Q: If hybrid work is the future, should cities and counties change how they approach housing?Ī: We should focus on building housing in the downtown areas to build up the customer base for stores and restaurants that are downtown. There is now some momentum for hybrid work, however. People still have income, but they are not physically in the downtown areas, so they are not physically spending their money downtown. Q: How has the move to work-from-home because of COVID-19 impacted the downtown areas in San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco?Ī: Work-from-home has hit the downtowns a lot, downtown San Jose, downtown Palo Alto, where I work. It will probably be easier for the very skilled tech workers who got laid off to find jobs fairly quickly. Q: Will tech companies shift from layoffs back to a lot of hiring?Ī: We may be entering a period of renewed growth for tech. You are seeing more optimism now for tech. If you look at the big tech companies, they are all doing really well. But we may be seeing the end of the layoffs.Ī: The tech companies see the potential for artificial intelligence and electric vehicles, the new industries. These layoffs are painful for the people who are losing their jobs. Q: Where are we now with the tech layoffs in the Bay Area?Ī: I view the layoffs as a short-term rebalancing of tech workforces. But the signals are there that it’s possible. It would be a one-time, very lucky event if it happens. Q: How likely is a soft landing at this point?Ī: We haven’t had a soft landing in a while. jobs report for July showed that hiring has cooled off and it’s in line with the idea that a soft landing is now possible. Is a soft landing possible for the economy?Ī: The U.S. Q: Some experts predict the economy will slow down to stop inflation yet not slow down so much that we have a recession. The state has to solve its housing and transportation challenges, however. Q: How does the California economy look over a longer-term period?Ī: I feel optimistic. The ports are doing better in California and the airports around the state are improved. ![]() The dock workers’ strike against the shippers was settled fairly quickly. But we also see a track record of strikes getting settled in Southern California. ![]() Q: Could the strikes affecting Hollywood studios create a downturn in Southern California?Ī: We do have the actors’ and the writers’ strikes in Southern California. Q: What’s your assessment of the California economy overall in the near term?Ī: California is in pretty good shape and Southern California is actually doing fairly well. This time, after COVID, we are still adding jobs on a net basis. Q: Is the Bay Area able to withstand these ups and downs fairly well?Ī: We have a record of resilience from the 2000 dot-com bust and the 2008 foreclosure crisis. A: Between the electric vehicle technologies, artificial intelligence and clean energy, the Bay Area is really in pretty good shape to be competitive over the long term.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |