Company Town
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
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The once free-spirited city of San Francisco is now a 'Company Town,' a playground for tech moguls of the 'sharing economy.' Airbnb is the biggest hotel, Uber privatizes transit. And now these companies want political power as well.
Meanwhile, middle class and ethnic communities are driven out by gentrification, skyrocketing rents and evictions, sparking a grassroots backlash. Can an insurgent electoral campaign overcome corporate power and billionaires' megabucks to change a city's course?
COMPANY TOWN shows how a grassroots coalition of unions, tenants, neighborhoods of color, activists and artists can come together to win.
'I loved the film. Company Town can fuel discussion of urban revitalization policies in cities across the country looking to high tech and the sharing economy. Is it inevitable that the future is a luxury city that caters to the new knowledge workers and tourists? Or can the city be inclusive, valuing history, long term ethnic communities, and economic diversity? One grass-roots leader in the film notes, 'While change is inevitable, how we change is not, and we can steer change in a way that reflects our values.'' Dr. Elaine Simon, Adjunct Associate Professor of Anthropology, Director of Urban Studies Program, University of Pennsylvania
'A rare look into the process of regulating the sharing economy. Balanced and focused, this documentary details the unintended consequences of Airbnb on communities and exposes the complexity of the sharing economy.' Abbey Stemler, Assistant Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University
' Company Town is a shot of political energy, just when we need it most - a valentine to the weird and wild hurly-burly of the electoral process at the grassroots level, from where true democracy springs.' David Talbot, founder of Salon, author, Season of the Witch and The Devil's Chessboard
'Politically important, wonderfully filmed, and suspenseful to the very end...Learn how the so-called sharing economy and tech industry transformed one of the world's most fascinating, progressive and quirky cities into a gentrified town dominated by billionaires.' Ruth Rosen, Professor Emerita of History, University of California - Davis
'Company Town offers a compelling look at how the sharing economy became the most heated issue in the always incendiary caldron of San Francisco politics. A local election becomes a referendum on the future of short-term rentals, and the divided city must decide whether to align itself with the tech world that is its economic life blood or to preserve its historic, affordable, and neighborly way of life.' Stephen R. Miller, Associate Professor of Law, University of Idaho
'A 'must watch' documentary...Company Town artfully peels back the shadow side of the 'sharing economy' and its billionaire beneficiaries - who pit struggling families against one another over a few square feet to live.' Chuck Collins, Senior Scholar, Institute for Policy Studies, Author, Born on Third Base: A One Percenter Makes the Case for Tackling Inequality, Bringing Wealth Home, and Committing to the Common Good
'I was thrilled by Company Town's virtuoso storytelling, its compassion, and the message that democracy can actually win the fight (sometimes!) against our corporate overlords.' Josh Kornbluth, Monologuist and Filmmaker
'Airbnb talks of sharing and of building better communities, but Company Town uncovers a reality of evictions and frayed neighborhoods. It's a tale of a 2016 city election in San Francisco, but it's also the disturbing story of how Silicon Valley money and influence is dividing cities between the haves and have-nots.' Tom Slee, Author, What's Yours is Mine: Against the Sharing Economy
'Riveting...This high minded film lets the personal stories it has uncovered speak the truth to us in a way that 'disrupts the disrupters'... The best kind of story-telling.' Steven Hill, Huffington Post, Author, Raw Deal: How the Uber Economy is Screwing American Workers
'Fascinating, wonderful, and lively.' Tim Redmond, 48 Hills
'Catnip for political junkies.' Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
'The film both documents the ravages of tech's impact on affordable housing and offers tentative solutions and possible new heroes.' David Lamble, Bay Area Reporter
'Critic's Choice...Deborah Kaufman and Alan Snitow's perceptive documentary digs beneath the hype.' San Francisco Film Critics Circle
'It may just be the finest political film of the year.' Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
'A sassy, intimate, and engrossing..Company Town is a timely reminder about what it takes to win a campaign when you're up against an entrenched candidate with Big Money backing.' Gar Smith, The Berkeley Daily Planet
Citation
Main credits
Snitow, Alan (film director)
Snitow, Alan (film producer)
Kaufman, Deborah (film director)
Kaufman, Deborah (film producer)
Other credits
Edited by Manuel A. Tsingaris; principal cinematography, Andy Black [and 3 others].
Distributor subjects
Anthropology; Asian American Studies; Capitalism; Consumerism; Digital Revolution; Gentrification; Labor and Work Issues; Law; Political Science; Poverty; Science, Technology, Society; Sharing Economy; Social Change; Social Stratification; Sociology; Urban Studies; Urban and Regional PlanningKeywords
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- Today, we are fearful.
00:01:03.180 --> 00:01:06.960
We are fearful that all over San
Francisco, the rapid expansion
00:01:06.960 --> 00:01:09.300
of the tech sector
into our neighborhoods
00:01:09.300 --> 00:01:11.790
has already displaced
San Francisco
00:01:11.790 --> 00:01:14.850
residents and small
businesses, and we do not
00:01:14.850 --> 00:01:16.755
want to see that
happen to Chinatown.
00:01:20.860 --> 00:01:26.320
- This mural represents
evictions in San Francisco.
00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:31.790
Every one of these dots here
is someone who lost their home.
00:01:31.790 --> 00:01:36.182
In fact, this dot...
00:01:36.182 --> 00:01:38.664
this dot, that's my grandfather.
00:01:41.270 --> 00:01:43.640
- At least one recent poll
shows the top two candidates
00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:45.840
in a dead heat, with serious
money and endorsements
00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:47.480
coming in on both sides.
00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:50.030
The outcome will affect
more than just District 3.
00:01:50.030 --> 00:01:50.900
What's at stake?
00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:55.160
Perhaps a shift in the delicate
balance of power at City Hall.
00:01:55.160 --> 00:01:59.430
- This really is a fight for
the soul of San Francisco.
00:01:59.430 --> 00:02:02.090
There is so much
that is on the line,
00:02:02.090 --> 00:02:05.330
and we've got to win
this thing in November.
00:02:05.330 --> 00:02:08.300
It's not about putting
me back into City Hall,
00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:11.238
it's about putting all of
us back into City Hall.
00:02:13.430 --> 00:02:15.700
- Technology, with
a capital T, has
00:02:15.700 --> 00:02:20.050
become the buzzword to
summarize everything
00:02:20.050 --> 00:02:21.970
we hate about change.
00:02:21.970 --> 00:02:26.410
But technology and
technology companies
00:02:26.410 --> 00:02:27.770
are not an issue in my campaign.
00:02:36.261 --> 00:02:40.420
- It's this little itty bitty
area, these few neighborhoods,
00:02:40.420 --> 00:02:44.140
with this amazingly well-funded
fight that could decide
00:02:44.140 --> 00:02:48.527
the future of politics in San
Francisco and in the country.
00:02:48.527 --> 00:02:50.110
- I'll tell you what
the problem is --
00:02:50.110 --> 00:02:53.170
the problem is a handful of
tech billionaires have decided
00:02:53.170 --> 00:02:55.630
to invest in the
business of politics,
00:02:55.630 --> 00:02:58.330
and they are interested
in controlling mayors
00:02:58.330 --> 00:02:59.680
and supervisors.
00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:04.570
- We are ecstatic with our
awesome, tech-friendly mayor,
00:03:04.570 --> 00:03:05.840
Ed Lee.
00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.840
(APPLAUSE)
00:03:15.110 --> 00:03:15.635
- Hey, bro.
00:03:15.635 --> 00:03:17.160
I'm Aaron, I'm
running for office.
00:03:17.160 --> 00:03:19.440
- For the rest of this week, we
are blanketing this district.
00:03:19.440 --> 00:03:20.550
We are going to
be on the phones,
00:03:20.550 --> 00:03:21.700
we are going to be
out in the streets,
00:03:21.700 --> 00:03:24.030
we are going to be having very
strong ground game in terms
00:03:24.030 --> 00:03:24.780
of our visibility.
00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:28.140
We need to let people know that
there's an election happening.
00:03:28.140 --> 00:03:31.500
If you have not signed up
for a shift to hold a sign,
00:03:31.500 --> 00:03:33.960
to be out there to let
everyone in this district
00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:36.760
know about the election,
please do that.
00:03:36.760 --> 00:03:40.380
- (SPEAKING CHINESE
DIALECT TO PASSERBY)
00:03:43.450 --> 00:03:44.490
Good morning, I'm Aaron.
00:03:44.490 --> 00:03:46.840
I'm running for supervisor, love
to get your vote in November.
00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:47.340
Thanks.
00:03:54.420 --> 00:03:55.230
Good morning.
00:03:55.230 --> 00:03:56.200
Thanks so much.
00:04:16.850 --> 00:04:18.440
- Welcome to the
Mission District,
00:04:18.440 --> 00:04:22.130
ground zero for the fight
against gentrification
00:04:22.130 --> 00:04:26.090
and the battleground between
the technology industry
00:04:26.090 --> 00:04:28.970
and people who feel like
they're being pushed out.
00:04:28.970 --> 00:04:29.510
This is it.
00:04:29.510 --> 00:04:32.720
This here, is it.
00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.200
San Francisco in turmoil, San
Francisco at a crossroads.
00:04:38.200 --> 00:04:39.510
I mean, we have...
00:04:39.510 --> 00:04:41.280
the Mission District
is basically
00:04:41.280 --> 00:04:43.470
everything San Francisco
loves about itself.
00:04:43.470 --> 00:04:48.300
It's artists, it's musicians,
it's working class people,
00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:51.030
it's beautiful
murals everywhere.
00:04:51.030 --> 00:04:55.440
It's history, to the Latinos
that moved in and helped
00:04:55.440 --> 00:04:56.600
make this place a home.
00:04:58.830 --> 00:05:01.650
My name is Joe
Fitzgerald Rodriguez,
00:05:01.650 --> 00:05:06.390
so named because my mother's
Irish and dad's Puerto Rican.
00:05:06.390 --> 00:05:09.000
My dad grew up here
in San Francisco.
00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:11.802
I'm a reporter with the
San Francisco Examiner,
00:05:11.802 --> 00:05:13.260
but it's kind of
amazing, because I
00:05:13.260 --> 00:05:15.240
get to cover the city I love.
00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:18.360
I get to cover the
neighborhoods that I love,
00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:22.110
and I get to infuse that with
the perspective of someone who
00:05:22.110 --> 00:05:26.520
grew up here -- which is
not as common here nowadays.
00:05:26.520 --> 00:05:29.100
But as we move from Mission,
which is a little...
00:05:29.100 --> 00:05:35.390
I want to put it kindly, a
little gritty, a little rustic,
00:05:35.390 --> 00:05:38.010
it's definitely... it's
not the cleanest of spots,
00:05:38.010 --> 00:05:40.740
but many people make
it their home --
00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:42.570
working class people.
00:05:42.570 --> 00:05:46.560
Just two blocks
away is Valencia.
00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.000
Valencia, a completely
different world.
00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:52.980
And only in the past five years,
since this money, this influx
00:05:52.980 --> 00:05:56.270
of money and of tech workers
have come into San Francisco,
00:05:56.270 --> 00:05:59.960
Valencia is completely
transformed.
00:05:59.960 --> 00:06:03.710
Even as we walk past, we can see
a Project Juice smoothie bar,
00:06:03.710 --> 00:06:05.780
with plant-based food.
00:06:05.780 --> 00:06:07.430
I wonder how
expensive these are.
00:06:07.430 --> 00:06:08.450
Wow, $9.
00:06:08.450 --> 00:06:09.760
$9 for a smoothie.
00:06:09.760 --> 00:06:10.520
Yum.
