AI Boom Drives San Francisco Rents Up 25% as Evictions Rise 44%

The AI industry's boom is pushing San Francisco rents sharply higher, with the average one-bedroom now costing $4,400, up more than 25% from last year and nearly three times the national average. Eviction notices citywide are up 44% compared with last year, and advocates say landlords are using Ellis Act evictions, renovictions and "self-eviction" tactics to exploit the market. Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a "rent emergency" in September, proposing eviction legal aid and caps on rent increases for newly vacant rent-controlled units.