The mayor of San Francisco, Daniel Lurie, desires to bring his city back into the fantastic days. And he’s convinced that technology leaders – who often throw their very own utopian ideals – may also help him.
“I’m the mayor who picks up the phone and calls CEOs,” said Lurie in the course of the strict event of Techcrunch on Thursday evening. “I call entrepreneurs and say: 'How can we keep them here?' or 'How can we get you back?' “
The first step to regain these people is the rampant crisis for drug and homelessness that many managing directors have pushed out of town. Lurie spent a big a part of his first 100 days within the office to enter town's most restless districts. This week, He rolled back a protracted -time program In the San Francisco free pipes, foils and straws, which were used to take medication comparable to fentanyl.
Lurie's “Healthy Mereinine Salvation”, as he called them during his mayor campaign of 2024, are largely utilized by technology leaders. As Ryan Petersen, the CEO of Flexport, went from the stage in a strict time, while the mayor of San Francisco continued, and screamed at Lurie:
“Thank you for cleansing up town somewhat.”
In addition to the initiative for public security, Lurie emphasized the necessity to make it easier to “construct” in San Francisco – which refers back to the construction of homes and the creation of firms.
The city recently presented a brand new initiative SF allowWhat the bureaucracy would cut back through which startups would should wade to operate in San Francisco.
On Thursday the mayor also presented A New zoning proposal This would enable larger constructing and thus more living space in districts that traditionally only allowed lower single-family houses. If it’s adopted, it may very well be the primary reconstruction of San Francisco since 1970.
“We want our entrepreneurs to begin making firms after which stay here,” said Lurie. “This implies that the tightening allows and it makes it easier to begin a restaurant, bar or startup.”
“What we want more are individuals who come together and … we someway lost it here in San Francisco,” said Lurie. “I feel the business world that has remained here that has not gone, understands our values and we are going to attract firms again in the approaching years.”
Building an AI hub
As a part of these efforts, Lurie said that he desired to be “competitive on the tax”, which suggests that firms in town to offer tax advantages. The Mayor of San Francisco said that he had already worked with the leading AI firms in town to construct more offices and keep more conferences in town.
For example, Lurie said that he had convinced the databases to carry his AI conference in San Francisco by 2030 as a substitute of moving to Las Vegas as planned. Last month, the mayor also accepted the band for a brand new Openai office.
While these AI firms may receive tax cuts, the mayor wants them to take a position in San Francisco in every other way. In particular, he wants the CEO of Openai, Sam Altman, its investments within the art and cultural scenes of San Francisco, which he says that the corporate has already worked quietly.
But Lurie not only wants the dollars of the Tech industry – he can be based on her ideas. The city recently announced the partnership for San Francisco, a consortium of business leaders, including the Atlantic owner and the widow of Steve Jobs, Laurene Powell Jobs, the famous Apple designer Jony IVE and Altman -to offer firms a transparent channel to talk to the town hall.
Robotaxis in SF
However, some San Franciscans are concerned that the Tech industry is writing out other communities. This tension recently flared up when Waymo tried to preserve a permission to prove the SFO airport, in order that his robotaxis could bring the drivers to and from the airport.
Waymo successfully received an SFO mapping permit, nevertheless it got here with a strict carve-out to make sure that Waymo wouldn’t move any industrial goods to and from the airport. Thanks to the international brotherhood of Teamstern, delivery drivers within the town hall of San Francisco have great power.
Lurie said that he had worked out business with the unions to do Waymo's SFO license, but made it clear that “Waymo is nowhere to go”.
The mayor said he was convinced that autonomous vehicles “go where the long run” and that he spoke to other firms a few greater presence in town. Lurie didn’t rule out constructing town's infrastructure to soak up more autonomous vehicles.
While a big a part of the innovation of the tech industry in Silicon Valley, about 40 miles south of town, took place previously, the AI boom in San Francisco appears to be turning. Lurie says that town has some momentum to actually bring innovation back.
“When we're done, everyone will say: 'I actually have to be in San Francisco. Otherwise I’ll miss it.' We're going there, ”said Lurie.