00:06:10.520 --> 00:06:12.530
But as we're seeing
with these fancy stores,
00:06:12.530 --> 00:06:16.760
like this bag store, a
store just for fancy bags,
00:06:16.760 --> 00:06:19.370
we're seeing more
and more spaces
00:06:19.370 --> 00:06:22.460
that cater to the newcomers
when you build new buildings.
00:06:22.460 --> 00:06:25.190
So perhaps these Missionites
have grounded fears
00:06:25.190 --> 00:06:27.920
when they worry that
if you build a brand
00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:31.367
new condo or a brand
new condo building,
00:06:31.367 --> 00:06:33.200
that there's going to
be fancier stores that
00:06:33.200 --> 00:06:35.835
open up that cater to those
newcomers that have more money.
00:06:39.320 --> 00:06:41.130
Check out this new spot.
00:06:41.130 --> 00:06:44.190
Let's find out how
much the rent is.
00:06:44.190 --> 00:06:44.820
Hello, there.
00:06:44.820 --> 00:06:50.470
I'm inquiring about your
Valencia and 20th condos.
00:06:50.470 --> 00:06:53.480
These eight custom
penthouse townhomes?
00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:54.210
- Right.
00:06:54.210 --> 00:06:58.550
- How much is one of
these penthouse townhomes?
00:06:58.550 --> 00:07:01.510
- They start at 1.7
and go up to 2.4.
00:07:01.510 --> 00:07:02.030
- I gotcha.
00:07:02.030 --> 00:07:06.040
When you say 1.7, you mean
$1.7 million and $2.4 million.
00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:06.780
- Yes, sir.
00:07:06.780 --> 00:07:08.521
- For the condos.
00:07:08.521 --> 00:07:09.290
- Yes, sir.
00:07:09.290 --> 00:07:11.206
- And can you tell me
about one of the condos?
00:07:12.220 --> 00:07:15.970
- My favorite is probably the
corner, which goes for 2.4.
00:07:15.970 --> 00:07:22.210
It's a three bedroom, has a
balcony off of the living room.
00:07:22.210 --> 00:07:24.110
- If a tech worker
lived there, I mean,
00:07:24.110 --> 00:07:25.900
is there a commuter
shuttle nearby?
00:07:25.900 --> 00:07:26.650
- Oh my god, yeah.
00:07:26.650 --> 00:07:28.870
There's a couple stops.
00:07:28.870 --> 00:07:30.600
It's ground zero for
the tech workers.
00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:34.520
If you look around, like,
it's I would say 90% tech
00:07:34.520 --> 00:07:37.370
is what you're gonna
see on Valencia Street.
00:07:37.370 --> 00:07:38.940
- 90% tech on Valencia?
00:07:38.940 --> 00:07:39.440
Wow.
00:07:39.440 --> 00:07:41.410
- Apple and Google, definitely.
00:07:41.410 --> 00:07:42.620
There's a few, actually.
00:07:42.620 --> 00:07:45.000
Facebook is down there --
everybody from the tech
00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:46.080
companies.
00:07:46.080 --> 00:07:46.580
- Perfect.
00:07:46.580 --> 00:07:48.230
Hey, thanks a lot for
walking me through it.
00:07:48.230 --> 00:07:49.290
I really appreciate it.
00:07:49.290 --> 00:07:50.705
I'll give you a call back.
00:07:50.705 --> 00:07:51.580
- OK, you're welcome.
00:07:51.580 --> 00:07:52.079
Bye, Joe.
00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.530
- Have a good one.
00:07:54.530 --> 00:07:55.295
Ground zero.
00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:06.890
- Our district is a
really curious one.
00:08:06.890 --> 00:08:08.630
It's very compact.
00:08:08.630 --> 00:08:13.610
It includes Union Square, San
Francisco's Financial District,
00:08:13.610 --> 00:08:16.250
the Eastern Waterfront
with the Ferry Building,
00:08:16.250 --> 00:08:18.440
three of the city's
most iconic hills --
00:08:18.440 --> 00:08:21.230
Telegraph, Russian,
and Nob Hill.
00:08:21.230 --> 00:08:23.385
It includes Chinatown
and North Beach.
00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:32.919
- This historic corner of the
city is the envy of the world.
00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:36.549
Whether it's the WPA
murals at Coit Tower,
00:08:36.549 --> 00:08:39.970
whether it's the
Fisherman's Wharf area,
00:08:39.970 --> 00:08:43.840
the old world neighborhoods
of Chinatown and North Beach.
00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.663
This is the golden
goose, right here.
00:08:48.690 --> 00:08:52.680
- My opponent is
a table pounding,
00:08:52.680 --> 00:08:56.820
epithet spewing politician
in the grandest sense.
00:08:56.820 --> 00:09:01.320
His way of getting things done,
I think, is that traditional --
00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:03.150
and I hope it's not
sexist to say --
00:09:03.150 --> 00:09:07.080
masculine approach of very
forcefully letting people know
00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:11.610
where you stand and then using
all methods at your disposal,
00:09:11.610 --> 00:09:16.680
including confrontation, as
a way to get what you want.
00:09:16.680 --> 00:09:18.865
- Obviously, you want to
put your votes together
00:09:18.865 --> 00:09:20.490
and you need to do
what you need to do.
00:09:20.490 --> 00:09:23.790
And I certainly love to
come to the arena with honey
00:09:23.790 --> 00:09:24.660
rather than vinegar.
00:09:24.660 --> 00:09:26.368
But if you're going
to come with vinegar,
00:09:26.368 --> 00:09:28.310
I suggest you get
the big bottle out.
00:09:28.310 --> 00:09:30.250
- You called him a bad boy.
00:09:30.250 --> 00:09:31.160
- Yes I did.
00:09:31.160 --> 00:09:32.570
- What do you mean?
00:09:32.570 --> 00:09:33.750
What did you mean?
00:09:33.750 --> 00:09:38.080
- Well, I think that goes
back to the issue of style.
00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:42.700
I think, personality-wise and
methodology-wise, my opponent
00:09:42.700 --> 00:09:45.850
and I are pretty
diametrically opposed.
00:09:45.850 --> 00:09:50.440
- Julie, interestingly enough,
hasn't really been political.
00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:51.940
- We would not be here...
00:09:51.940 --> 00:09:54.520
- She's been the
kind of parks person.
00:09:54.520 --> 00:09:58.810
She's been the neighborhood
parks advocate,
00:09:58.810 --> 00:09:59.890
and effective at that.
00:09:59.890 --> 00:10:02.620
But she has not been
involved in the larger
00:10:02.620 --> 00:10:05.320
issue of societal
change and she's
00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:07.180
not that kind of
a social activist,
00:10:07.180 --> 00:10:09.190
nor is her appointing
authority the mayor
00:10:09.190 --> 00:10:10.590
that kind of a social activist.
00:10:10.590 --> 00:10:15.145
He wants to continue
a laissez faire...
00:10:15.145 --> 00:10:17.830
a laissez faire economy,
not to only continue it
00:10:17.830 --> 00:10:18.990
but encourage it.
00:10:42.912 --> 00:10:44.904
- You're gonna mingle
for half an hour?
00:10:44.904 --> 00:10:46.398
- Yeah, absolutely.
00:10:46.398 --> 00:10:48.390
- But I want to hear you speak.
00:10:58.640 --> 00:11:00.460
- I got a free taxi ride today.
00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:01.580
- Atta boy.
00:11:01.580 --> 00:11:02.540
- I tried to pay...
00:11:02.540 --> 00:11:03.830
- Not from Uber, right?
00:11:03.830 --> 00:11:04.952
- No, no.
00:11:04.952 --> 00:11:06.310
Lynn!
00:11:06.310 --> 00:11:09.390
I want to put a
sign in your window.
00:11:09.390 --> 00:11:10.194
- OK.
00:11:10.194 --> 00:11:11.000
A large one?
00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:12.661
- Yeah, I've got some here.
00:11:12.661 --> 00:11:13.523
- OK.
00:11:13.523 --> 00:11:14.385
Yeah.
00:11:14.385 --> 00:11:17.026
We're just gonna go get a
cocktail at Tony Nik's, and
00:11:17.026 --> 00:11:18.290
we'll be right back.
00:11:18.290 --> 00:11:19.580
- I wish I could do that, too.
00:11:27.060 --> 00:11:29.520
I want to say that
running for office
00:11:29.520 --> 00:11:33.480
is really great, because
it is the perfect excuse
00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:35.580
to bring some of those
incredible artists
00:11:35.580 --> 00:11:37.560
in the most incredible
corner of the most
00:11:37.560 --> 00:11:38.705
incredible city together.
00:11:38.705 --> 00:11:42.794
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
00:11:44.930 --> 00:11:48.080
Today started with
me at the cafe,
00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.300
being told by the
person in front of me
00:11:50.300 --> 00:11:53.150
that today was her last
day in San Francisco
00:11:53.150 --> 00:11:55.550
because her rent
has been raised.
00:11:55.550 --> 00:11:57.890
This evening, since
I've been in here,
00:11:57.890 --> 00:12:00.350
I have met three
people in this room
00:12:00.350 --> 00:12:02.420
who are the subject
of Ellis Act evictions
00:12:02.420 --> 00:12:04.790
who live in this neighborhood.
00:12:04.790 --> 00:12:07.100
This city is being decimated.
00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:09.380
The Mission has
been ground zero,
00:12:09.380 --> 00:12:11.660
and North Beach
is not far behind.
00:12:11.660 --> 00:12:14.360
And as I've been walking
the streets of Chinatown,
00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:17.330
gentrification and
displacement is finally
00:12:17.330 --> 00:12:19.570
coming to Chinatown as well.
00:12:55.851 --> 00:12:59.330
- We all know that we agree,
but the question is how?
00:13:01.812 --> 00:13:02.312
How are you?
00:13:02.312 --> 00:13:04.300
Thanks for being here.
00:13:04.300 --> 00:13:07.850
- Take a deep breath, relax.
00:13:07.850 --> 00:13:09.770
- We do not need
more obstruction.
00:13:09.770 --> 00:13:11.495
We need collaboration.
00:13:11.495 --> 00:13:13.790
We need inclusiveness.
00:13:13.790 --> 00:13:18.290
I am absolutely sure I've
got the best candidate ever
00:13:18.290 --> 00:13:19.340
for District 3.
00:13:19.340 --> 00:13:19.840
- Yes!
00:13:26.070 --> 00:13:29.340
- I am now a vessel,
I am a canvas,
00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:33.450
and that canvas is being
filled in by my opponents who
00:13:33.450 --> 00:13:37.470
want to paint me into the person
they think they can defeat.
00:13:37.470 --> 00:13:40.230
Frankly, a person
I don't recognize.
00:13:40.230 --> 00:13:43.350
But it's also being
filled in by my colleagues
00:13:43.350 --> 00:13:45.690
here, and by all of you.
00:13:45.690 --> 00:13:51.000
And I realize that I now hold
the concerns and the dreams
00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:55.680
and the wishes of every
constituent in District 3.
00:13:55.680 --> 00:13:58.469
We're the girls against
the bad boys, so...
00:13:58.469 --> 00:14:03.698
(LAUGHTER)
00:15:29.450 --> 00:15:32.570
- The Google buses are part
of a fleet of private commuter
00:15:32.570 --> 00:15:37.920
shuttles that really started
swelling in number around 2013,
00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:40.880
bringing tech workers
from San Francisco
00:15:40.880 --> 00:15:44.210
down south the peninsula
to Silicon Valley.
00:15:44.210 --> 00:15:47.820
They're symbols of San
Francisco's gentrification.
00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:56.670
- Now there are these
towering, two story buses --
00:15:56.670 --> 00:15:58.680
kind of like a
tourist bus, right --
00:15:58.680 --> 00:16:02.250
coming in, gleaming white,
with opaque windows.
00:16:02.250 --> 00:16:05.460
You can't see through them at
all, where these techies come
00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:09.660
in, fly off to Mountain
View, and come back
00:16:09.660 --> 00:16:11.310
and go into their
homes and don't
00:16:11.310 --> 00:16:12.510
interact with the community.
00:16:20.265 --> 00:16:23.320
This influx of new tech
workers is changing a lot
00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:24.640
of things in San Francisco.
00:16:24.640 --> 00:16:30.010
Not just the buses, and not
just the storefronts, but by
00:16:30.010 --> 00:16:32.200
and large when you walk
down Valencia you're
00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:33.900
going to see a lot of change.
00:16:33.900 --> 00:16:36.483
You're actually going to see my
cousin, Jake Rodriguez, what's
00:16:36.483 --> 00:16:37.232
going on, brother?
00:16:37.232 --> 00:16:39.360
- What's up?
00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.220
- Jake here has lived here
a long time, and he knows.
00:16:42.220 --> 00:16:43.210
He's seen this.
00:16:43.210 --> 00:16:45.010
He's seen these techies move in.
00:16:45.010 --> 00:16:45.850
- Oh, yeah man.
00:16:45.850 --> 00:16:46.705
- See you, cuz.
00:16:46.705 --> 00:16:47.840
- Good to see you, cousin.
00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.820
I love you.
00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:51.750
- Love you too, man.
00:16:51.750 --> 00:16:54.102
When I see Jake...
00:16:54.102 --> 00:16:57.180
when I see Jake, I think
about my grandfather a lot.
00:16:57.180 --> 00:16:59.610
Frank Rodriguez.
00:16:59.610 --> 00:17:01.440
He lived not too far from here.
00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:05.250
He was Ellis Act evicted,
and he lost his home.
00:17:05.250 --> 00:17:07.130
He had cancer, and...
00:17:07.130 --> 00:17:09.150
he was an old man
but it was hard
00:17:09.150 --> 00:17:12.839
watching him die in a place,
so soon after he was evicted,
00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.528
in a place that
was not his home.
00:17:15.528 --> 00:17:21.050
It infuriates me to this
day, that he was moved out
00:17:21.050 --> 00:17:22.940
of his home, the
home that is where
00:17:22.940 --> 00:17:25.700
all of my family's memories
are, where all of us
00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:27.400
came and had so much love.
00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:29.766
It infuriates me
to my absolute core
00:17:29.766 --> 00:17:32.015
that he had to die in a place
that was not that place.
00:17:35.230 --> 00:17:36.619
It just gets me angry.
00:18:01.600 --> 00:18:02.820
- Lead the way.
00:18:02.820 --> 00:18:06.960
- Now we're seeing newcomers
come to San Francisco.
00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:09.402
They're coming here for a
lot of different reasons.
00:18:09.402 --> 00:18:10.860
Some of them have
come because they
00:18:10.860 --> 00:18:13.530
think they're going to develop
an app and become rich,
00:18:13.530 --> 00:18:15.570
some of them are
coming here to work
00:18:15.570 --> 00:18:19.600
for our new titans of industry.
00:18:19.600 --> 00:18:21.840
That's no different
than the Gold Rush.
00:18:21.840 --> 00:18:24.900
And what I'm very strongly
trying to bring to my work
00:18:24.900 --> 00:18:28.440
as a supervisor is how
to gracefully transition,
00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:32.160
so that we keep what we love
but also make the changes
00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:33.550
that are necessary.
00:18:33.550 --> 00:18:35.370
- I think the idea of
the sharing economy
00:18:35.370 --> 00:18:38.370
is the notion that,
in 60 seconds,
00:18:38.370 --> 00:18:40.140
you can suddenly
be an entrepreneur.
00:18:40.140 --> 00:18:42.640
You can share your home,
you can share your car --
00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:44.160
anything in your
life that hasn't
00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.130
been monetized before, you can
actually share with somebody.
00:18:47.130 --> 00:18:49.590
So it's really the
notion that a person can
00:18:49.590 --> 00:18:50.910
become a micro-entrepreneur.
00:18:50.910 --> 00:18:52.410
And I think this has become...
00:18:52.410 --> 00:18:58.080
- This boom economy hasn't been
available to the small folks
00:18:58.080 --> 00:18:59.070
in the city.
00:18:59.070 --> 00:19:01.980
So short term rentals
have, for some people,
00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:03.690
have been their little
piece of the pie.
00:19:03.690 --> 00:19:08.280
Their way to try to get a
little something to help them
00:19:08.280 --> 00:19:10.470
manage the affordability
in the city,
00:19:10.470 --> 00:19:13.800
by renting out a room or a sofa.
00:19:13.800 --> 00:19:16.350
- As to folks who
leave for the weekend
00:19:16.350 --> 00:19:21.570
and choose to rent or sublet
their condo or apartment
00:19:21.570 --> 00:19:25.680
or house, the effects
are pretty minimal.
00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:28.170
Entire buildings,
however, are now
00:19:28.170 --> 00:19:30.660
being taken off the market
solely for the purpose
00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:32.370
of renting them out.
00:19:32.370 --> 00:19:35.400
- So how do you protect
our housing stock,
00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:38.975
while allowing this small
benefit to the small renters?
00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:43.680
- The Mission in San Francisco
has the highest concentration
00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:44.970
of Airbnb homes.
00:19:44.970 --> 00:19:46.535
A huge political
battle right now
00:19:46.535 --> 00:19:50.820
is, how heavily will the
city regulate Airbnb usage?
00:19:50.820 --> 00:19:55.000
Will it be required that Airbnb
users register their homes
00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:57.960
online, so the city
can check and see
00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:00.030
if they're following the rules?
00:20:00.030 --> 00:20:01.620
Because what the
city doesn't want
00:20:01.620 --> 00:20:06.300
is for landlords to kick out 10
families and take 10 apartments
00:20:06.300 --> 00:20:08.910
and use them as
full-time Airbnb hotels.
00:20:08.910 --> 00:20:11.670
Then you've essentially lost
a building full of apartments,
00:20:11.670 --> 00:20:13.830
in the middle of a city
with a rental crisis,
00:20:13.830 --> 00:20:17.370
and turned it into a big hotel.
00:20:17.370 --> 00:20:18.745
- Look at this
Airbnb phenomenon.
00:20:18.745 --> 00:20:21.330
It's taken 2,000 units of
rent controlled housing
00:20:21.330 --> 00:20:22.210
off the market.
00:20:22.210 --> 00:20:24.900
The board could pass a law
that says, "Hey, Airbnb, you
00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:26.920
can't do this."
00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:31.540
- The notion that Airbnb
is part of the problem,
00:20:31.540 --> 00:20:33.520
it is completely false.
00:20:33.520 --> 00:20:37.060
It is just a
conjured up argument
00:20:37.060 --> 00:20:41.230
that the opposition
to Airbnb and people
00:20:41.230 --> 00:20:44.533
who don't understand the sharing
economy have come up with.
00:20:46.930 --> 00:20:50.380
- I can show you buildings where
long-term artists used to live,
00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:53.680
where families is to live, that
today have a series of little
00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.710
lockboxes on the outside and you
can stand there every morning
00:20:56.710 --> 00:20:58.860
and watch rolly bags come out.
00:21:01.470 --> 00:21:05.505
I mean I can show you one right
around the corner on Vallejo
00:21:05.505 --> 00:21:08.720
at Grant that is just a
full-on hotel -- four units.
00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:17.140
- We all just want to be
happy, to be healthy, and just
00:21:17.140 --> 00:21:19.280
live without, like, fear.
00:21:19.280 --> 00:21:21.770
- You come as guests,
and you leave as friends.
00:21:21.770 --> 00:21:25.000
- And the stringent boundaries
of different countries,
00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:26.980
different genders,
different race --
00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:29.560
this has not been
possible before.
00:21:29.560 --> 00:21:33.980
- I think the sharing economy
is incredibly profound.
00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:37.090
Like, I don't know
for sure at all,
00:21:37.090 --> 00:21:40.240
but it very well could be
one of the great inventions
00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:40.990
in human history.
00:21:40.990 --> 00:21:42.280
Like it really could be.
00:21:42.280 --> 00:21:43.560
I think people are going
to be more independent,
00:21:43.560 --> 00:21:45.040
they're going to be contractors.
00:21:45.040 --> 00:21:47.373
One of our goals, Airbnb, is
to create one day a million
00:21:47.373 --> 00:21:48.260
entrepreneurs.
00:21:48.260 --> 00:21:49.900
Or a million
micro-entrepreneurs.
00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:51.400
And I think this
is something that's
00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:53.980
like really, really profound.
00:21:53.980 --> 00:22:01.630
- The whole notion of the
sharing economy is nonsense.
00:22:01.630 --> 00:22:05.380
My mother taught me that
when the kid at school
00:22:05.380 --> 00:22:09.820
didn't have enough to eat and I
gave them half of my sandwich,
00:22:09.820 --> 00:22:11.020
that was sharing.
00:22:11.020 --> 00:22:15.340
I didn't charge that kid
$5 for half of my sandwich.
00:22:15.340 --> 00:22:18.190
This is not the sharing
economy, that's a misnomer.
00:22:18.190 --> 00:22:21.850
It's an economy, and
these are transactions,
00:22:21.850 --> 00:22:24.520
and people are buying
and selling something.
00:22:24.520 --> 00:22:26.590
But nothing is being shared.
00:22:26.590 --> 00:22:30.295
Sharing does not connote
the exchange of money.
00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:43.980
- Coming up to the stage is
our Moon God and Moon Goddess,
00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:47.580
led by Supervisor
Julie Christensen.
00:22:47.580 --> 00:22:51.270
- This is our technology.
00:22:51.270 --> 00:22:52.510
- Welcome, everyone.
00:22:52.510 --> 00:22:59.070
Welcome to the 25th Annual
2015 AT&T Autumn Moon Festival.
00:22:59.070 --> 00:23:01.860
I'm so happy to see all of you.
00:23:01.860 --> 00:23:05.350
And we welcome our mayor, Ed
Lee, to give his greetings!
00:23:05.350 --> 00:23:07.440
- Thank you, thank you.
00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:09.990
Chosan Chosan!
00:23:09.990 --> 00:23:12.020
Happy Moon Festival!
00:23:12.020 --> 00:23:17.280
Well I am humbled to be joined
by your Supervisor, Julie
00:23:17.280 --> 00:23:20.320
Christensen.
00:23:20.320 --> 00:23:26.220
All of us know that this city
is enriched with our cultures
00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:30.510
coming together and making sure
that there's no discrimination,
00:23:30.510 --> 00:23:35.010
and that we work together
to invite and welcome
00:23:35.010 --> 00:23:36.510
all of the populations.
00:23:36.510 --> 00:23:37.350
Right, Julie?
00:23:37.350 --> 00:23:37.850
- Right.
00:23:37.850 --> 00:23:38.350
- Right.
00:23:38.350 --> 00:23:40.120
She's been a great
leader on this.
00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:46.230
And so thank you all for coming
out and celebrating this.
00:23:46.230 --> 00:23:48.600
- Julie, would you like
to say a few words?
00:23:48.600 --> 00:23:50.050
- Good morning.
00:23:50.050 --> 00:23:52.530
I want to thank all of
our neighbors in Chinatown
00:23:52.530 --> 00:23:55.500
for yet again
welcoming all of us
00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:59.190
to your neighborhood for
another fabulous celebration.
00:23:59.190 --> 00:24:01.860
This is one of the most
incredible neighborhoods
00:24:01.860 --> 00:24:04.770
in our entire country, and
I'm pleased to represent you
00:24:04.770 --> 00:24:05.460
at City Hall.
