The bay area is doing fine. It was never meant to accommodate an ever growing number of people because housing space is boxed in by geography. Areas like NYC, South Florida and LA have the same problem (LA specifically is boxed in on two sides by the mountains and the ocean.) And if anything, people aren't being pushed out by liberal economic policies but by the free market instead. The bay area is one of the most desirable areas of the country in which to live so housing and rent prices are pushed sky high because of simple supply and demand. The average home price in Marin county alone is 650k.
The bay area obviously isn't some kind of socialist paradise, or else we wouldn't see these kinds of prices. The liberal imprint on the region comes in the form of diversity, advanced LGBT rights, a thriving high tech sector as well as a favorable startup climate and some of the best schools in the country, which is why so many people want to live there.
This is why the Bay Area needs to make more goddamn supply and build taller. It's really a great place, but it would be better if more people could live there.
If you just spent $800,000 on a modest house, pretty sure you wouldn't be eager to see prices drop.
