The Bay Rising SF Rents, a Progressive Rep in CA’s MAGA Corner, and Waymo’s Remote Workers
Feb 27, 2026
Izzy Bloom, a politics reporter who covers redistricting in California, and Jessica Carissa, a local reporter on Bay Area housing, unpack three big stories. They discuss AI-driven demand pushing San Francisco rents up. They outline how redistricting has sent a Marin representative into conservative territory. They reveal Waymo’s use of remote operators in the Philippines.
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Transcript
Episode notes
AI Hiring Concentration Has Pushed S.F. Rents Skyward
- San Francisco rents surged after the pandemic as AI companies concentrated hires in the city rather than Silicon Valley.
- One-bedroom rents rose 13.3% year-over-year to about $3,745, with ~60% of renters paying over $3,000, driven by AI demand and limited housing supply.
Rents Spike Near Mission Bay Where AI Firms Lease Space
- Rent increases are highly localized around AI employer hubs like Mission Bay and SoMa.
- Mission Bay rents jumped 36% in a year where OpenAI and NVIDIA signed large leases, while SoMa, Potrero Hill and Dogpatch rose ~21%.
Student Had To Hire An Agent To Find A Room
- A student at SF State described being priced out of shared housing and needing a real estate agent to find a room.
- That example illustrates how even entry-level renters now rely on professional help rather than Craigslist hookups.