FILE: An aerial view of San Francisco.

It’s hard to believe that less than three years ago, San Francisco was the most beleaguered major city in the country. A November 2023 New York Times article asked, “How did San Francisco Become the City in a ‘Doom Loop’?” Thousands of other stories, saying essentially the same thing, followed. May as well let the San Andreas swallow it whole. San Francisco was done for.

Yet the shift came quickly. By late 2025, buoyed largely by the artificial intelligence frenzy well documented on billboards throughout the region, the city had “emerged.” Rising rents were one of the most cited metrics proving the comeback was real, and in April 2026, median rents in San Francisco returned to pre-pandemic levels. What would happen next remained a question, but a few months later, there seems to be a resolute answer.

Article continues below this ad

News | Bay Area wildlife mystery leaves researchers........

© SFGate