00:24:05.460 --> 00:24:08.670
I hope everyone has a
beautiful, beautiful day.
00:24:08.670 --> 00:24:09.360
- Thank you.
00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:11.460
And at this time, can
we pass the ribbon along
00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:16.300
and pass the
scissors to our VIPs?
00:24:16.300 --> 00:24:20.257
OK, everyone, let's
count together!
00:24:20.257 --> 00:24:23.280
Three, two, one!
00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:30.520
The 25th Anniversary Moon
Festival officially begins.
00:24:33.970 --> 00:24:35.770
- New at 10, signs
of change in one
00:24:35.770 --> 00:24:37.510
of San Francisco's
oldest neighborhoods
00:24:37.510 --> 00:24:39.370
and some say it
has them worried.
00:24:39.370 --> 00:24:41.920
Chinatown has long been
a magnet for immigrants,
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:44.080
but some are now saying
that gentrification
00:24:44.080 --> 00:24:46.930
and the high tech boom are
threatening to drive out
00:24:46.930 --> 00:24:48.640
longtime residents.
00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:50.850
KTVU's Amber Lee is in
Chinatown tonight...
00:24:54.770 --> 00:24:58.270
- The Empress of China,
this historic building.
00:24:58.270 --> 00:25:00.740
If it is converted
to a tech office,
00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:04.970
it will not provide real
jobs for our community.
00:25:04.970 --> 00:25:07.460
But this is not just
about one building.
00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:11.160
This is about all of Chinatown,
and the ripple effect
00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:14.930
that converting one historic
building to a tech office
00:25:14.930 --> 00:25:18.350
will have on jobs and housing
throughout our community.
00:25:18.350 --> 00:25:20.750
- I think that's one of
the biggest questions
00:25:20.750 --> 00:25:25.070
that we in city government, and
neighborhood leaders, and all
00:25:25.070 --> 00:25:27.350
of the advocates and residents
in the district face,
00:25:27.350 --> 00:25:33.290
is, what do we want to keep
and what is destined to change?
00:25:33.290 --> 00:25:36.800
- The combination
of tech coming in
00:25:36.800 --> 00:25:40.010
to take over Chinatown
housing, and tech coming in
00:25:40.010 --> 00:25:43.230
to take over Chinatown
commercial space,
00:25:43.230 --> 00:25:46.130
is very, very serious and
very, very threatening
00:25:46.130 --> 00:25:48.390
to the future of our community.
00:25:48.390 --> 00:25:51.230
- A lot of San Francisco's
charm and a lot
00:25:51.230 --> 00:25:54.890
of what we love about
it is the iconic nature
00:25:54.890 --> 00:25:57.410
of its classic neighborhoods.
00:25:57.410 --> 00:26:00.940
And that's one of the hardest
challenges that we have,
00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:04.340
because we're not wrapped in
saran wrap and freeze dried.
00:26:28.448 --> 00:26:29.446
- Nice to meet you.
00:26:29.446 --> 00:26:31.368
Thank you very
much for coming in.
00:26:34.550 --> 00:26:35.810
- Thank you, Mr. President.
00:26:35.810 --> 00:26:38.675
It is an honor to be
at Gee Tuck Sam Tuck.
00:26:38.675 --> 00:26:42.410
I have been to many of your
events over many years,
00:26:42.410 --> 00:26:46.260
and it is always good
to be back in your home.
00:26:46.260 --> 00:26:47.960
Together, you taught me.
00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:51.770
You taught me about the role
that this family association
00:26:51.770 --> 00:26:54.110
and other family
associations play
00:26:54.110 --> 00:26:58.970
in the life of a very vibrant
Chinese-American community.
00:26:58.970 --> 00:27:02.575
- (TRANSLATING INTO
CHINESE DIALECT)
00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:20.450
- I had the pleasure of meeting
Jeffrey when he was, truly,
00:27:20.450 --> 00:27:21.050
a young kid.
00:27:21.050 --> 00:27:23.730
He was 13 years old.
00:27:23.730 --> 00:27:27.110
He is deeply concerned about
the future of Chinatown
00:27:27.110 --> 00:27:29.600
in particular, but
of the city that he
00:27:29.600 --> 00:27:32.270
grew up and loves in general.
00:27:32.270 --> 00:27:34.507
And he wants to help
fight for his city.
00:27:45.990 --> 00:27:49.050
- This is the Louie
Fong Kwong Association,
00:27:49.050 --> 00:27:50.490
so this is my association.
00:27:50.490 --> 00:27:52.764
But yes, Soo Yuen
Benevolent Association.
00:28:01.476 --> 00:28:05.205
- In San Francisco right
now, it is the best of times
00:28:05.205 --> 00:28:07.900
and the worst of times.
00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:11.556
Chinatown itself is under
tremendous pressures.
00:28:11.556 --> 00:28:16.620
And how we decide to grow and
how we decide to take care
00:28:16.620 --> 00:28:20.650
of our people are going to
determine what San Francisco is
00:28:20.650 --> 00:28:22.990
about for the next generation --
00:28:22.990 --> 00:28:27.160
is going to determine whether
or not this Chinatown continues
00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:30.820
to prosper and
thrive, or if it goes
00:28:30.820 --> 00:28:36.610
the way of other Chinatowns in
America that have evaporated.
00:28:36.610 --> 00:28:39.868
That's what this race is about.
00:28:39.868 --> 00:28:46.610
- (TRANSLATING INTO
CHINESE DIALECT)
00:28:46.610 --> 00:28:47.978
- Thank you, everybody.
00:29:02.666 --> 00:29:06.945
- (SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
00:29:20.045 --> 00:29:21.310
- Give Jason my regards.
00:29:21.310 --> 00:29:22.290
- Bye bye.
00:29:22.290 --> 00:29:23.480
- Bye.
00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:27.373
- (SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
00:29:44.133 --> 00:29:46.990
I was born and raised
here, but I didn't speak...
00:29:46.990 --> 00:29:49.080
I didn't learn English
until I was five,
00:29:49.080 --> 00:29:50.472
when I went into kindergarten.
00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:59.520
I grew up with my younger
brother and my parents,
00:29:59.520 --> 00:30:02.610
and we all lived
in one SRO room.
00:30:02.610 --> 00:30:06.360
And we shared the bathroom
with five other families,
00:30:06.360 --> 00:30:08.445
we shared a kitchen with
five other families.
00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:22.460
This is still the only place
you can get a $6 haircut.
00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.986
Just so you know.
00:30:23.986 --> 00:30:26.560
I get it another
place that is $7.
00:30:33.130 --> 00:30:36.280
And my uncle used to own
that bar, Li Po, which
00:30:36.280 --> 00:30:37.550
is now a hipster dive bar.
00:30:42.990 --> 00:30:50.490
So I am going to bring you to
Emery Lane, a building that
00:30:50.490 --> 00:30:53.370
is under eviction.
00:30:53.370 --> 00:30:55.440
So this whole
building right here,
00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:59.370
you can see that "Now Renting
Vallejo Emery Apartments."
00:30:59.370 --> 00:31:02.880
Those are the newly
remodeled apartments,
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:08.780
but everyone else who's living
there are in SRO apartments.
00:31:08.780 --> 00:31:12.647
What an SRO is, it's a
Single Room Occupancy unit,
00:31:12.647 --> 00:31:13.980
and it's really just bare bones.
00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:21.010
So an entire floor would
share this one bathroom.
00:31:21.010 --> 00:31:25.120
Already we're seeing
Airbnb rentals going up.
00:31:25.120 --> 00:31:27.790
These are getting converted,
one by one, and repainted --
00:31:27.790 --> 00:31:30.340
not for the sake of
the current residents,
00:31:30.340 --> 00:31:32.680
but for the new folks
who are coming in.
00:31:39.052 --> 00:31:42.468
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
00:31:47.490 --> 00:31:51.003
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
00:32:02.470 --> 00:32:04.810
- Their entire life is here.
00:32:04.810 --> 00:32:08.680
Their storage space, things
that they've gotten on sale that
00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:11.774
they've stocked up on,
their pots and pans --
00:32:11.774 --> 00:32:13.190
they have to keep
everything here.
00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:04.960
- Before, everyone would put
their clothes outside to dry.
00:33:04.960 --> 00:33:07.720
People have been doing
it for over a century --
00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:09.820
before the 1906
earthquake, you know,
00:33:09.820 --> 00:33:11.440
Chinese people were
doing it already.
00:33:11.440 --> 00:33:13.600
So they were getting
eviction notices,
00:33:13.600 --> 00:33:18.310
this unit in particular, for
drying their clothes outside.
00:33:18.310 --> 00:33:20.796
So that's what they... and the
people who had their Chinese
00:33:20.796 --> 00:33:21.295
New Years...
00:33:25.060 --> 00:33:27.310
People were putting their
Chinese New Year's greetings
00:33:27.310 --> 00:33:28.510
on the doors --
00:33:28.510 --> 00:33:32.490
you know, similar to a
mezuzah in a Jewish household.
00:33:32.490 --> 00:33:34.470
Yeah, like a Chinese
thing, and we'll see that.
00:33:34.470 --> 00:33:36.775
You know, you see it in
Aaron's office, right?
00:33:36.775 --> 00:33:39.150
People were getting eviction
notices for that, too.
00:33:45.820 --> 00:33:51.820
I think conversation needs to be
had about the morality of what
00:33:51.820 --> 00:33:53.830
is going on.
00:33:53.830 --> 00:33:58.360
How are those that are being
left behind by technology,
00:33:58.360 --> 00:34:01.380
how can they survive
in this economy?
00:34:05.800 --> 00:34:10.500
People live... move to San
Francisco for a reason, right?
00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:12.870
If you change it, if
you alter the fabric,
00:34:12.870 --> 00:34:14.909
it's not San Francisco anymore.
00:34:25.469 --> 00:34:28.190
- Hey, Pauline.
00:34:28.190 --> 00:34:31.219
601 Vallejo, corner
of Grant Avenue.
00:34:52.629 --> 00:34:53.850
- Are you Mr. Peskin?
00:34:53.850 --> 00:34:54.350
- I am.
00:34:54.350 --> 00:34:54.925
- Oh, cool.
00:34:54.925 --> 00:34:55.449
Nice to meet you.
00:34:55.449 --> 00:34:56.448
- Nice to meet you, too.
00:34:56.448 --> 00:34:58.340
- So I'm a first time
voter, because I just
00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.170
got my American citizenship.
00:34:59.170 --> 00:34:59.470
- Oh wow.
00:34:59.470 --> 00:35:00.240
Oh, congratulations.
00:35:00.240 --> 00:35:01.864
- Yeah, so I'm taking
it very seriously
00:35:01.864 --> 00:35:05.650
and I'm also very much in favor
of having an affordable city.
00:35:05.650 --> 00:35:08.740
But my question
is, do you propose
00:35:08.740 --> 00:35:11.850
to increase supply
or reduce demand?
00:35:11.850 --> 00:35:12.460
- Well...
00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:14.260
reducing demand
is very difficult.
00:35:14.260 --> 00:35:14.790
- Yeah.
00:35:14.790 --> 00:35:18.220
- It's about protecting existing
supply, building new supply
00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:20.410
that is affordable
because, I mean,
00:35:20.410 --> 00:35:24.095
you can build an endless amount
of $5 million luxury units.
00:35:24.095 --> 00:35:26.500
Well, that's not going to
solve anybody's housing crisis.
00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:27.010
- No, I know.
00:35:27.010 --> 00:35:27.593
I mean even...
00:35:27.593 --> 00:35:29.500
I mean, I think I'm above that.
