San Francisco Business Owners Suffered Due To APEC

A ton of people in San Francisco were fucked over so a bunch of rich people could essentially do this.

I regularly, and loudly point out the hypocrisy in San Francisco on a daily basis, but there are times where I am surprised at just how shitty the political class of the City can be. 

The APEC conference undoubtedly had its benefits for the city, with increased tourism and a spotlight on its economic prowess. However, for many small business owners who serve as the backbone of the San Francisco economy, the experience was more of a headache than a windfall.

One of the major issues that left business owners frustrated was the lack of communication and planning from local authorities. Many were blindsided by road closures, security measures, and restricted access to their establishments. The once bustling streets, already struggling with post-pandemic economic decline, turned into ghost towns as potential patrons were deterred by the inconvenience of navigating through the conference-related obstacles.

While heightened security is a necessary aspect of hosting international conferences, the lack of communication left businesses scrambling to adapt. Small business owners, who often operate on thin profit margins, were hit hard during the conference, struggling to make ends meet with a fraction of their usual clientele.

The financial toll was not limited to decreased foot traffic alone. Several businesses reported damage to their storefronts and property as a result of the several protests that erupted all over the city. Some had to shut down temporarily, leading to lost revenue and additional expenses for repairs.

As the city reflects on the aftermath of the APEC conference, there’s hope that lessons have been learned. Going forward, it’s crucial for local authorities to prioritize effective communication with business owners, implement contingency plans that minimize disruption, and ensure that the economic benefits of hosting such events are shared equitably among all members of the community.

But one thing I’ve learned about San Francisco, a place that was once dubbed “the city that knows how,” which I initially thought was a compliment, but as I grow older, I realize the ambiguity of what it knows how to do is intentional. It seems to be the city that wildly oscillates between knowing how to lie, and knowing how to fuck up. 

It’s a lot to digest that San Francisco – a self-proclaimed progressive city, fucked over business owners, displaced tons of houseless people and destroyed many of their personal items so that a bunch of rich guys can discuss how to fuck you over at a glorified dinner party. And then Gavin Newsom gloats about it like it’s the opening scene of a Boots Riley movie where a corrupt politician is introduced for world building purposes.  

I work in San Francisco, half of my family are San Francisco natives and I even lived in the City (in SoMa, which was a big fucking mistake). I love the City. I know it may not seem like I love the City, but I do. There are days where I’m really into it. I’m not sure if it’s genuine appreciation or just a manic episode, but if I take off the rose colored glasses for even a second and apply even the smallest amount of critical thinking, it becomes very apparent that the city of Sensitive Frauds is just a beautiful lie. Not because of the people that live there, they’re just like anyone else, but because the people who control it seem hellbent on making it an experiment on how much gaslighting a population will accept for pretty vistas and a nice breeze.

I don’t want it to be like that. While It’s nice to be right, I don’t always want to be right about this. I want to be proven wrong for once, but I won’t hold my breath.

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