San Jose housing rental prices were down 13.7% in December over the previous year. That was the nation’s sharpest decline, according to a , and San Francisco wasn’t far behind.New York followed San Jose with with an 11.7% drop, and San Francisco had the third-biggest decline, 9.4%.The metro areas where prices went up the most were both in California: The Inland Empire (east of Los Angeles) and Sacramento.The report from real estate data firm Yardi Matrix showed that the split between pricey coastal markets and nearby lower-cost metros continued.San Jose has been at the bottom of the growth...…San Jose housing rental prices were down 13.7% in December over the previous year. That was the nation’s sharpest decline, according to a , and San Francisco wasn’t far behind.New York followed San Jose with with an 11.7% drop, and San Francisco had the third-biggest decline, 9.4%.The metro areas where prices went up the most were both in California: The Inland Empire (east of Los Angeles) and Sacramento.The report from real estate data firm Yardi Matrix showed that the split between pricey coastal markets and nearby lower-cost metros continued.San Jose has been at the bottom of the growth...WW…

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday released a highly personal video message condemning the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Trump, comparing it to Nazi assaults on Jews before World War II.In the video , the Austrian-born action star likened the Capitol invasion to in 1938 in which Nazis burned hundreds of synagogues and plundered thousands of Jewish homes, businesses and schools. Ninety-one Jews were murdered, and 30,000 were sent to concentration camps in the turning point for the Third Reich that resulted in the Holocaust.“Wednesday was the Day of...…Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday released a highly personal video message condemning the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Trump, comparing it to Nazi assaults on Jews before World War II.In the video , the Austrian-born action star likened the Capitol invasion to in 1938 in which Nazis burned hundreds of synagogues and plundered thousands of Jewish homes, businesses and schools. Ninety-one Jews were murdered, and 30,000 were sent to concentration camps in the turning point for the Third Reich that resulted in the Holocaust.“Wednesday was the Day of...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateCalifornia is now the epicenter of the nation’s latest coronavirus surge, yet San Francisco still has one of the lowest case rates of the 20 biggest cities in the U.S.As the new year approaches and vaccines continue to roll out across the country, case rates and deaths are among the highest they have ever been. But differences among the biggest metro areas across the country are stark.Some, including San Francisco, Seattle and Detroit, have relatively low case rates. Others are two, sometimes even three times higher, including big...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateCalifornia is now the epicenter of the nation’s latest coronavirus surge, yet San Francisco still has one of the lowest case rates of the 20 biggest cities in the U.S.As the new year approaches and vaccines continue to roll out across the country, case rates and deaths are among the highest they have ever been. But differences among the biggest metro areas across the country are stark.Some, including San Francisco, Seattle and Detroit, have relatively low case rates. Others are two, sometimes even three times higher, including big...WW…

Los Angeles marked one of its worst days of the pandemic on Wednesday, reporting over 22,000 new cases in what is likely a . The grim milestone underscores the area’s .Until recently, the Bay Area had mostly avoided a similar fate. San Francisco, in particular, was cited as having . Now, the current surge is sparing few regions across California, yet the latest numbers for the two regions underscore that the pandemic continues to impact different areas of the state in very different ways.A grim trajectoryMany regions across California continue to break pandemic records as the first vaccine...…Los Angeles marked one of its worst days of the pandemic on Wednesday, reporting over 22,000 new cases in what is likely a . The grim milestone underscores the area’s .Until recently, the Bay Area had mostly avoided a similar fate. San Francisco, in particular, was cited as having . Now, the current surge is sparing few regions across California, yet the latest numbers for the two regions underscore that the pandemic continues to impact different areas of the state in very different ways.A grim trajectoryMany regions across California continue to break pandemic records as the first vaccine...WW…

