London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026

Tech titan flees San Francisco for Florida, says city is poorly managed

Tech titan flees San Francisco for Florida, says city is poorly managed

Tech titan Keith Rabois announced this week he is leaving California's Silicon Valley and moving to the Floridian metropolis of Miami. 

Rabois, formerly an executive at companies like Square and PayPal, announced the decision during Tuesday's financial Meridian conference.

“I think San Francisco is just so massively improperly run and managed that it’s impossible to stay here,” he told Fortune's Robert Hackett.

A recent report from real estate firm FCP and analytics group Orbital Insight said South Florida is one of the top destinations for Americans moving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rampant homelessness and relentless wildfires have colored the last few years for longtime Bay Area residents. The strain of the coronavirus only adds weight to cities already under duress.


The 51-year-old New Jersey native has lived in the Bay Area for 20 years. He pointed out that many have taken similar actions over the past couple of years.

The Bay Area -- once known for the garages of technology greats -- has seen the departures of PayPal's Peter Thiel and Palantir's Alex Karp and Joe Lonsdale, or what some call a "tech exodus."

Rabois explained that the pandemic gave him the push he needed to get out the proverbial door -- noting any hesitancy was "more psychological than real.”

In addition, the investor explained that he had observed Americans' changing habits over the course of the year, asserting that residents of heavily-populated and pricey cities have been exposed to the "downsides" of urban life during the pandemic.

“Bay Area searches for rent are in free-fall, they’re down like 30%,” Rabois added.

"It’s very clear right now, people are shifting their preferences pretty massively,” he said, though noting attitudes could shift once a vaccine is introduced to the public.

A remote work environment has also played a role, with workers in hubs like New York City opting for cheaper rents as long as they are allowed to work from home. Many companies are making that option permanent.

However, census data reportedly shows that 5.4% fewer people left California last year for other states.

Nevertheless, Rabois said he's headed to the warm climate of Miami. It's currently 78 degrees there and just 58 degrees in the Golden Gate City.

“Miami is an incredibly beautiful city, cosmopolitan, has an interesting mix of New Yorkers, Latin Americans, and Europeans,” he told conference members.

“Living in the Bay Area for 20 years, it’s just like, all the things you wish you had,” Rabois concluded.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Piddington Residents Back Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales
England Expands Devolution of Transport, Skills and Economic Development Powers
Liberal Democrats Call for Temporary Fuel Duty Cut to Ease Cost-of-Living Pressure
UK Farmers Warn Drought Has Caused Crop Failures and Reduced Harvests
UK Fixed Mortgage Rates Approach 6% as Lenders Raise Borrowing Costs
YouGov Poll Puts Labour at 23% With Conservatives and Reform UK on 21%
Badenoch Presses Burnham to Increase Defence Spending and Cut Welfare Costs
UK Military Figures Warn of Growing Threats to Undersea Infrastructure and National Readiness
BP Moves Ahead With Sale of UK North Sea Oil and Gas Business
UK and ASEAN Endorse New Framework for Trade and Economic Cooperation
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low as Borrowing Costs and Job Concerns Rise
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Motor Fuel Costs Push Prices Higher
Bank of England Sets Multi-Year Plan to Wind Down Quantitative Easing Holdings
UK Borrowing Rises to £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of October Budget
Michelin Guide Faces Industry Questions Over Restaurant Inspection Coverage
English Woodlands Face Renewed Weather Stress From Dry Conditions and Strong Winds
Research Finds Extensive Alcohol, Gambling and Unhealthy Food Branding During 2026 World Cup
Five Charged After Newborn Baby Dies From Stab Wounds in Sheffield
BT Could Reap £2 Billion From Recycling Copper as Full-Fibre Network Expands
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales After Dan Thomas Steps Down
Resolution Foundation Calls for Broad-Based Tax Rises to Fund Higher UK Defence Spending
Ed Davey Calls for Global Treaty to Halt Development of Super-Intelligent AI
Scotland Consults on Legal Price Caps for Essential Foods
NHS Productivity Reforms Could Prevent More Than 20,000 Early Deaths a Year, Report Says
United Kingdom and ASEAN Deepen Trade and Investment Cooperation
United Kingdom Deploys RAF Refuelling Support to Saudi Arabia After Houthi Attacks
UK Fiscal Headroom Shrinks as Higher Borrowing Costs Complicate Autumn Budget
UK Public Borrowing Jumps to £18.3 Billion in August, Raising Pressure Before Budget
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target With £30 Million Community Energy Fund
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low
UK Diesel Prices Approach £2 a Litre as Global Supply Shortages Intensify
Chiltern Railways Returns to Public Ownership as UK Rail Nationalisation Advances
British Museum Faces Questions Over Peter Thiel’s Private Bayeux Tapestry Viewing
Earl Spencer Memoir Excerpts Renew Public Debate Over Diana’s Death
Liberal Democrats Gather in Brighton for Autumn Conference
Mothercare Shares Plunge as Middle East Store Closures Threaten Long-Term Solvency
Kent Police Treat Folkestone Hotel Fire as Suspicious
Caribbean Governments Advance Reparations Campaign Seeking Engagement With Britain
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
UK Competition Regulator Opens Inquiry Into McCormick-Unilever Foods Deal
Public Inquiry Into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Mental Health Failings Set to Begin
Nigel Farage Looks to US Immigration Enforcement Model for UK Border Policy
Chiltern Railways Moves Into Public Ownership
Security Review Raises Concerns Over Sensitive UK Police Data Stored on Microsoft Cloud
Burnham Government Warns of Difficult Autumn Budget as Fiscal Headroom Narrows
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
×