00:35:29.500 --> 00:35:32.020
I work for the IT.
00:35:32.020 --> 00:35:33.854
But I mean, even I find
it difficult to find
00:35:33.854 --> 00:35:34.644
affordable housing.
00:35:34.644 --> 00:35:35.710
- So, tell me your name.
00:35:35.710 --> 00:35:36.479
-Yur Van Den Berg.
00:35:36.479 --> 00:35:37.270
- Nice to meet you.
00:35:37.270 --> 00:35:38.061
- Yur Van Den Berg.
00:35:38.061 --> 00:35:39.670
I'm from the
Netherlands originally.
00:35:39.670 --> 00:35:40.390
- I love it.
00:35:40.390 --> 00:35:42.130
Well, congratulations
on your first vote.
00:35:42.130 --> 00:35:42.760
- Yeah, thank you.
00:35:42.760 --> 00:35:43.230
- All right, thank you.
00:35:43.230 --> 00:35:44.430
- Nice to meet you, good luck.
00:35:44.430 --> 00:35:44.930
- You, too.
00:35:50.020 --> 00:35:53.870
- (SPEAKING IN MADARIN)
00:36:05.965 --> 00:36:07.247
What's up, Mark?
00:36:07.247 --> 00:36:09.080
I thought you were
working the desk tonight?
00:36:09.080 --> 00:36:09.580
- I am.
00:36:09.580 --> 00:36:11.210
I just had to get
a cup of coffee.
00:36:11.210 --> 00:36:13.580
I'm starting to see double.
00:36:13.580 --> 00:36:15.820
- What kind of coffee
are you drinking?
00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:17.280
- (NAMES COFFEE VARIETY).
00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:18.810
America's favorite.
00:36:34.694 --> 00:36:36.610
- I've heard about that
window, but I've never
00:36:36.610 --> 00:36:37.706
seen it until right now.
00:36:37.706 --> 00:36:38.831
I'm going to leave my card.
00:36:43.650 --> 00:36:47.270
- KALW is a media sponsor for
coverage of the San Francisco
00:36:47.270 --> 00:36:49.969
elections and the Supervisor's
race for District 3.
00:36:49.969 --> 00:36:50.510
Stay with us.
00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:55.355
- Talk to us about the amount
of money in this campaign.
00:36:55.355 --> 00:36:58.640
It seems to have attracted money
from outside of the district.
00:36:58.640 --> 00:37:01.225
We're talking about almost a
million dollars between the two
00:37:01.225 --> 00:37:02.183
of you has been raised.
00:37:02.183 --> 00:37:03.440
I think it's fairly even.
00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:06.260
- Follow the money, as
they say in the media.
00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:09.410
And if you follow the money,
it's all about the regulation
00:37:09.410 --> 00:37:12.530
-- the reasonable regulation
of short term rentals that have
00:37:12.530 --> 00:37:15.650
taken hundreds of
rent-controlled units off
00:37:15.650 --> 00:37:21.260
the market, has resulted in
almost $300,000 by Airbnb
00:37:21.260 --> 00:37:25.310
investors against my candidacy
and for the appointed
00:37:25.310 --> 00:37:25.820
incumbent.
00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:28.580
And they're making an
investment in making sure
00:37:28.580 --> 00:37:32.650
that their $25 billion
investment continues to grow.
00:37:32.650 --> 00:37:33.650
- OK, let's take a call.
00:37:33.650 --> 00:37:34.000
Let's take a...
00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:35.340
- So do I get to address that?
00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:37.060
- I'm sorry.
00:37:37.060 --> 00:37:42.290
- The accusation is that for
a contribution of any amount,
00:37:42.290 --> 00:37:45.800
that I would vote a certain way.
00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:49.760
I haven't shown any indication
that I'm going to be swayed.
00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:51.620
I mean, I think Aaron
has a track record,
00:37:51.620 --> 00:37:54.980
he has a reputation, so I guess
any money spent against him
00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:58.100
is presumed to be for me.
00:37:58.100 --> 00:38:01.916
But in a way, I'm the small
player in this race, right.
00:38:01.916 --> 00:38:04.790
There are a lot of
behemoths fighting it out
00:38:04.790 --> 00:38:05.705
above our heads.
00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:13.020
- This is the story of former
supervisor Aaron Peskin.
00:38:13.020 --> 00:38:15.130
The drunken calls at midnight.
00:38:15.130 --> 00:38:18.460
Peskin's outlandish
harassment of city employees,
00:38:18.460 --> 00:38:20.410
threatening their jobs.
00:38:20.410 --> 00:38:23.640
A man investigated
by the city attorney.
00:38:23.640 --> 00:38:27.130
An obstructionist blocking
affordable housing,
00:38:27.130 --> 00:38:28.720
against everything
that represents
00:38:28.720 --> 00:38:30.726
progress in the city.
00:38:30.726 --> 00:38:32.390
Aaron Peskin.
00:38:32.390 --> 00:38:34.720
We can't go back.
00:38:34.720 --> 00:38:38.260
- Ron Conway stands to make
literally hundreds of millions
00:38:38.260 --> 00:38:43.850
of dollars off Airbnb, so it's
no longer about public policy.
00:38:43.850 --> 00:38:46.600
It's no longer about
ideological differences.
00:38:46.600 --> 00:38:49.330
This has become a town
that is being mined
00:38:49.330 --> 00:38:51.730
by a handful of billionaires.
00:38:51.730 --> 00:38:54.520
My beef is not with the
well-paid workers who are
00:38:54.520 --> 00:38:58.390
flocking to San Francisco, but
the fact that our economy is
00:38:58.390 --> 00:39:02.230
being mined and some of that
money is being spent on raw
00:39:02.230 --> 00:39:03.640
brute...
00:39:03.640 --> 00:39:05.250
brutal, brutal politics.
00:39:27.392 --> 00:39:28.850
- Madame Clerk,
can you please call
00:39:28.850 --> 00:39:31.572
items six and seven together.
00:39:31.572 --> 00:39:33.947
- Item six and seven were
referred without recommendation
00:39:33.947 --> 00:39:34.447
to...
00:39:43.980 --> 00:39:45.920
- Supervisor Christensen.
00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:47.970
- Thank you.
00:39:47.970 --> 00:39:50.190
I've been spending a
lot of time talking
00:39:50.190 --> 00:39:53.790
to the people who live in my
district in the last months.
00:39:53.790 --> 00:39:55.980
There are many,
including many residents
00:39:55.980 --> 00:40:00.420
in my district, whose ability
to remain in San Francisco is
00:40:00.420 --> 00:40:02.790
dependent on the
extra bit of income
00:40:02.790 --> 00:40:05.590
they gain from home sharing.
00:40:05.590 --> 00:40:07.710
- Supervisor Campos.
00:40:07.710 --> 00:40:09.970
- Thank you very much.
00:40:09.970 --> 00:40:12.570
As I have said on
many occasions,
00:40:12.570 --> 00:40:15.000
I support home sharing.
00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:19.860
It has a place in San Francisco,
but there have to be limits.
00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:22.290
Left unregulated,
this industry will
00:40:22.290 --> 00:40:24.420
continue to
exacerbate the housing
00:40:24.420 --> 00:40:28.680
crisis we are facing by
incentivizing taking housing
00:40:28.680 --> 00:40:30.424
off the market.
00:40:30.424 --> 00:40:31.620
Colleagues, I ask...
00:40:31.620 --> 00:40:34.680
- None of this
legislation is required,
00:40:34.680 --> 00:40:38.340
if Airbnb from the
beginning said, "We
00:40:38.340 --> 00:40:41.820
will block the serial evictors.
00:40:41.820 --> 00:40:44.160
We will block the
people who are not
00:40:44.160 --> 00:40:45.990
doing it to make ends meet."
00:40:45.990 --> 00:40:47.740
They have the
technology to do that.
00:40:47.740 --> 00:40:51.300
But it's not a part of their
ever-growing business model.
00:40:51.300 --> 00:40:55.520
- So yes, we could force
Airbnb to provide us
00:40:55.520 --> 00:40:56.960
with that information.
00:40:56.960 --> 00:41:00.510
Airbnb will sue us, we'll be
in the courts for three, five,
00:41:00.510 --> 00:41:02.150
six, eight years.
00:41:02.150 --> 00:41:05.640
My fear is delay.
00:41:05.640 --> 00:41:10.290
If I can find a solution
that moves us ahead,
00:41:10.290 --> 00:41:12.450
that puts us in
a better position
00:41:12.450 --> 00:41:15.970
faster and is an
effective solution,
00:41:15.970 --> 00:41:17.680
that's the way I want to go.
00:41:17.680 --> 00:41:19.960
So I believe that
direct reporting,
00:41:19.960 --> 00:41:24.100
the direct responsibility
of a home sharer to the city
00:41:24.100 --> 00:41:27.220
government in reporting
the number of days rented,
00:41:27.220 --> 00:41:31.000
may be the best way for us
to make the sharers liable.
00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:33.370
To directly submit
quarterly reports
00:41:33.370 --> 00:41:37.180
to the city about their
short term rental activities.
00:41:37.180 --> 00:41:41.530
- You're talking about
turning your back
00:41:41.530 --> 00:41:47.680
on the hosting community
to protect a $23 billion
00:41:47.680 --> 00:41:51.970
dollar corporation
and saying, you
00:41:51.970 --> 00:41:59.140
individual hosts have to do
what Airbnb until this point has
00:41:59.140 --> 00:42:01.600
refused to do.
00:42:01.600 --> 00:42:04.240
That is remarkable.
00:42:04.240 --> 00:42:07.510
It is truly remarkable.
00:42:07.510 --> 00:42:14.020
We cannot go down the path where
we say that individuals have
00:42:14.020 --> 00:42:18.640
to follow rules, but
corporations do not.
00:42:18.640 --> 00:42:20.290
That is not...
00:42:20.290 --> 00:42:25.750
that is not the San Francisco
that the people of this city
00:42:25.750 --> 00:42:27.040
deserve.
00:42:27.040 --> 00:42:30.087
So I will be proudly voting
against the amendment.
00:42:30.087 --> 00:42:33.980
(APPLAUSE)
00:42:33.980 --> 00:42:36.430
- Madam Clerk, on item
number seven as amended,
00:42:36.430 --> 00:42:38.050
can you please call the roll?
00:42:38.050 --> 00:42:40.340
- Supervisor Avalos?
00:42:40.340 --> 00:42:40.840
- No.
00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:41.560
- Avalos, No.
00:42:41.560 --> 00:42:42.380
Supervisor Breed?
00:42:42.380 --> 00:42:42.880
- Aye.
00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:43.540
- Breed, Aye.
00:42:43.540 --> 00:42:44.730
Supervisor Campos?
00:42:44.730 --> 00:42:45.230
- No.
00:42:45.230 --> 00:42:46.015
- Campos, No.
00:42:46.015 --> 00:42:47.080
Supervisor Christensen?
00:42:47.080 --> 00:42:47.580
- Aye.
00:42:47.580 --> 00:42:48.490
- Christensen, Aye.
00:42:48.490 --> 00:42:49.550
Supervisor Cohen?
00:42:49.550 --> 00:42:50.050
- Aye.
00:42:50.050 --> 00:42:51.940
- There are six
Aye's and five No's.
00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:54.910
- This ordinance is passed.
00:42:54.910 --> 00:42:57.100
- Supervisor Christensen
was the swing vote.
00:42:57.100 --> 00:43:00.820
Had an independent
neighborhood-based policy maker
00:43:00.820 --> 00:43:03.700
like myself been on the board,
it would have been a 6-5 vote
00:43:03.700 --> 00:43:06.370
the other way -- which is
precisely why this race is
00:43:06.370 --> 00:43:07.210
so important.