Apartment vacancy rates have more than doubled since last year in the San Francisco rental market, as many during the coronavirus pandemic.Not only do renters suddenly have more options, but the spike in supply has and put them in a rare position of power in the historically competitive market, analysts say.“For the first time in a long time, they hold some leverage in the market,” said Rob Warnock, a research associate at listings service Apartment List. “With more options to choose from, they can be more selective and they have more opportunities to negotiate their rent payments, knowing...…Apartment vacancy rates have more than doubled since last year in the San Francisco rental market, as many during the coronavirus pandemic.Not only do renters suddenly have more options, but the spike in supply has and put them in a rare position of power in the historically competitive market, analysts say.“For the first time in a long time, they hold some leverage in the market,” said Rob Warnock, a research associate at listings service Apartment List. “With more options to choose from, they can be more selective and they have more opportunities to negotiate their rent payments, knowing...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMore evidence shows that San Francisco’s astronomical rent prices are plummeting closer to earth.According to the September from listings website Realtor.com, San Francisco’s rental prices experienced the steepest declines in the nation year-over-year in all three of its categories: studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom.Changes in remote work policies during the coronavirus pandemic are driving the trend toward falling rents in expensive urban areas across the nation, especially in tech-heavy rental markets like the Bay Area.“What...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMore evidence shows that San Francisco’s astronomical rent prices are plummeting closer to earth.According to the September from listings website Realtor.com, San Francisco’s rental prices experienced the steepest declines in the nation year-over-year in all three of its categories: studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom.Changes in remote work policies during the coronavirus pandemic are driving the trend toward falling rents in expensive urban areas across the nation, especially in tech-heavy rental markets like the Bay Area.“What...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigatePacific Gas & Electric Co. said rolling outages were not necessary on Sunday evening, despite earlier concerns that over 200,000 homes and businesses would be temporarily blacked out in San Francisco, San Mateo and Contra Costa counties as the power grid struggled to meet demand.“No Rotating Power Outages Needed Tonight in PG&E Service Area,” the company tweeted shortly before 8 p.m.The state power grid operator — which is in charge of determining whether outages are necessary and directing utilities like PG&E to...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigatePacific Gas & Electric Co. said rolling outages were not necessary on Sunday evening, despite earlier concerns that over 200,000 homes and businesses would be temporarily blacked out in San Francisco, San Mateo and Contra Costa counties as the power grid struggled to meet demand.“No Rotating Power Outages Needed Tonight in PG&E Service Area,” the company tweeted shortly before 8 p.m.The state power grid operator — which is in charge of determining whether outages are necessary and directing utilities like PG&E to...WW…

A weather event known as a super typhoon just as the strongest tropical cyclone during the month of April in the Northern Hemisphere — and may help bring some much needed rain to bone-dry California at the end of the month.Super Typhoon Surigae reached a Category 5 level on Saturday with winds reaching 190 mph as it .UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said that while the storm’s intensity is waning, its indirect effects could impact Northern California’s , possibly resulting in a 40% to 50% chance of some rain at the end of this month.“But it’s unlikely the event in California would be...…A weather event known as a super typhoon just as the strongest tropical cyclone during the month of April in the Northern Hemisphere — and may help bring some much needed rain to bone-dry California at the end of the month.Super Typhoon Surigae reached a Category 5 level on Saturday with winds reaching 190 mph as it .UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said that while the storm’s intensity is waning, its indirect effects could impact Northern California’s , possibly resulting in a 40% to 50% chance of some rain at the end of this month.“But it’s unlikely the event in California would be...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigatePandemic lockdowns and business closures have forced Californians to cook at home more than ever, but shoppers have found unusually high prices when stocking up at the grocery store.The pandemic drove up demand for grocery items, and an increase in demand typically drives prices higher. The winter surge led to some of the toughest restrictions of the pandemic, including a renewed stay-at-home order and the shuttering of outdoor dining.The Bay Area, especially, has often established stricter safety protocols during the pandemic, so...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigatePandemic lockdowns and business closures have forced Californians to cook at home more than ever, but shoppers have found unusually high prices when stocking up at the grocery store.The pandemic drove up demand for grocery items, and an increase in demand typically drives prices higher. The winter surge led to some of the toughest restrictions of the pandemic, including a renewed stay-at-home order and the shuttering of outdoor dining.The Bay Area, especially, has often established stricter safety protocols during the pandemic, so...WW…

Bay Area leaders were first in the nation to take dramatic action aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.Many thought it was going too far. But in the days and weeks following the shelter-in-place orders here, governors and mayors across the country followed the Bay Area and California’s lead.The Chronicle examined weekly coronavirus case rates, or how many new cases were reported per 100,000 people, for major U.S. metropolitan areas to see how the Bay Area’s curve compares to the rest of the country.These charts suggest that early, aggressive physical distancing restrictions led to...…Bay Area leaders were first in the nation to take dramatic action aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.Many thought it was going too far. But in the days and weeks following the shelter-in-place orders here, governors and mayors across the country followed the Bay Area and California’s lead.The Chronicle examined weekly coronavirus case rates, or how many new cases were reported per 100,000 people, for major U.S. metropolitan areas to see how the Bay Area’s curve compares to the rest of the country.These charts suggest that early, aggressive physical distancing restrictions led to...WW…