"Most Empty Downtown in America"?
A doomsday article by the New York Times this week calls out San Francisco as the most empty downtown in America and features overcast, human-less images of our neighborhood. 

San Francisco's tech industry office return continues to lag behind other major metropolitan areas in the United States. According to this article, on Wednesdays, SF's offices are at 50% capacity compared to pre-pandemic levels, falling to 30% capacity on Fridays. 

While the topic of office worker population might hold some truth, where the article falls short is the future of San Francisco's downtown, and the optimism we have for The East Cut. When interviewed for the article, the CBD shared information about the many retail openings slated for Folsom Street and the Salesforce Transit Center, including Mili Wine Bar, Saint Frank Coffee, Akiko's, and the recently opened GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta stores. The article also fails to mention the large residential population that makes our neighborhood come alive on most days. Needless to say, the New York Times' dim view of San Francisco will not deter the bright future ahead for our downtown.

Significant Tax Deficit Projected for San Francisco
A $728 million shortfall is the projected budget gap over the next two years due to remote work and lack of ridership on public transit. Driven by the slower-than-anywhere-else return to office rate, low transit ridership numbers, and fewer people dining and shopping in San Francisco's downtown, Mayor Breed is asking City departments to cut costs in the coming years.

San Francisco is a city of cycles - boom and bust. Despite all the forecasted budget concerns, some stories defy the narrative. The recent significant investment in Transamerica Pyramid and the healthy victory at the ballot box to support public transit are two stories that buck the trend and demonstrate that San Franciscans are still betting on this city to succeed. In The East Cut, we need to continue to build a neighborhood that has better regional transit, supports a community of residents that can walk to work, and creates public space that is a magnet for community building and attracting businesses and residents.  

The Portal - Uniting the Bay. Connecting California.
The headline says it all. The TJPA Board recently approved the rebranding campaign for the California High-Speed Rail downtown extension project, also known as "DTX". The Portal, to which it will now be referred, is meant to gain public awareness and excitement for the project. Construction will include a 1.3-mile underground rail extension to bring Caltrain to the Salesforce Transit Center and a new train station at Fourth and Townsend streets, where Caltrain currently ends near Oracle Park.

The East Cut is no stranger to rebranding efforts and the work that goes into helping the general public understand a place or a project. The Portal will no doubt be pivotal in helping to complete the vision of the transit center and bring the masses into our neighborhood, and the name is certain to be printed in this publication and be apart of the City lexicon for many years to come.