00:43:17.110 --> 00:43:19.750
- So this requires no
comment, just submission?
00:43:19.750 --> 00:43:20.250
- Yes.
00:43:20.250 --> 00:43:21.900
- And this is their
copy, not mine.
00:43:21.900 --> 00:43:22.459
- Yes.
00:43:22.459 --> 00:43:24.250
- So did this go through
committee already?
00:43:24.250 --> 00:43:26.041
- No, no, it's just
being introduced today,
00:43:26.041 --> 00:43:27.570
and then will be
referred out to...
00:43:27.570 --> 00:43:28.360
Yeah.
00:43:28.360 --> 00:43:29.090
- OK, thank you.
00:43:32.390 --> 00:43:32.890
Hey!
00:43:32.890 --> 00:43:33.389
- Hey.
00:43:33.389 --> 00:43:34.638
- How you doing?
00:43:34.638 --> 00:43:35.581
Wazzup?
00:43:35.581 --> 00:43:36.860
- Wazzup?
00:43:36.860 --> 00:43:40.071
Well, I was wanting to pick
your brain about the bike lane
00:43:40.071 --> 00:43:41.050
law...
00:43:41.050 --> 00:43:42.633
- I was hoping I
wouldn't have to make
00:43:42.633 --> 00:43:45.650
to make any
conclusions about that
00:43:45.650 --> 00:43:47.640
before I absolutely had to.
00:43:47.640 --> 00:43:49.910
But you know, the
short of it, Joe,
00:43:49.910 --> 00:43:55.460
is that I sympathize
enormously with the people that
00:43:55.460 --> 00:43:57.770
are being disrupted
and displaced,
00:43:57.770 --> 00:43:59.600
but I think we need
real solutions.
00:43:59.600 --> 00:44:01.410
You know, I think we
need to buy more land,
00:44:01.410 --> 00:44:04.027
and build more housing for them.
00:44:04.027 --> 00:44:05.610
That's all you're
gonna get out of me.
00:44:05.610 --> 00:44:07.600
- (LAUGH) Thank you, Supervisor.
00:44:07.600 --> 00:44:08.816
- OK.
00:44:08.816 --> 00:44:09.940
- You guys have a good one.
00:44:09.940 --> 00:44:10.440
- Thanks.
00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:11.440
- Bye, Joe.
00:44:25.900 --> 00:44:28.720
- A lot of my coverage around
Uber -- and a lesser extent,
00:44:28.720 --> 00:44:29.650
Lyft --
00:44:29.650 --> 00:44:33.790
has revolved around, are they
paying these workers enough?
00:44:33.790 --> 00:44:37.210
Are they independent
contractors or employees?
00:44:37.210 --> 00:44:43.770
Are they given employee benefits
like health care, severances?
00:44:43.770 --> 00:44:45.354
Do they have to pay
for their own gas?
00:44:45.354 --> 00:44:45.853
Yes.
00:44:45.853 --> 00:44:47.680
Do they have to pay
for the upkeep of cars?
00:44:47.680 --> 00:44:48.420
Yes.
00:44:48.420 --> 00:44:51.690
All of these costs which
the technology companies
00:44:51.690 --> 00:44:55.530
aren't taking on themselves, and
are putting on the employees.
00:44:55.530 --> 00:44:59.473
- But yet they treat us worse
and worse as the days go by.
00:44:59.473 --> 00:45:00.946
Uber drivers after
all expenses are
00:45:00.946 --> 00:45:02.646
making less than minimum wage.
00:45:02.646 --> 00:45:04.020
- Thousands of
people are driving
00:45:04.020 --> 00:45:05.130
for Uber in San Francisco.
00:45:05.130 --> 00:45:07.740
Last count that they reported
was, I believe, somewhere
00:45:07.740 --> 00:45:10.390
between 16,000 and
17,000 Uber drivers,
00:45:10.390 --> 00:45:12.470
active Uber drivers
in San Francisco.
00:45:12.470 --> 00:45:14.280
Now to put that in
perspective, there
00:45:14.280 --> 00:45:18.660
are only 2,000 active taxi
drivers in San Francisco.
00:45:18.660 --> 00:45:21.270
Lyft as well is in the city,
but we don't necessarily
00:45:21.270 --> 00:45:23.820
have hard numbers for Lyft.
00:45:23.820 --> 00:45:25.385
- You have the right to eat!
00:45:25.385 --> 00:45:27.780
You have the right
to make money!
00:45:27.780 --> 00:45:30.255
You have the right to ...
00:45:34.240 --> 00:45:35.740
- Do it for yourself, brother!
00:45:35.740 --> 00:45:37.240
- (ALL CHANTING)
...drivers in need!
00:45:37.240 --> 00:45:40.297
Uber's greed puts
drivers in need!
00:45:40.297 --> 00:45:41.760
Uber's greed...!
00:45:41.760 --> 00:45:43.980
- As the middle class had
left and people struggle
00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:45.813
more and more to live
in San Francisco, what
00:45:45.813 --> 00:45:49.560
you see is that these sharing
economy darlings like Airbnb,
00:45:49.560 --> 00:45:53.880
Uber, and Lyft, tout themselves
as the way to make extra bucks
00:45:53.880 --> 00:45:56.212
while you struggle.
00:45:56.212 --> 00:45:58.170
Oh, are you having a hard
time paying the rent?
00:45:58.170 --> 00:46:00.090
Airbnb one of your
rooms, and you
00:46:00.090 --> 00:46:01.840
can help subsidize your rent.
00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:04.350
Is your job as a teacher
not paying you enough,
00:46:04.350 --> 00:46:06.330
as we're seeing a great
exodus of teachers
00:46:06.330 --> 00:46:08.370
out into the outlying
communities around San
00:46:08.370 --> 00:46:11.220
Francisco, two or
three hour drives away?
00:46:11.220 --> 00:46:13.350
Well, drive a
little bit for Uber.
00:46:13.350 --> 00:46:15.960
And when you're done grading
papers, you can drive for Uber
00:46:15.960 --> 00:46:17.882
and earn a little extra cash.
00:46:17.882 --> 00:46:20.340
But the interesting thing, the
thing that gets me thinking,
00:46:20.340 --> 00:46:21.510
is like...
00:46:21.510 --> 00:46:24.870
if you need to rely
on the sharing economy
00:46:24.870 --> 00:46:27.750
to make those ends
meet, then somewhere
00:46:27.750 --> 00:46:31.056
the underlying economy in
the city is not working.
00:46:42.810 --> 00:46:45.510
- Thank you for that
generous introduction.
00:46:45.510 --> 00:46:47.670
Hello, SFTWA.
00:46:47.670 --> 00:46:49.170
My name is Aaron Peskin.
00:46:49.170 --> 00:46:52.500
I want to start by saying I
have never been in a Lyft,
00:46:52.500 --> 00:46:55.107
I have never been in an
Uber, I have never...
00:46:55.107 --> 00:46:58.089
- (APPLAUSE)
00:46:58.089 --> 00:47:02.590
- I cannot tell you how
delighted I am that finally,
00:47:02.590 --> 00:47:05.860
finally, you guys
are organizing.
00:47:05.860 --> 00:47:08.296
You guys and gals are
organizing, finally.
00:47:08.296 --> 00:47:08.796
Finally!
00:47:14.710 --> 00:47:17.650
- Taxi drivers across Europe
have gone on strike this summer
00:47:17.650 --> 00:47:19.330
to protest Uber.
00:47:19.330 --> 00:47:21.880
- London taxi drivers brought
the center of the capital
00:47:21.880 --> 00:47:23.458
to a standstill.
00:47:23.458 --> 00:47:26.612
- Thousands of taxi
drivers across Jakarta
00:47:26.612 --> 00:47:30.394
are protesting against
online apps such as Uber.
00:47:30.394 --> 00:47:33.040
- Buenos Aires,
Argentina's capital city,
00:47:33.040 --> 00:47:34.780
brought to a standstill.
00:47:34.780 --> 00:47:37.990
- Uber has hit South
Africa in a big way.
00:47:37.990 --> 00:47:40.720
- The growth of these
platforms, like Airbnb and Uber,
00:47:40.720 --> 00:47:44.020
has been exponential, but
it's also been disruptive.
00:47:44.020 --> 00:47:47.260
- In Berlin, through Airbnb
and other short stay renters,
00:47:47.260 --> 00:47:50.290
the letting boom has
been driving up rents.
00:47:50.290 --> 00:47:52.240
- Airbnb has a problem.
00:47:52.240 --> 00:47:55.090
Almost three quarters of
New York City bookings
00:47:55.090 --> 00:47:57.970
appear to break the law.
00:47:57.970 --> 00:47:59.590
- One of the hottest
political races
00:47:59.590 --> 00:48:02.080
is nearing the finish line
in San Francisco tonight.
00:48:02.080 --> 00:48:05.080
The heated battle that
could shake up City Hall.
00:48:05.080 --> 00:48:07.030
KPIX 5's Joe
Vazquez on what some
00:48:07.030 --> 00:48:08.950
are calling the
fight for the heart
00:48:08.950 --> 00:48:10.150
and soul of San Francisco.
00:48:10.150 --> 00:48:10.480
Joe.
00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:12.271
- Ryan, across the Bay
Area a lot of people
00:48:12.271 --> 00:48:14.320
were watching this
election, it could determine
00:48:14.320 --> 00:48:15.970
the future of San Francisco.
00:48:15.970 --> 00:48:20.290
The most expensive Supervisor's
race in San Francisco history.
00:48:20.290 --> 00:48:22.528
It's expected to be very close.
00:48:25.018 --> 00:48:27.010
- Let me just say this --
00:48:27.010 --> 00:48:29.998
Sunny Angulo is the best
campaign manager ever.
00:48:37.480 --> 00:48:40.440
- We need to eke out
about 1,000 more votes.
00:48:40.440 --> 00:48:43.220
The current supervisor is
an appointed supervisor,
00:48:43.220 --> 00:48:46.420
is someone that has demonstrated
over and over that they
00:48:46.420 --> 00:48:49.000
are more inclined to
give in to pressure
00:48:49.000 --> 00:48:50.580
to vote along with the mayor.
00:48:50.580 --> 00:48:53.050
And not to say that the
mayor's every decision he makes
00:48:53.050 --> 00:48:54.834
is a bad one, but
we certainly need
00:48:54.834 --> 00:48:56.500
someone that can
scrutinize these things
00:48:56.500 --> 00:48:59.310
and have some thoughtful
analysis of the issues.
00:49:06.107 --> 00:49:09.136
- So you're doing a seven
of twelve and six of twelve.
00:49:09.136 --> 00:49:11.140
So you just...
00:49:11.140 --> 00:49:12.670
- Oh hi, Olga.
00:49:12.670 --> 00:49:14.400
This is Esther Marks.
00:49:14.400 --> 00:49:16.240
I'm one of your neighbors.
00:49:21.720 --> 00:49:24.580
This is a very
important election,
00:49:24.580 --> 00:49:27.444
because we need an independent
voice in City Hall.
00:49:27.444 --> 00:49:29.110
- Do people who are
going to North Beach
00:49:29.110 --> 00:49:32.340
know they can drop these lists
back off at Vallejo office?
00:49:37.150 --> 00:49:39.840
- Please vote for
Aaron Peskin by mail
00:49:39.840 --> 00:49:43.920
or at the polls on election
day, Tuesday, November 3rd.
00:49:43.920 --> 00:49:44.840
Thank you.
00:49:47.810 --> 00:49:50.150
- All right, you're all set.
00:49:50.150 --> 00:49:53.090
- I knew this was going to be
a turning point for the city.
