background-- I'm a conservative Republican in the most liberal city in America. This alone doesn't bother me too much as I have lived in very liberal areas my entire life. No where, however, did I experience such hostility and hatred based on political views. Conversations that aren't one sided simply aren't welcome here. Having to keep my political views silent in order to maintain friendships is not a good thing.

The homeless situation here has always been bad. But in recent years, it has gotten progressively worse with no signs of ebbing. Many streets and sidewalks are filled with overflowing trash cans with trash spread out across the street. The Civic Center BART station smells, has a severe problem with loiterers and extremely deranged individuals all over the place (and no one seems to care). This wasn't always the case. In 2008, when I first moved here for example, Civic Center BART was clean in comparison.

Quality of life seems to have diminished all over the place. Ridiculously high rent for a city I no longer love. Crime is up significantly all around, and I no longer feel very safe walking in certain parts of town. My neighborhood has deteriorated in this department.

I am seeing more and more vacant storefronts everywhere, years go by, despite massive population growth, and areas of Market St for example remain totally vacant. Imagine if the theater district area had bustling restaurants, clubs, coffee shops, and beautiful apartment buildings instead of stereo and shoe stores and check cashing stores. I feel like the city invites this.

Population has grown significantly since I first moved. The sidewalks are very crowded pretty much everywhere I walk, and if you want to get a seat at Peet's and Starbucks it's a challenge.

I do not understand why San Francisco doesn't seek to have clean roads, clean neighborhoods, and safe communities. I've been to a lot of places, with politics and policies similar to San Francisco's, and never have I seen a city this unclean.

Muni and BART are absolutely embarrassing. Trains still look like 1970, no new Muni trains, delays in getting the new BART trains operating, slow transit. The city is still operating as if our population didn't have exponential growth in the last decade.

Simply put, I no longer feel a reason to live here. I don't feel happy here. Part of the reason I have resisted moving in the past couple of years are the close friendships that I have developed with people here.

I must say, however, there are a couple of things that are obviously outside of San Francisco's control. One of which is, of course, the weather. I used to love the fog, the breeze, and cold nights. The last couple of years, and especially the last year, that's all gone away. We've had ridiculously sunny days along with extremely warm summer/fall season, and with most of the city refusing to get air conditioners, and apartment buildings not allowing air conditioners(!), it makes the experience all the more miserable.

One more thing to add, the city is just too slow paced for me!

Maybe life is good for people who have a nice Victorian in the Marina, but even if I had the means for that, I don't think I'd choose to live here anymore.

Is anyone else considering leaving San Francisco (or the greater Bay Area) for the same reasons? Different reasons? Has anyone left and felt good/bad about it?

Thanks for indulging!

[Independentthinking]

Can't say I disagree with much of what you said, but you do know that a similar thread was just opened that is pretty similar that you could have just chimed in on.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-f...rea-raise.html

[Finper]

I have friends who live in SF. They are suppliers to pet stores and all their customers went out of business. They can't and don't want to live there anymore so are moving to Az. The struggle just isn't worth it anymore for them and they've been there for years.

[nobodysbusiness]

I don't live in SF and I am more liberal minded, but I totally understand the disappointment with lack of facilities for homeless individuals, lack of upgraded transportation, etc.

That you find SF "slow paced," means the only thing left for you is New York.

Bye.

[Oakformonday]

Originally Posted by nobodysbusiness

I don't live in SF and I am more liberal minded, but I totally understand the disappointment with lack of facilities for homeless individuals, lack of upgraded transportation, etc.

That you find SF "slow paced," means the only thing left for you is New York.

Bye.

The whole northeast is faster paced than here so the only option is not just NYC. Besides, if s/he thinks SF is crowded than NYC is not for her/him.

I've lived out here 20 years now. I did not like it much the first several years but I, obviously, stayed. The friendliness got to me. I couldn't read people cause everyone was "nice." I learned to ignore it and have moved on. LOL If I leave now, it will be to cash out and move somewhere where I can buy a house near family in NY. The fact that it is lik 5 degrees out there right now is making me re-think the potential future move. Good luck OP.

[checkup]

Originally Posted by Oakformonday

The whole northeast is faster paced than here so the only option is not just NYC. Besides, if s/he thinks SF is crowded than NYC is not for her/him.

I've lived out here 20 years now. I did not like it much the first several years but I, obviously, stayed. The friendliness got to me. I couldn't read people cause everyone was "nice." I learned to ignore it and have moved on. LOL If I leave now, it will be to cash out and move somewhere where I can buy a house near family in NY. The fact that it is lik 5 degrees out there right now is making me re-think the potential future move. Good luck OP.

Yes, there's a bit of a dichotomy between too crowded, yet too slow paced. Trying to think of rural or suburban areas that are sparsely populated, yet fast-paced...

[roadwarrior101]

I'm not super politically conservative. If anything, I'm socially liberal, fiscally moderate. But, even there, I feel that SF (and most of the Bay Area politics) are way too out of hand.

I used to live in SF myself a dozen or so years ago and had a similar experience...absolutely loved it.

Moved to the suburbs in the tri-valley to raise a family. Have found that on top of what you're saying (filth, crowdedness, cost, etc.), the roads have become so crowded that the commute is now unbearable. People seem so focused on getting rich and/or being someone in tech, that its really tough to make connections. The conditions of the roads have deteriorated significantly as well, despite extremely high taxes (property, sales, income, gas tax). Same thing can be said for BART where the fares are the highest in the country, yet the service and train conditions are terrible (management caved into the unions for higher pay, passing on the cost to the consumer, without any benefit).

In any event, my wife and I are just about over the Bay Area. Having young kids means we're not at the latest, greatest restaurant in SF or doing weekend trips to Napa Valley regularly anyway. So, the utility we once got that was unique to here is no longer.

We're seriously considering cashing out our home equity and relocating to a large metro back east or in another tech hub, where our money would go a lot further and our quality of life would be much better.

[alliance]

Originally Posted by Finper

I have friends who live in SF. They are suppliers to pet stores and all their customers went out of business. They can't and don't want to live there anymore so are moving to Az. The struggle just isn't worth it anymore for them and they've been there for years.

The min wage increase took out a number of pet stores I used to go to, as well as many other small businesses. Primary reason regarding the comment by OP of all the empty storefronts.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

In any event, my wife and I are just about over the Bay Area. Having young kids means we're not at the latest, greatest restaurant in SF or doing weekend trips to Napa Valley regularly anyway. So, the utility we once got that was unique to here is no longer.

We're seriously considering cashing out our home equity and relocating to a large metro back east or in another tech hub, where our money would go a lot further and our quality of life would be much better.

I think this is a very common theme.

Even if you don't have kids, it can get old. An ever smaller percentage can afford the advertised lifestyle of trips to Napa Valley and skiing in Tahoe. Even if you have the money, you may not have the time. And even if you have both, the traffic and crowding are a pain for everyone.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by alliance

The min wage increase took out a number of pet stores I used to go to, as well as many other small businesses. Primary reason regarding the comment by OP of all the empty storefronts.

Yet minimum wage advocates and their allies in the media tell us that these wage increases don't destroy jobs/small businesses.