Our Scans · San Francisco · Weekly Summary

• Climate change is increasing flood risk: Rising sea levels and more intense storms are expected to make once-rare coastal flooding events in California far more frequent by mid-century, placing $250 billion in infrastructure at risk - especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. News
• Foster City in San Francisco Bay could experience 45 centimeters of effective sea level rise by 2050, compared to just 19 centimeters predicted by regional models. Above The Norm News
• Google's Waymo has been operating more than 800 robotaxis in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, and expects to launch in several other US cities, including Atlanta, later in 2025. The Edge Malaysia
• While Waymo is already operating a commercial autonomous taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Tesla promises to launch their Robotaxi in 2026. RouteGenie
• Alphabet-owned Waymo, which has over 1,500 autonomous vehicles operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, plans to add 2,000 and expand to Atlanta, Miami and Washington, D.C. in 2026. LinkedIn News
• Public transit systems in major cities including Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco face the potential of deep service cuts without more funding. Stateline
• Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has been touting the potential of autonomous driving for years, and Waymo, owned by Google parent company Alphabet, is already operating driverless taxis in multiple cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix. Yahoo News
• Cities with high costs of living such as San Francisco, New York, and London are experiencing talent migrations to smaller cities, fuelled by remote work opportunities and more affordable lifestyles. Neat
• By the end of 2025, expect Tesla's Robotaxi service to be operating in at least three major U.S. cities, starting with Austin, likely expanding to Phoenix and San Francisco. UNDERCODE NEWS
• Coastal cities like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle are expected to offer higher compensation packages, typically ranging from $8,000 to $12,000 per month, reflecting the higher cost of living and intense competition for talent. 2025
• The identity verification technology will now be available in six cities - Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. Daily Mail
• SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON - Zip, a leading global procurement orchestration platform processing $100 billion in business spend, announced Zip for Risk Orchestration, a new solution that brings Zip's proven orchestration capabilities to supplier risk management. CPO RISING - THE SITE FOR CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICERS &
• Most of the 500-mile Phase 1 System from San Francisco to Los Angeles is shovel-ready, with 171 miles under active construction across the Central Valley and nearly 40 construction projects that have been completed. Railway Age
• The mandate to build 82,000 units by 2031 was calculated pre-pandemic, in 2019, and it then estimated a 20% increase in San Francisco's population of over 200,000 new residents, not 26,000 new residents. Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon
• Areas of San Francisco Bay built on reclaimed land, including San Rafael and Foster City, are sinking at rates exceeding 10 millimeters annually, which could more than double projected sea level rise impacts by 2050. Above The Norm News
• A direct hurricane impact on Miami could result in $100 billion in losses, while an earthquake in Los Angeles or San Francisco carries significant uncertainty. Insurance Business
• Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City continue to be the top cities for estate lawyers, providing lucrative opportunities due to their high-net-worth populations and ongoing demand for sophisticated legal services in wealth transfer and planning. Law Shucks
• A ride-hailing business with human drivers could pave the way for Tesla to introduce robotaxi service in California, where Waymo already operates a driverless fleet in San Francisco. Insurance Journal
• Increasing the reflectivity of surfaces at San Francisco International airport could cut the risk of heat stress in its outdoor workers and see fewer working hours lost at the height of summer. Carbon Brief
• Lyft advertised drivers could make more than $40 per hour in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston and more than $30 per hour in cities such as Atlanta, Dallas and Miami. WDIV ClickOnDetroit
• In 2026, Archer says it will expand air taxi services to several other cities and countries, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, South Korea, and India. TechCrunch
• Advocacy groups or government agencies have put forward plans to create rapid regional rail-style systems in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. Question of Cities
• Annual demand exceeded supply in 48 of the top 50 US markets and Lavender believes that, nationwide, we are short four to seven million homes, with New York City needing 500,000 units by 2032 and San Francisco 82,000 by 2031. Real Assets

Last updated: 27 June 2025