00:49:53.090 --> 00:49:56.030
It was something that was
going to send a signal to all
00:49:56.030 --> 00:49:58.490
of San Francisco,
and I really feel
00:49:58.490 --> 00:50:02.480
that's what this
campaign is all about.
00:50:02.480 --> 00:50:05.900
He's walked the walk, we all
know what he's capable of,
00:50:05.900 --> 00:50:08.240
and that's why they're so
worried about him going back
00:50:08.240 --> 00:50:09.407
to City Hall.
00:50:09.407 --> 00:50:11.490
Because he's going to be
all up in their business.
00:50:26.740 --> 00:50:28.840
- What frustrates you about
today's San Francisco,
00:50:28.840 --> 00:50:30.930
and what would you like these
candidates to do about it?
00:50:30.930 --> 00:50:32.500
Now's the time to tell
them directly, or ask
00:50:32.500 --> 00:50:35.080
what questions you have about
City Hall and San Francisco
00:50:35.080 --> 00:50:36.160
politics.
00:50:36.160 --> 00:50:39.640
- What I think is that when
City Hall fails to lead,
00:50:39.640 --> 00:50:42.280
the electorate goes
directly to the ballot
00:50:42.280 --> 00:50:44.620
because there is a need.
00:50:44.620 --> 00:50:48.130
And because the board
on a 6-5 vote --
00:50:48.130 --> 00:50:50.320
including Supervisor
Christensen --
00:50:50.320 --> 00:50:55.090
refused to enact reasonable
regulations that would prevent
00:50:55.090 --> 00:50:58.450
illegal short term rentals that
would prevent units from being
00:50:58.450 --> 00:51:01.450
taken off the market, the
electorate took things
00:51:01.450 --> 00:51:04.150
in their own hands and went
directly to the ballot.
00:51:15.210 --> 00:51:17.880
- One of the major
reasons I support
00:51:17.880 --> 00:51:22.200
Proposition F is
because the very fact
00:51:22.200 --> 00:51:26.910
that there are these
evictions, that they were once
00:51:26.910 --> 00:51:32.460
my neighbors and they are now
being used as vacation rentals.
00:51:32.460 --> 00:51:34.860
And everyone whose
building goes up
00:51:34.860 --> 00:51:41.280
for sale is afraid that that
is going to be the next thing,
00:51:41.280 --> 00:51:43.770
is they will be evicted
and their building
00:51:43.770 --> 00:51:45.398
will become a hotel.
00:52:01.990 --> 00:52:04.540
- San Franciscans aren't
afraid of big challenges.
00:52:04.540 --> 00:52:06.580
We find ways to
change the world.
00:52:06.580 --> 00:52:07.750
That's who we are.
00:52:07.750 --> 00:52:09.700
We always do it together.
00:52:09.700 --> 00:52:10.690
But I'm worried.
00:52:10.690 --> 00:52:12.730
I'm worried that
Proposition F takes us
00:52:12.730 --> 00:52:14.860
in the wrong direction.
00:52:14.860 --> 00:52:19.830
Vote "No" on Proposition
F. It's just too extreme.
00:52:19.830 --> 00:52:23.360
- Airbnb's business model was
directly threatened by Prop F.
00:52:23.360 --> 00:52:26.070
Some of their most lucrative...
00:52:26.070 --> 00:52:30.930
some of the most lucrative home
sharers are people who rent out
00:52:30.930 --> 00:52:34.500
entire apartment buildings
and make a lot of profit --
00:52:34.500 --> 00:52:37.830
like renting 20 or 30
units full time on Airbnb.
00:52:37.830 --> 00:52:40.050
They lose those, their
company loses a sizable
00:52:40.050 --> 00:52:41.304
chunk of profit.
00:52:41.304 --> 00:52:43.470
-I'm not saying that Prop
F is going to win or lose.
00:52:43.470 --> 00:52:46.040
I mean...
00:52:46.040 --> 00:52:50.870
you know, Airbnb is going
to spend countless millions.
00:53:02.699 --> 00:53:04.990
- One of the most remarkable
things about the "No on F"
00:53:04.990 --> 00:53:09.740
campaign has been that we've had
approximately 450 volunteers.
00:53:09.740 --> 00:53:11.840
That's more than most
local ballot measures
00:53:11.840 --> 00:53:14.890
get by a magnitude of 20.
00:53:14.890 --> 00:53:17.690
So if you ask about why
these people are so engaged,
00:53:17.690 --> 00:53:21.890
if you ask about the
authenticity of this movement,
00:53:21.890 --> 00:53:25.190
I would say go ask those
people who, if they don't act,
00:53:25.190 --> 00:53:27.960
they might be forced to move
and leave their own community.
00:53:27.960 --> 00:53:29.376
And they're going
to tell you this
00:53:29.376 --> 00:53:31.014
is as authentic as they come.
00:53:33.350 --> 00:53:35.210
I think it's important
to know that there's
00:53:35.210 --> 00:53:38.810
135,000 guests and
hosts of short term
00:53:38.810 --> 00:53:39.890
rentals in San Francisco.
00:53:39.890 --> 00:53:42.260
This is probably the
largest voting block
00:53:42.260 --> 00:53:45.200
in San Francisco today.
00:53:45.200 --> 00:53:47.000
So let's be clear,
Prop F does not
00:53:47.000 --> 00:53:49.640
seek to regulate short term
rentals in San Francisco.
00:53:49.640 --> 00:53:51.590
It seeks to discourage
them or drive them out
00:53:51.590 --> 00:53:54.530
of business entirely.
00:53:54.530 --> 00:53:56.390
And who's that going to impact?
00:53:56.390 --> 00:53:59.630
That's going to impact
those middle class hosts who
00:53:59.630 --> 00:54:03.800
are using short term rentals
as an economic lifeline
00:54:03.800 --> 00:54:05.330
to stay in San Francisco.
00:54:05.330 --> 00:54:07.762
It's going to hurt
San Franciscans.
00:54:16.440 --> 00:54:20.490
- Was Airbnb being honest with
these people, in that they were
00:54:20.490 --> 00:54:26.370
actually going to lose all
this money via Airbnb platform
00:54:26.370 --> 00:54:27.510
if this law passed?
00:54:27.510 --> 00:54:28.380
I would say no.
00:54:28.380 --> 00:54:29.370
I would say a lot
of these people
00:54:29.370 --> 00:54:30.744
are not going to
lose that money.
00:54:30.744 --> 00:54:33.630
The grandma renting
out her spare room
00:54:33.630 --> 00:54:35.060
was not going to lose money.
00:54:35.060 --> 00:54:38.940
Airbnb lied to them.
00:54:38.940 --> 00:54:43.320
But the grandma is a very
compelling visual image
00:54:43.320 --> 00:54:45.210
for a voter.
00:54:45.210 --> 00:54:49.730
- San Francisco, we'll soon vote
on a new short term rental law.
00:54:49.730 --> 00:54:51.990
- But that is this
weird, astroturf thing
00:54:51.990 --> 00:54:54.300
that is at the heart
of what tech can do.
00:54:54.300 --> 00:54:56.040
Because they have
all these users,
00:54:56.040 --> 00:54:58.320
they can contact all these
users and threaten them
00:54:58.320 --> 00:55:03.120
and say, "Your ability to use
our platform is threatened.
00:55:03.120 --> 00:55:04.560
Come out and rally for us."
00:55:04.560 --> 00:55:09.270
It's tech co-opting people power
with the power of their wallet.
00:55:09.270 --> 00:55:10.406
And it's frightening.
00:55:21.110 --> 00:55:23.970
- You know, Airbnb was
started as a home share --
00:55:23.970 --> 00:55:26.520
people-to-people
home sharing network.
00:55:26.520 --> 00:55:30.360
Now at least from my
perspective, as it has evolved,
00:55:30.360 --> 00:55:34.740
it has also become a
people-for-people power sharing
00:55:34.740 --> 00:55:35.580
network.
00:55:35.580 --> 00:55:40.270
Not only are you a community,
but you are a movement.
00:55:40.270 --> 00:55:44.680
Home sharing is a big idea,
so big that no army could ever
00:55:44.680 --> 00:55:46.640
really stop it.
00:55:46.640 --> 00:55:49.600
You are on the side of history.
00:55:55.330 --> 00:56:00.550
- One area where technology is
having a clear and demonstrable
00:56:00.550 --> 00:56:04.360
impact, and that's the
ability to raise an army
00:56:04.360 --> 00:56:07.660
and get that army to
march on City Hall.
00:56:07.660 --> 00:56:12.490
It's an opportunity that is
not limited to corporations,
00:56:12.490 --> 00:56:16.450
and we've seen a lot of
non-profits and advocacy groups
00:56:16.450 --> 00:56:18.670
use the same tools
to the same end.
00:56:18.670 --> 00:56:22.510
- There's an ocean of difference
between an individual that
00:56:22.510 --> 00:56:25.000
chooses to join
an organization --
00:56:25.000 --> 00:56:27.670
be it the Republican Party
or the Democratic Party
00:56:27.670 --> 00:56:29.380
or the Sierra Club --
00:56:29.380 --> 00:56:33.070
because they actually want to
join some kind of a movement,
00:56:33.070 --> 00:56:38.380
and your consumer information
being used in order to mobilize
00:56:38.380 --> 00:56:43.570
you for the best interests of
the company that is doing it.
00:56:43.570 --> 00:56:46.780
These companies are exploiting
the personal information
00:56:46.780 --> 00:56:49.786
of their consumers
for political ends.
00:57:20.230 --> 00:57:21.520
- We're going to be outspent.
00:57:21.520 --> 00:57:23.140
We know we're going
to be outspent.
00:57:23.140 --> 00:57:25.540
The independent expenditures...
00:57:25.540 --> 00:57:28.930
has anybody ever heard of these
set of brothers called the Koch
00:57:28.930 --> 00:57:29.470
Brothers?
00:57:29.470 --> 00:57:30.470
- Yes.
00:57:30.470 --> 00:57:34.420
- So the Koch Brothers in San
Francisco is the gentleman...
00:57:34.420 --> 00:57:35.590
He is one person.
00:57:35.590 --> 00:57:37.390
He is Ron Conway.
00:57:37.390 --> 00:57:38.710
And they will spend...
00:57:38.710 --> 00:57:41.780
I mean, they're making
billions of dollars.
00:57:41.780 --> 00:57:45.090
If we win District
3, we win the board.
00:57:45.090 --> 00:57:49.197
As goes District 3,
so goes San Francisco.
01:01:13.787 --> 01:01:15.604
- (CHANTING) We need Aaron!
01:01:15.604 --> 01:01:16.781
We need Aaron!
01:02:15.935 --> 01:02:17.342
- I feel good.
01:02:17.342 --> 01:02:20.160
It's game day.
01:02:20.160 --> 01:02:24.180
And I got my "I voted"
sticker, and we're
01:02:24.180 --> 01:02:25.646
going to go have a busy day.
01:03:10.964 --> 01:03:11.960
- How are you?
01:03:20.924 --> 01:03:22.620
- So did you vote already?
01:03:22.620 --> 01:03:23.120
- Yes.
01:03:23.120 --> 01:03:24.900
- Tom Temprano for City College.
01:03:34.410 --> 01:03:34.967
- Hold on.
01:03:34.967 --> 01:03:35.721
Blow it up.
01:03:35.721 --> 01:03:37.970
Ready?
01:03:37.970 --> 01:03:40.470
- Are people going to be able
to get over some of the bitter
01:03:40.470 --> 01:03:43.170
battles here with regard to,
say, Airbnb issue, and...
01:03:43.170 --> 01:03:44.370
- I certainly hope so.
01:03:44.370 --> 01:03:44.902
I think...
01:03:44.902 --> 01:03:46.610
I think people want
to live in this city,
01:03:46.610 --> 01:03:49.280
and everybody does
for different reasons.
01:03:49.280 --> 01:03:52.020
And I think we honored
that by doing the best
01:03:52.020 --> 01:03:54.070
we can to collaborate
with each other.
01:03:54.070 --> 01:03:56.520
So not divide the
city, as I believe
01:03:56.520 --> 01:03:58.500
some voices are trying to do.
01:03:58.500 --> 01:03:59.190
Thank you.
01:03:59.190 --> 01:04:01.333
- Thanks for being
there for Julie today.
01:04:01.333 --> 01:04:02.374
- That was a good parade.
01:04:02.374 --> 01:04:02.874
- Yes!
01:04:05.338 --> 01:04:06.820
- I want to shake your hand.
01:04:10.772 --> 01:04:13.242
- They let him into the country.
01:04:20.158 --> 01:04:22.128
- Good luck today!
01:04:22.128 --> 01:04:22.628
- Thank you.
01:04:22.628 --> 01:04:24.110
Thank you for your support.
01:04:24.110 --> 01:04:29.544
- I think that Peskin
will probably win it.
01:04:29.544 --> 01:04:31.026
Yeah, he's run a good campaign.
01:04:31.026 --> 01:04:33.002
But he's such a
terrible guy, though.
01:04:33.002 --> 01:04:34.484
He gave me such a bad time.
01:04:34.484 --> 01:04:36.460
I feel sorry for the mayor.
01:04:39.285 --> 01:04:40.710
- No!
01:04:40.710 --> 01:04:42.135
- That's Jack Davis.
01:04:48.320 --> 01:04:50.376
- What do you think's
gonna happen today?
01:04:50.376 --> 01:04:53.190
- I think we're gonna win
big, all over the place.
01:05:02.340 --> 01:05:04.270
- I was at the last
Crunchies, right?
01:05:04.270 --> 01:05:07.102
I saw you asked
your tech community
01:05:07.102 --> 01:05:11.217
if they had registered to vote,
and a lot hadn't registered.
01:05:11.217 --> 01:05:11.925
But I wondered...
01:05:11.925 --> 01:05:12.591
- They have now.
01:05:12.591 --> 01:05:13.570
- You think they have?
01:05:13.570 --> 01:05:14.570
You think it's changed?
01:05:14.570 --> 01:05:15.695
What leads you to think it?
01:05:15.695 --> 01:05:17.544
- Thousands have registered.
01:05:17.544 --> 01:05:18.044
- Really?
01:05:18.044 --> 01:05:20.361
- Yeah, yeah.
01:05:20.361 --> 01:05:23.380
We've had a whole effort
to get tech workers
01:05:23.380 --> 01:05:26.694
to register and then vote.
01:05:48.080 --> 01:05:50.190
- Don't forget to vote.
01:05:50.190 --> 01:05:51.400
Thank you, thank you.
01:05:51.400 --> 01:05:53.620
- Good morning.
01:05:53.620 --> 01:05:59.054
- The other one says
"100% Pro-LGBT."
01:05:59.054 --> 01:06:01.392
- Thank you for thinking about
the people that have been
01:06:01.392 --> 01:06:02.600
evicted and things like that.
01:06:02.600 --> 01:06:04.930
As a person who was
evicted and grew up here,
01:06:04.930 --> 01:06:07.017
it's sad to see the
city change that way.
01:06:07.017 --> 01:06:08.600
And I appreciate
that you have a heart
01:06:08.600 --> 01:06:09.590
for the people that are here.
01:06:09.590 --> 01:06:10.230
- Thanks so much.
01:06:10.230 --> 01:06:10.813
- So I just...
01:06:10.813 --> 01:06:11.782
I thank you for that.
01:06:11.782 --> 01:06:12.740
I really appreciate it.
01:06:12.740 --> 01:06:14.290
- I really appreciate
it, thanks.
01:06:14.290 --> 01:06:14.960
Thank you.
01:06:19.475 --> 01:06:22.695
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
01:06:22.695 --> 01:06:26.728
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)
01:06:26.728 --> 01:06:29.112
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
01:06:29.112 --> 01:06:31.040
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
01:06:31.040 --> 01:06:32.958
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
01:06:32.958 --> 01:06:38.506
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
01:06:38.506 --> 01:06:42.212
(SPEAKING IN CHINESE DIALECT)
01:06:49.170 --> 01:06:52.152
- Let's go, Aaron, let's go!
01:06:52.152 --> 01:06:54.637
Let's go, Aaron, let's go!
01:07:21.969 --> 01:07:22.469
- Hello!
01:07:22.469 --> 01:07:22.969
- Hello!
01:07:22.969 --> 01:07:23.960
- How are you?
01:07:27.936 --> 01:07:29.924
We've run a really
good campaign.
01:07:29.924 --> 01:07:32.409
The night is young, we're
gonna see what happens.
01:07:36.385 --> 01:07:39.864
- All together it
will be 10 years!
01:07:39.864 --> 01:07:43.840
All together will be 10 years!
01:07:43.840 --> 01:07:45.828
- Sounds like a prison sentence.
01:08:08.193 --> 01:08:11.221
- Thank you, Julie.
01:08:11.221 --> 01:08:11.720
- OK.
01:08:11.720 --> 01:08:13.208
- Bye, thanks.
01:08:13.208 --> 01:08:17.176
- So the numbers are not
tilting in your favor right now.
01:08:17.176 --> 01:08:18.664
The night's not over.
01:08:18.664 --> 01:08:20.152
What are your thoughts?
01:08:20.152 --> 01:08:21.144
- The night is young.
01:08:52.340 --> 01:08:54.308
- Once again, my
name's Patrick Hannan.
01:08:54.308 --> 01:08:58.244
I'm the campaign manager for
"No on F," and I have good news.
01:08:58.244 --> 01:09:01.680
What you see right behind
us is a winning campaign.
01:09:01.680 --> 01:09:02.180
Woo!
01:09:08.130 --> 01:09:11.420
- You look around the country,
and in Politico today,
01:09:11.420 --> 01:09:14.569
MSNBC today said this
was one of the elections
01:09:14.569 --> 01:09:17.420
to watch in the country.
01:09:17.420 --> 01:09:22.069
And we won because this
came down to a very simple
01:09:22.069 --> 01:09:23.510
proposition --
01:09:23.510 --> 01:09:25.100
whose side are you on?
01:09:25.100 --> 01:09:26.390
The middle class...
01:09:26.390 --> 01:09:28.850
for the middle class, or
against the middle class?
01:09:28.850 --> 01:09:31.729
And our hosts represent
the middle class.
01:09:31.729 --> 01:09:36.180
The message coming out of this
election tonight is very clear.
01:09:36.180 --> 01:09:39.144
You're both a community
and a movement.
01:09:56.767 --> 01:09:58.392
- It's going to be
a big night, I hope.
01:09:58.392 --> 01:09:59.376
- I think so.
01:09:59.376 --> 01:10:00.360
Oh gosh.
01:10:00.360 --> 01:10:01.836
- How are you, honey?
01:10:23.980 --> 01:10:26.979
- Whether Prop F is successful
or not successful tonight,
01:10:26.979 --> 01:10:29.270
that's going to be an ongoing
issue that I look forward
01:10:29.270 --> 01:10:33.040
to working with the community
and City Hall in resolving.
01:10:39.475 --> 01:10:43.930
- (SINGING) San Francisco,
open your Golden Gates,
01:10:43.930 --> 01:10:47.890
you let no stranger
wait outside your door.
01:10:47.890 --> 01:10:52.345
San Francisco,
welcome me home again,
01:10:52.345 --> 01:10:55.810
I'm coming home to
go roaming no more.
01:11:15.115 --> 01:11:17.590
- Can you hear me?
01:11:17.590 --> 01:11:20.490
The latest results
are Aaron Peskin
01:11:20.490 --> 01:11:23.851
leading 51.36% of the vote.
01:11:29.318 --> 01:11:38.761
Julie Christensen behind
44.47% of the vote. (CHEERING)
01:11:42.737 --> 01:11:47.210
- I think we need to get that
candidate up here on the stage.
01:11:47.210 --> 01:11:50.689
- Aaron, Aaron, Aaron...!
01:11:50.689 --> 01:11:56.653
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
01:12:10.569 --> 01:12:12.557
- Thank you, District 3.
01:12:16.655 --> 01:12:18.804
Thank you, San Francisco.
01:12:23.277 --> 01:12:27.630
And to my mother and father who
have called thousands of people
01:12:27.630 --> 01:12:29.712
and knocked on
hundreds of doors,
01:12:29.712 --> 01:12:33.648
and walked up and down
those hills, thank you...
01:12:36.610 --> 01:12:37.980
We've heard the stories.
01:12:37.980 --> 01:12:41.220
We've heard the stories about
the affordability crisis,
01:12:41.220 --> 01:12:45.090
about the housing crisis,
about the eviction crisis,
01:12:45.090 --> 01:12:49.200
and we've run a campaign
responding to those issues.
01:12:49.200 --> 01:12:51.990
We've run a campaign
on the issues.
01:12:51.990 --> 01:12:54.494
We've not run a campaign
about personality.
01:13:01.172 --> 01:13:03.024
And I just want
to say, it was not
01:13:03.024 --> 01:13:05.410
about putting me
back into City Hall.
01:13:05.410 --> 01:13:08.996
It was about putting all
of us back into City Hall!
01:13:43.470 --> 01:13:46.530
- I think it's always a
fallacy to say, "This is just
01:13:46.530 --> 01:13:47.580
like the Gold Rush.
01:13:47.580 --> 01:13:48.750
So what?
01:13:48.750 --> 01:13:51.190
People come, people go,
people get gentrified,
01:13:51.190 --> 01:13:52.740
people get kicked out.
01:13:52.740 --> 01:13:54.080
That's just the way of cities.
01:13:54.080 --> 01:13:55.390
That's the way of the world.
01:13:55.390 --> 01:13:56.390
Things change."
01:14:11.260 --> 01:14:14.947
It's an old refrain
that is lazy thinking.
01:14:14.947 --> 01:14:16.780
And the reason it's
lazy thinking is this --
01:14:16.780 --> 01:14:18.910
is that we can make controls
01:14:18.910 --> 01:14:20.950
that dictate how
the city changes.
01:14:20.950 --> 01:14:24.400
We can prevent certain
aspects of the city changing,
01:14:24.400 --> 01:14:26.710
and steer that
change in other ways.
01:14:26.710 --> 01:14:30.457
And the decisions we make
about how we steer that change
01:14:30.457 --> 01:14:31.290
reflects our values.
01:14:50.751 --> 01:14:52.747
- So you ready?
01:14:52.747 --> 01:14:53.780
All right.
01:14:53.780 --> 01:14:54.870
- I, Aaron Peskin...
01:14:54.870 --> 01:14:56.190
- I, Aaron Peskin...
01:14:56.190 --> 01:14:57.350
- Do solemnly swear...
01:14:57.350 --> 01:14:58.492
- Do solemnly swear...
01:14:58.492 --> 01:14:59.950
- That I will
support and defend...
01:14:59.950 --> 01:15:01.180
- That I will
support and defend...
01:15:01.180 --> 01:15:02.930
- The Constitution of
the United States...
01:15:02.930 --> 01:15:04.780
- The Constitution of
the United States...
01:15:04.780 --> 01:15:06.480
- And the Constitution of
the State of California.
01:15:06.480 --> 01:15:08.830
- And the Constitution of
the State of California.
01:15:08.830 --> 01:15:11.417
- Congratulations.
