If anything defines the spirit of San Francisco, it’s the idea of ​​doing things our own way. Immigrants, hippies, financiers, technologists, the LGBTQ community: Generation after generation, people with a vision for doing something differently and better, or simply for being different, have alighted here.

Doing things your own way can be great; our city has often been a haven for compassion and acceptance. But not always — and there’s nowhere we see that more profoundly than with land use.

San Francisco stands alone in making every permit for a land-use change subject to discretionary review. This means that anyone who doesn’t like a project can demand a hearing, and city officials may reject the project for any reason, regardless of applicable standards. And only San Francisco would be so bold as to post a self-study acknowledging its noncompliance with state permitting law — and then do nothing about it for the next two decades. And what other city would respond to a state mandate to plan for 10,000 new homes a year from 2023-2030 by submitting a plan for 5,000 homes a year by 2050?

The results indicate the San Francisco way:

Our city has the second highest rents in the nation. Housing production has nearly ground to a halt. We have been so determined to “capture value” from new development — with impact fees, affordable housing requirements, costly building standards, labor mandates and more — that virtually all potential housing projects in the city have become economically infeasible to build. An investor who buys a dilapidated single-family home or warehouse in San Francisco can make a lot more money flipping it or selling it to Amazon than redeveloping the site for apartments. The city’s own studies point this out.

Thus, we have homeless encampments, innovative firms disembarking for cheaper markets, rents that only the fattest-salaried professionals can afford, gentrification of working-class neighborhoods, the displacement of the city’s African American population and an underclass of super-commuting service workers who make grueling daily drives from the Central Valley.

But this week marks a turning point.

On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Department of Housing and Community Development released a devastating review of San Francisco’s draft “housing element” — a required 8-year plan through which cities show how they’ll accommodate their share of regionally needed housing. As a consequence, San Francisco will be subject to the state’s very first housing policy review, “aimed at identifying and removing barriers to approval and construction of new housing.”

What happens if San Francisco doesn’t get its act together?

For starters, the state will decertify the city’s housing element, which would cut off various streams of state funding, including for affordable housing. More dramatically, it would empower a “builder’s remedy” under state law that would allow developers of affordable and moderate-income housing to bypass city zoning codes. There are unresolved questions about how this will work in practice, but a San Francisco without an approved housing plan could be San Francisco in which new apartments are allowed to pop up helter-skelter throughout the city. Ultimately, courts could rewrite the city’s master plan for housing, exercising judicial authority conferred by a bill signed into law that City Attorney David Chiu authored when he served in the legislature.

If city officials want to avoid this fate, a few things are now reasonably clear. First, San Francisco has just two years to come into compliance with state permitting law. This will require serious changes to standard operating procedures at the planning and building departments.

Second, any approved housing element will be an ongoing contract with the state, one with clear performance benchmarks and pre-specified consequences if the city comes up short.

Here’s an example: The city’s draft housing element tried to minimize the need for upzoning and regulatory reform by forecasting that the “pipeline” of already-proposed-but-not-fully-permitted-or-built projects will gush an unprecedented fountain of new homes — roughly doubling the city’s annual rate of housing production. This comes at a time when developers are abandoning projects left and right. Moreover, UC Berkeley data scientist David Broockman ran the numbers and found that San Francisco’s pipeline guesstimate vastly exceeds historical yields.

The state housing department’s review letter rightly asks what evidence supports the city’s magical projection. But more importantly, it told San Francisco to put a circuit breaker in its housing element, so that if the pipeline’s flow falls short of projections, the city will allow (for example) larger buildings to be developed citywide. A circuit breaker won’t work, however, if it merely triggers years of exhaustive environmental study followed by a vote on rezoning. San Francisco needs to decide now what the circuit breaker will do and allow it to operate on autopilot.

Third, the review letter hones in on the cumulative effect of San Francisco’s zoning, permitting, fees and all the other requirements of the city heaps on new development. San Francisco won’t be able to get its housing element approved unless it realistically commits to making 80,000 new homes economically feasible to develop over the next eight years.

San Francisco can go its own way in deciding which regulatory requirements to roll back first. Should it be impact fees for public art or affordable housing mandates? But the bottom line must be a regulatory environment in which building new apartments and condos is more appealing than flipping existing single-family homes.

San Francisco will remain a special place. No one wants to change that. We will continue to be inventive, wacky, dreamy, different. But many more people will be able to share in it and call our city home. Thanks in advance, governor.

Chris Elmendorf is Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis.

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By Jessica Wolfrom

Examiner employee author

The city’s sidewalks have started to buckle, crack, and slope in one of the newest neighborhoods in San Francisco, creating stumbling blocks for pedestrians and frustrating local residents forced to navigate the city’s uneven sidewalk.

Sidewalks in some blocks of the Mission Bay neighborhood have sunk 10 to 15 centimeters and in some places even as much as 30 centimeters deep, KPIX first reported.

But not only the sunken sidewalks of the quarter are shifting in this densely built-up area. Almost three kilometers away in SOMA, the tilting Millennium Tower also struggles to balance on the sinking floor that bears the building’s multi-story weight.

A possible culprit could be climate change. As a historic drought continues to dry out the state, it can also worsen the subsidence or subsidence of the soil surface as the city’s groundwater, which usually flows from higher elevations like Twin Peaks or Bernal Heights into the sediments below the lower districts, becomes a trickle slowed down.

“When there is a lot of rainfall, the water goes into the clay. It’s slow, but it builds up the water table, ”said Lawrence Karp, a geotechnical engineer from the Bay Area. “In periods of drought, as we have had for a long time, the water table sinks … and the clay thickens.”

As soft clay solidifies from the loss of groundwater, its weight increases, causing it to carry away structures on top, including the sidewalks and streets of Mission Bay.

The redeveloped waterfront neighborhood was built over an old railway station and reclaimed landfill that historically served as a landfill for industrial waste, including the burned remains of the 1906 earthquake.

Today it is home to a sprawling, state-of-the-art medical campus, high-rise apartment buildings, a hotel, school, and the recently completed Chase Center.

But the sidewalks here have become a dangerous headache for residents and local businesses alike. The gap in front of Cafe Réveille on Long Bridge Street is so steep that two ramps, bright yellow paint and whimsical signs point the way into the cafe and warn the guests: “Please watch your step!”

A man walks past a “Watch your Step” sign on Friday, September 24, 2021, alerting customers to a step from a sinking sidewalk outside Cafe Reveille in Mission Bay. (Kevin N. Hume / The Examiner)

It wasn’t always that bad. “There’s been a big change in the last couple of months,” says Aaron Nelson, barista at Cafe Réveille.

Others say the sinking sidewalks are old news. “Since we’ve been here, the streets have been sinking,” said long-time resident Peggy Fahnestock, who moved to Mission Bay in 2009.

A few years ago, a member of her hiking group stumbled in front of Café Réveille and broke his arm. “It’s not been that bad for a long time,” said Fahnestock, board member of the neighborhood association. “I tripped and fell out there … you have to be careful where you go.”

While more research is needed to draw concrete conclusions about the links between the drought and the sloping sidewalks, scientists don’t think this is surprising given the conditions.

“From a scientific point of view, we don’t have any evidence yet, but we do know that (this) process happened elsewhere,” said Manoochehr Shirzaei, a professor of geophysics and remote sensing at Virginia Tech University who did the subsidence in the Bay Area examined in detail. “When we change something in any part of the hydrological system, the chain of events begins,” he said, calling the city’s groundwater a “connected system”.

And at the moment this system is under increasing stress from the persistent drought.

“The drought is affecting groundwater by temporarily reducing its natural replenishment from rain and stormwater runoff,” said Will Reisman, spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. However, he said, “the total amount of groundwater stored in the aquifer remains large and will be replenished in the wet years that follow.”

Still, water is clear in the minds of many in the town hall. To further protect the city’s water supply, the board of directors unanimously adopted a measure last week that more than doubled the amount of water that new large buildings have to collect and reuse on site.

“This summer of intense drought and terrible forest fires reminds us that the climate crisis is now and will not go away by itself,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “Although we have zero carbon emissions targets for our city and our world, the reuse and recycling of water is becoming increasingly important to our survival.”

Mission Bay isn’t the only neighborhood suffering from settlement, but it’s one of the newest, which is what makes the crisp infrastructure noteworthy. Other areas built on landfills, like San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Treasure Island, have also declined as the landfill slowly compacts, according to research, making these areas more prone to flooding and sea level rise .

A cyclist rides elevated pavement slabs outside an apartment building along Mission Bay Boulevard North in Mission Bay on Friday, September 24, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume / The Examiner)

Subsidence alone would not cause a building to collapse or a sidewalk collapse, Shirzaei said. What matters, he said, is what is called differential motion, or the uneven speed of subsurface subsidence.

“Differential movements that can seriously damage any infrastructure,” he said. “In fact, there is no man-made structure that can withstand such a load. So, pipelines, concrete pillars, they would all break and eventually lose their integrity. “

So far, however, the buildings in Mission Bay have remained stable because they are built on stilts, Karp said. But for local residents like Fahnestock, the question remains who will pay to repair the damaged sidewalks.

The city said that such corrections fall on local residents. “The maintenance of the walkways is the responsibility of the adjacent property owners as per state and city regulations,” said Rachel Gordon, Public Works spokeswoman. “Public Works inspects the sidewalks and notifies property owners if a problem needs to be addressed.”

The goal, Gordon said, is not a punishment, but a safe path for pedestrians.

jwolfrom@sfexaminer.com

A pedestrian walks across raised pavement slabs outside an apartment building along Mission Bay Boulevard North in Mission Bay on Friday, September 24, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume / The Examiner)

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – BART officials said Wednesday climate change and sea level rise will pose a growing threat to the transit system in the coming decades.

The ailing transport company is trying to find money to combat the long-term but looming threat.

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“One of the predictions is that by mid-century we might see tides a foot higher than they are now. So that’s 2050, ”said BART spokesman Jim Allison.

BART engineers say sea level rise could have a number of potential effects. For example, the Embarcadero train station in San Francisco could occasionally be inundated by floods.

Other stations could be threatened by rising groundwater, which would strain the existing pumps and the aging infrastructure of the system.

“The thing for me is that we’re at the height of technology and innovation in the Bay Area, but this is an old system that is really shabby,” said BART driver Jason Caballero.

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BART has identified many of the potential problem areas, but the agency relies on injections of money from the federal government just to keep trains running.

“The devastating effects of the pandemic and the dramatic decrease in the number of passengers paying for their tickets have really turned our funding plan upside down,” Allison said.

BART drivers say they understand the transportation company’s financial plight but are concerned about the long-term costs of inaction.

“It might be better to say, ‘Let’s pretend it’ll happen in 10 years.’ And what could the BART system do in 10 years to avoid being caught wading in the BART system with pants down and knee-deep water? ”Asked rider Bianca Espinoza.

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BART officials noted that several vulnerable stations are connected to other important pieces of infrastructure in the Bay Area, such as the airports in San Francisco and Oakland. Any plan to mitigate this impact would necessarily have to be regional and collaborative.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – Union Square in San Francisco is losing another major retailer, with DSW – the Designer Shoe Warehouse – being the newest store in the neighborhood to shut down for good.

“Things I used to know aren’t here anymore,” said Linda Hill, who was visiting from New Jersey.

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“It’s a lot sadder than it was before COVID,” said Judy Keith, a visitor from Texas.

Marisa Rodriguez, the new executive director of the Union Square Alliance – formerly known as the Union Square Business Improvement District – hopes to change that perception.

“It’s always disappointing when a cornerstone of our community has to be closed. As far as I know, they are closing more than just their location here in San Francisco, ”said Rodriguez.

She agrees that there is a problem with the image of Union Square that she attributes primarily to the pandemic and the toll it has taken on tourism and retail. It is Rodriguez’s goal to address the image problem.

“That perception will soon go away,” she said. “Union Square is ready and waiting for visitors. We have so much to offer. “

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The holiday season has already begun with the return of the traditional Christmas tree and ice rink to Union Square.

“It will be lit on November 18th,” she said. “People love the ice rink. In contrast to last year, when everything was closed, it is open. “

She also noted that some companies are moving in while others are moving in.

Omega, the watch store, has just opened in Union Square, one of nine upcoming openings and reopenings, according to Rodriguez.

“These range from restaurants, wine bars, retail stores – we even have a mattress store,” she said. “We are very excited about all of this.”

Perception won’t change overnight. But Rodriguez believes it will continue to move in the right direction when people venture back into the world and relive Union Square.

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“I think you will come here and be amazed at how activated, how beautiful and how clean and safe it is,” she said.

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To study the role of Earth’s oceans in climate change, NASA recently launched a mission 100 miles off the coast of San Francisco involving a ship, two aircraft, and a fleet of sailing drones and other robotic research vehicles.

Scientists are studying lesser-known features of the ocean’s surface, such as eddies and eddies, which they suspect may play an important role in the transfer of gases and heat between the atmosphere and the ocean. The mission began on October 19 when the research vessel Oceanus left Newport, Oregon and will end on November 6. During the recent storm, when the ship had to enter the port of San Francisco due to waves in the ocean, it made a brief pause in the study region, reaching 30 feet high.

Although NASA is best known for space exploration, it also operates a fleet of satellites for studying the earth’s surface, some of which focus on the oceans. This particular mission is known as the Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment, or S-MODE. Submesoscale refers to ocean dynamics less than 10 kilometers in diameter such as ocean eddies that swirl around the ocean surface and stir up the water.

“These eddies are making a really important impact on the climate,” said Tom Farrar of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the mission’s lead investigator, at a news conference on the mission on Friday.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ocean absorbs 31% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Farrar and others suggest that eddies have an impact on the exchange of heat and gases between the air and the ocean, and likely play a role in transporting heat, carbon, and oxygen from the surface to deeper layers of the ocean. But vortices are too small and too short to be studied by satellite, which is why the S-MODE mission uses so many different instruments at the same time, closer to the source.

The location in front of San Francisco Bay was chosen because it is located on the California Current, a dynamic movement of water along the west coast that is surrounded by many eddies. Two planes collect data on wind and currents on the ocean surface from different heights, one under the clouds and one at 28,000 feet, while the Oceanus and autonomous research vehicles collect images and measurements in the water.

“The goal is to map a complete 3-D structure,” said Farrar.

The Oceanus carried most of the marine robots out to sea, although five sailing drones, bright orange, solar-powered robotic vehicles, disembarked from Alameda and made their way to the study area. You can measure air and ocean currents, as well as salinity and chlorophyll levels, or the amount of phytoplankton in the water. With all the tools working together, the team hopes to study the eddies as they form to learn more about how the ocean is slowing the effects of climate change.

What they find can be used to support an international project NASA is participating in next year by using satellites to conduct the first global survey of all bodies of water on the planet, from oceans to lakes, Nadya said Vinogradova-Shiffer, program scientist from NASA’s Earth Sciences department at the briefing.

“Observing ocean circulation directly from space would be a great advance for science,” she said.

Tara Duggan is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan

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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined US Senator Alex Padilla Thursday morning in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to promote the Build Back Better Act, a bill proposed in Congress that which aims to fight climate change while strengthening the social environment of the country safety net.

The proposed bill was drafted by the House Democrats and aims to build the country’s economy over the next 10 years by providing vital funding for basic services such as community college, childcare, Medicare, and prescription drugs, among other things.

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The bill, which is still under negotiation in Congress, would also extend child tax credits and extend paid sick and family vacations.

“The list goes on and on about how we enable families to perform their domestic duties and perform their job duties to provide for their families,” Pelosi said during a briefing at the California Academy of Sciences of the sweeping bill .

“If we do all of this, everyone will be at the table,” she said. “It’s a big table, so when we have a solution, it’s a solution, not a declaration that alienates, but a solution that unites.”

In addition to helping working Americans, the bill would address climate change by funding measures and programs that will turn the nation away from fossil fuels.

The bill includes an established national energy efficiency and clean energy standard, tax credits for electric vehicle purchases and charging station construction projects, and fines for utility companies who fail to increase their renewable energy supplies annually and oil and gas companies who are to blame for methane leaks. The bill also provides substantial funding for forestry and other forest fire prevention measures.

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“The federal government has invested in the infrastructure earlier, but never with a focus and emphasis on sustainability and certainly not at this level of funding than today,” said Padilla.

“For families in California, we know that the climate crisis is already a daily reality. It’s not about what we’re going to see in 10, 20, 30 years from now, but what the Californians are going to experience today, ”he said. “Fossil fuel emissions have brought our planet to a critical point, and yet too many of our Republican colleagues have refused to acknowledge science. They are now denying the need for an emergency response and a real plan of action, ”he said.

Padilla added, “We cannot afford to solve these problems another day. We have to act boldly and tackle this crisis head on. “

Pelosi said the bill is still being finalized, with some changes to the estimated cost likely to be.

“I am very confident,” she said. “We are conducting these negotiations. Our chairmen are sharpening their pencils and seeing how we deal with the number. I wish we could stick with the large number, but we can’t. “

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle today announced they are moving into banking and vowed to ‘change the world’ by putting their money into an investment firm called Ethic, after being introduced to its self-styled ‘hippy’ founders by friends.

The Sussexes, who experts believe are well on the way to building a $1billion brand in the US after quitting the Royal Family for independence and to earn their own money, have been appointed ‘impact partners’ at Ethic, a New York-based fintech asset manager pumping money into companies with what they deem acceptable environmental and social goals.  

Harry and Meghan’s latest move into big business came after their deals with Netflix and Spotify worth £100million and the couple announced their latest tie-up with a statement that said: ‘When we invest in each other we change the world’.  

And in a joint interview with the New York Times, Meghan, a multi-millionaire former actress who lives with her royal husband and children in a $14million LA mansion, said: ‘From the world I come from, you don’t talk about investing, right? You don’t have the luxury to invest. That sounds so fancy.’

She added: ‘My husband has been saying for years: ‘Gosh, don’t you wish there was a place where if your values were aligned like this, you could put your money to that same sort of thing?’,’ adding the couple were introduced to Ethic by friends. It is not yet known how much they invested ‘earlier this year’ or if they are both being paid a salary for their ‘impact partner’ roles.

Business experts declared themselves flummoxed at what an ‘impact partner’ was, although the best guess seemed to be a super-charged brand ambassador. 

Ethic, which was set up by Briton Jay Lipman, a red-haired Prince Harry lookalike from London now settled in the US having worked for Deutsche Bank, claims to only invest in businesses that meet its ‘social responsibility criteria’, including on racial justice, climate change and workplace standards such as gender equality and fair pay. 

His co-founders are Australians Doug Scott and Johny Mair, who worked for banks investing in gas and oil amongst other things before they formed Ethic in 2015. 

Mr Lipman, a University of Edinburgh graduate, has said previously that Ethic ‘loves hippies’ to invest with them, because he and his team consider themselves hippies too. He claims clients make just as much money with them as those putting money into more traditional portfolios including fossil fuels and tobacco companies.

Mr Scott, who worked in investment banking at Deutsche Bank, was listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 and raised by ‘two forward-thinking social and environmental activists’, according to Ethic’s website. 

Meanwhile Mr Mair, who studied Mechanical Engineering at Queensland University of Technology, has led product teams at a number of ‘high-growth startups’ including Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, BlackRock, Fidelity, Guy Carpenter and Goldman Sachs. 

Meghan and Harry in New York last month as it was today announced they are becoming ‘impact partners’ and investors at sustainable investing firm Ethic

The couple say they were introduced to Ethic by friends. The investment firm has a $1.3billion fund and only invests in firms it deems fair and green

Ethic was founded in 2015 by Briton Jay Lipman and Australian friends Doug Scott and Johny Mair (pictured left to right). All three worked investment banking, including funds investing in oil, before setting up their $1.3billion fund in New York

Australians Mr Scott (pictured left) and Mr Mair (right), who worked for banks investing in gas and oil amongst other things before they formed Ethic in 2015

British Prince Harry lookalike who wants fellow ‘hippies’ to invest in his ‘ethical’ $1.3billion fund founded with Australian friends who worked for Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan

Ethic was co-founded by Briton Jay Lipman, who studied at the University of Edinburgh before moving to California. He says Ethics’ goal is to ‘mainstream sustainable investing’ and clients will make just as much money as people putting money into traditional portfolios including oil and tobacco companies, for example

Ethic was founded in 2015 by Briton Jay Lipman, a former Deutsche Bank executive who promises customers their cash only 

His co-founders are Australians Doug Scott and Johny Mair, who he is understood to have met in the US, where he studied at UCLA after graduating from the University of Edinburgh.

Educated at a school outside London, he took a gap year and booked a one-way flight to Tanzania to work in an orphanage. 

Unfortunately he almost immediately caught malaria and had to come home to England, which he says encouraged him to go into ethical banking. 

After working for Deutsche Bank – he then set up Ethic with Scott and Mair. 

He said: ‘I realised there is little I can do by myself to change things significantly, but a lot I could do by changing systems’.

His team in New York has staff who worked for the world’s biggest investment banks including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.

Co-founder Doug Scott went to the University of Melbourne before entering world of investment banking, specifically with  oil and gas.

He said he ‘struggled internally’ with investing in fossil fuels and moved to San Francisco where he met Jay and Johny Mair.

Mr Mair, also an Australian moved to London to work for Deutsche Bank and then to New York before taking a job at JP Morgan. After a number of other jobs on Wall Street he moved to tech firms before forming Ethic.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have already signed major deals with Netflix and Spotify thought to be worth in excess of £100 million after quitting as senior working royals and moving to the US in a quest for personal freedom and to earn their own money.

In March he told Oprah he was forced to flee to Canada and make multi-million pound deals with Spotify and Netflix after he claimed the Royal Family ‘literally cut me off financially’ after the couple quit in January 2020.

Harry also has a number of other jobs, including at a California-based mental health start-up whose value has now topped £3billion after securing new funding from some of Silicon Valley’s biggest players. 

BetterUp, which took on the Duke of Sussex as ‘chief impact officer’ in March, has raised £220million from investors, valuing the company at around £3.4billion.  One of the leaders of the funding round was Iconiq Capital, a secretive investment firm which has managed the money of tech billionaires including Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. 

Now the Sussexes have become ‘impact partners’ and investors at sustainable investing firm Ethic. 

Jay Lipman, the British co-founder of Ethic, recently said in a video on their website that they ‘like hippies’ as a company and considered themselves hippies too despite managing a $1billion fund.

Harry and Meghan’s Archewell website confirmed their latest business partnership, linking to a New York Times story which featured the headline ‘Harry and Meghan Get into Finance’.

The Archewell website said: ‘When we invest in each other we change the world…’

It added: ‘We believe it’s time for more people to have a seat at the table when decisions are made that impact everyone.

‘We want to rethink the nature of investing to help solve the global issues we all face.’ 

Ethic’s website said it aims to empower wealth advisors and investors to create portfolios that align personal values with financial goals. 

The Sussexes hope their involvement will encourage young people to be conscious of the sustainability of their own investments.

Harry told the New York Times: ‘You already have the younger generation voting with their dollars and their pounds, you know, all over the world when it comes to brands they select and choose from.’

The couple’s Archewell website highlighted their latest business venture, linking to the New York Times’ story which featured the headline ‘Harry and Meghan Get into Finance’

The Queen’s grandson Harry and former Suits star Meghan acknowledged that not everyone could afford to invest money.

‘When we invest in each other we change the world…’ the Archewell site said.

‘Be it through the investment of time (as with mentoring), investment in community (as with volunteering), or the investment of funds (for those who have the means to), our choices-of how and where we put our energy-define us as a global community.’

Ethic said it was thrilled to be welcoming the couple.

Harry and Meghan ‘share a lot of values with us, and we suspect, with many of you as well.

‘That’s why we’re so excited that they’re joining us as impact partners,’ a statement on its website said.

It said the Sussexes wanted to ‘shine a light on how we can all impact the causes that affect our communities’.

‘They’re deeply committed to helping address the defining issues of our time-such as climate, gender equity, health, racial justice, human rights, and strengthening democracy and understand that these issues are inherently interconnected,’ it added.

‘So much so, in fact, that they became investors in Ethic earlier this year and have investments managed by Ethic as well.

Ethic, which was founded in 2015, has $1.3billion under management and creates separately managed accounts to invest in social responsibility themes. It aims to empower wealth advisers and investors to create portfolios that align personal values with financial goals.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle descended on the Big Apple in late September, and this may have been when the deal was done. Some observers compared the New York trip to a royal visit, which Meghan and Harry had wanted to leave behind.

While in NYC they were given the A-list treatment, being chaperoned around by a large security detail as they mingled with UN officials and New York politicians and stayed in a hotel where rooms cost up to $8,800 a night.  

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pose for a photo with US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield at 50 UN Plaza last month while visiting New York

Are Harry and Meghan receiving federal protection while travelling in the US?

One of the burly bodyguards escorting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle around New York City has claimed to work for the Department of Homeland Security.

The male bodyguard, dressed in a smart grey suit and black wingtips that had been resoled with comfortable sneaker soles, was spotted outside the Carlyle Hotel between jaunts escorting the couple.

He told a DailyMail.com reporter he was with DHS, but didn’t specify which agency, leaving possible federal involvement in the couple’s visit to New York a mystery. 

DHS did not immediately respond to multiple inquiries from DailyMail.com. The federal department encompasses a number of agencies with sworn police services, including the Secret Service, Federal Protective Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 

The Secret Service typically only protects visiting heads of state and their immediate families within the US, while lesser dignitaries fall under the protection of the State Department, according to former Secret Service Agent Jonathan Wackrow. 

This bodyguard, seen behind Harry and Meghan, told one journalist he was working for the Department of Homeland Security

Wackrow said that UN general assembly had stretched the resources of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, which has protected Harry during past official visits to the US when he was a working Royal. 

He said it was possible HSI or agents from another DHS agency were supplementing the State Department’s protective efforts during the busy UN session.  

‘Right now, under the United Nations General Assembly, it’s all hands on deck for federal protection,’ Wackrow told DailyMail.com in a phone interview. 

‘HSI have been brought in to provide supplemental protection… you may have this agent from HSI supplementing that detail,’ he said of the Duke and Duchess’ protective team. 

Wackrow noted that, although they have stepped down from official duties, Harry and Meghan are still family members of the British head of state, and thus might reasonably expect some government protection while in a high threat environment, such as Manhattan during the general assembly.

‘While they are not the head of state for the United Kingdom, they are part of the head of state’s family and at times such as summits, global gatherings, it is warranted they receive some level of protection, even if it is taxpayer funded protection,’ he said.

‘If something were to happen in New York, and the government were not extending protection to the Duke and Duchess, that would be a major diplomatic incident.’ 

The Sussexes – who dramatically quit their roles as working royals last year – met with US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield at 50 UN Plaza in Manhattan for an ‘important discussion’ on COVID-19, racial justice and mental health at the end of last month.

The ambassador described the meeting as ‘wonderful’ as she shared snaps of the trio chatting on sofas in a lounge area and then posing in front of UN branding.  

Meghan, 40, and Harry, 37, were spotted leaving the residential building close to the United Nations Global Headquarters before the eco-warrior couple clambered into their gas-guzzling SUVs. 

They then paid a visit to the World Health Organization headquarters at 885 Second Avenue, where they emerged carrying both WHO documents and documents featuring their Archewell Foundation branding. 

The former actress clutched what appeared to be a black leather laptop case which matched her dark outfit, sunglasses and face mask. 

She had dressed for fall in head to toe dark navy blue for their morning visit to the 9/11 memorial and One World Trade Center despite the humid 80F New York City weather.

Meghan then added some color to her somber attire for the afternoon jaunt, swapping her wide-legged dark trousers and coat for a dark pencil skirt and long tan Max Mara coat – while accessorizing with a $3,350 tan Valextra handbag.   

Harry also accessorized with a black leather laptop sleeve under his arm with ‘Archie’s Papa’ emblazoned on it – a doting nod to the couple’s two-year-old son. 

The afternoon meeting in the residential building, which houses the lavish 37-floor penthouse which Thomas-Greenfield calls home, lasted around an hour, before they reemerged flanked by a large security detail and got into their waiting vehicles which drove them back to their lavish hotel.

This marked the second stop on their New York visit – their first major public appearance since they shocked the world by stepping back as senior working members of the royal family. 

They had paid a visit to the 9/11 memorial and One World Trade Center, during which they met with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, National September 11 Memorial & Museum President Alice Greenwald and Patricia Harris, CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropy.  

While atop the One World Trade Center, Meghan smiled and said ‘it’s wonderful to be back’ in New York – almost exactly two years on from her last visit in September 2019 when she cheered on close friend and tennis star Serena Williams at the 2019 US Open. 

The Duchess spoke moments before she and her husband visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, to pay their respects less than two weeks after the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.   

Meghan and Harry then made a pit stop back to the luxury Carlyle Hotel on Manhattan’s Upper East Side where the top-tier suite costs a staggering $8,800 a night. 

The couple are staying there for the duration of their four-day trip and were seen dining in the swanky hotel restaurant, after arriving into the Big Apple from their home in California.    

The prince also changed outfits for the occasion, with a less sobering dark gray suit and blue tie.  

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield tweeted photos from their ‘wonderful’ visit, revealing they discussed COVID-19, racial justice and mental health. 

‘Wonderful meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 

‘Important discussion of COVID, racial justice, and raising mental health awareness,’ she wrote on social media. 

The details of the Sussexes’ trip to the Big Apple have been a closely guarded secret.

They are scheduled to appear at Saturday’s Global Citizen concert in Central Park which focuses on vaccine equity.  

DailyMail.com has reached out to the UN Global HQ, the mayor’s office, the governor’s office and the Archewell Foundation for further information about the Sussexes’ schedule and purpose of the meetings.   

It is unclear if the Sussexes – famed for their pronouncements on climate change – arrived in New York on a commercial flight or flew there by private jet. 

It is also unclear who is paying for the trip and providing the security detail around the Sussexes. 

A spokesperson for the NYPD told DailyMail.com they were unsure of who was providing the Sussexes security, that they had not heard about their officers being drafted in to provide cover, and added that they doubted the department would do so. 

Several NYPD and Port Authority officers were present at the World Trade Center cordoning off the area during their morning visit. One Port Authority officer told DailyMail.com he had only learned of the famous couple’s visit that morning. 

DailyMail.com has also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and the DHS Secret Service to ask if they are providing security for the couple’s visit. 

One guard seen accompanying the couple claimed he was with the Department of Homeland Security, but refused to be drawn further on his job title.   

Meghan said ‘It’s wonderful to be back’ while posing with NY Governor Kathy Hochul (furthest left) and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio (next to Harry) as well as De Blasio’s wife Chirlane McCray, and the couple’s son Dante, furthest right, 

The couple took a moment of silence at the wreath on the site of the Twin Towers during their trip to the Big Apple 

Meghan Markle looked solemn as she paid her respects to the victims of the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks 

Harry and Meghan’s deals since moving to the US – from Netflix and Spotify to a mental health start-up 

September 2020 – It is revealed Harry and Meghan signed a deal with Netflix to provide exclusive content to the streaming service’s 190 million subscribers worldwide. The agreement is estimated to be worth around $130 million and will see them produce content that provides ‘hope and inspiration’. In a statement, the Sussexes said: ‘Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope. As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us.’ They added that Netflix’s ‘unprecedented reach will help us share impactful content that unlocks action.’

December 2020 – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are revealed to have signed a $40million deal with music and podcast streaming service Spotify. The Sussexes – who officially left the Royal Family a week prior – will produce and host their own shows as part of the newly formed Archewell Audio. The firm has not revealed what the contract is worth, but the streaming service agreed a $100m deal with US comedian Joe Rogan last May. The Mirror reported Harry and Meghan would be paid $40million – other sources put it closer to $27million.

March 2021 – Harry becomes ‘chief impact officer’ at California-based mental health start-up BetterUp. By October the company has raised $300million from investors, valuing it at around $4.6billion. The firm has not disclosed how much he is paid or if he owns shares or stock options.

July 2021 – Prince Harry is revealed to have clinched a lucrative four-book deal – with the second due out only after the Queen has died. Industry insiders said the ‘tell-all’ tome unveiled by Harry is only the ‘tip of the iceberg’. Sources said the Duke of Sussex oversaw the bidding and told publishing houses to begin at $24million, with the final figure possibly reaching $39million. The deal will see a memoir released next year – when it is the Queen’s platinum jubilee – with the second book to be held back until after her death. Harry’s wife Meghan is to pen a ‘wellness’ guide as part of the contract with Penguin Random House. The subject and author of the fourth title is unknown.

Meghan last visited the city in September 2019 when she made the surprise stop at the US Open. 

This came seven months after her last trip, when pals including Amal Clooney and Gayle King held a lavish baby shower for her at The Mark Hotel’s $75,000-a-night penthouse suite on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Duchess traveled to that event from London on a private jet, with the bash estimated to have cost $500,000.   

During their first stop on their Big Apple trip, Meghan and Harry posed for photos in front of the One World Trade Center observatory’s floor-to-ceiling windows, which offer stunning views of New York City and New Jersey. 

The Sussexes were joined by Governor Hochul, 63, Mayor de Blasio, 60, de Blasio’s wife Chirlane McCray, 66, and the couple’s son Dante, 24.  

Harry and Meghan then visited the 9/11 memorial pools around 9am EST.  

The couple inspected the large black pools, built in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, before entering the 9/11 Museum, which sits underneath, and spending around half an hour inside.     

Harry and Meghan, who donned somber dark outfits, walked hand-in-hand around the memorial pools and museum accompanied by National September 11 Memorial & Museum President Alice Greenwald and Patricia Harris from Bloomberg Philanthropy. 

The couple’s two-year-old son Archie and three month-old daughter Lilibet remain at home in California.  

Harry and Meghan arrived at One World Trade Center in sombre outfits, likely chosen for their planned trip to the nearby 9/11 Memorial afterwards. 

The couple exited a black SUV, and were whisked up to the skyscraper’s viewing deck – which sits between floors 100 and 102 – to meet Hochul and de Blasio, who arrived moments before the royals.

Meghan donned a stylish dark blue outfit, with a matching jacket, polo neck, wide-legged trousers, heels and her hair swept back into a business-like bun. She wore simple pearl earrings and muted makeup. 

Harry wore a complementary dark suit and tie. The couple were snapped donning black face masks as they entered One World Trade Center.  

They held hands as the walked up the steps of the building, with Harry giving a wave to watching fans who shouted his name on seeing him.  

No details on why the royals are meeting with the Democrat lawmakers and what they plan to discuss were shared in advance. 

De Blasio’s wife Chirlane McCray, 66, and the mayoral couple’s son Dante, 24, were also there to welcome the royal couple, who are visiting from their home in Montecito, California.

The mayor and governor arrived and entered the building a few minutes ahead of the Sussexes.

A small group of taxi drivers protested the event to call on Mayor de Blasio to offer additional protection for yellow cab drivers who’ve been hit by the rise in popularity of ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft, with security also present to guard the royals and politicians.

‘De Blasio help the cabbies, Mr. Mayor help the cabbies,’ the group chanted as de Blasio arrived at the building.  

One of the drivers told DailyMail.com the mayor should focus on supporting New Yorkers rather than mingling with royals.

‘The mayor should take care of the people, not spend money on this,’ said Barbara Basiaosowca.      

The post Harry and Meghan vow to ‘change the world’ by shifting into ‘moral’ banking appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

When Adriana Nichols moved from New York City to Los Angeles seventeen years ago, she had a simple wish list: daylight (her New York studio apartment was dark), a garden, and quiet neighbors. She managed to tick everything off this list – and lived in the canyons of LA for nearly two decades. But today, as she wants to move again with her husband, her requirements have changed. “It’s a fundamentally different wish list. A places where we have water where we are not … pack bags in case fires evacuate us, “said Nichols. Video above: UN scientists signal” Code Red “warning of the future of climate change the wildfires California and poor air quality make life there unattractive – and downright scary. But she says almost any place she wants to move is an element of climate risk. And a new analysis by Redfin, a real estate agent, shows that More Americans are moving to areas of greatest climate risk than ever before. Redfin analyzed data from ClimateCheck, a provider of climate risk assessments for real estate, and the US census, which showed that the 50 largest US counties are exposed to climate risks from heat, storms and drought , Floods, and fire – the majority have seen their population grow over the past five years, in counties with houses that are at the highest risk of heat ren, the population increased by an average of 4.7% over the past five years. Counties with homes at high risk of drought saw population growth of 3.5% over the past five years, fire-prone counties 3%, floods 1.9% and storms 0.4%. For example, the 50 counties with the lowest number of homes at risk of heat saw a 1.4% population loss over the past five years, according to Redfin. Counties around New York City and Chicago – both in states that were already spearheading the U.S. ‘s population decline – only lost more people during the pandemic than homebuyers left the metropolitan areas, according to Redfin. “And it seems that while the climate is something people care about, it is bottom of the list or not a top priority.” For example, migrating to Wasatch County, Utah is just outside of Salt Lake City, up nearly 15% over the past five years. But wasatch County has the third highest fire risk in the US, according to Redfin, with 96% of homes there being at risk. The area became even more popular last year amid the pandemic as people sought affordability, more space, and closeness to nature. “2020 saw some of the worst wildfires we’ve ever seen in Utah,” said Ryan Aycock, agent and market manager for Redfin in Salt Lake City. “I don’t necessarily think it’s going to slow down the people moving to the area. It’s still extremely affordable. It’s still a very desirable place compared to a lot of other places.” Affordability seems to be a big factor. Of the 50 counties with the highest proportion of homes exposed to high heat and storm risk, more than half had an average sale price below the national average of $ 315,000, found Redfin Metro area – has the highest heat risk in United States, but is the fastest growing county in population at 16.3% as of 2016, according to Redfin, but Austin is now beginning to rise as a technology hub and Austin is at climate risk, “Fairweather said lower taxes, Scott Durkin said, Douglas Elliman’s CEO put them off, “Durkin said. s despite a record-breaking hurricane season last year. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-average hurricane season again this year, with Florida often being a destination. Even so, home sales in Palm Beach and Miami are up 270% and 133%, respectively. , or since last year, says Douglas Elliman. During the blazing housing market fueled by a pandemic, Durkin said many buyers waived home inspections in an attempt to beat other buyers. However, Durkin does not recommend it in temperate climates. “When you have something that has the elements of heavy weather, or … exposed to high winds and breaking waves and beach erosion, you really need to think twice. You might want to get the inspection on the way there before you even negotiate, just with that You know yourself, “said Durkin. Nichols wants to be out of her Los Angeles home in a few months a question of ‘Where do we want to live?’ The question has become: ‘Where can we live in relation to what is climatically happening there?’ “Said Nichols.

When Adriana Nichols moved from New York City to Los Angeles seventeen years ago, she had a simple wish list: daylight (her New York studio apartment was dark), a garden, and quiet neighbors. She managed to tick everything off this list – and lived in the canyons of LA for nearly two decades.

But today, as she wants to move again with her husband, her requirements have changed.

“It’s a fundamentally different wish list. A place where we have [running] Water where we’re not … pack bags in case fire evacuates us, “said Nichols.

Video above: UN scientists signal “Code Red” warning about the future of climate change

In recent years, says Nichols, California wildfires and poor air quality have made life there unattractive – and downright scary.

But she says almost every place she wants to move to experiences some element of climate risk. And new analysis from Redfin, a real estate agent, shows that more Americans are moving to areas with the highest climate risks than ever before.

Redfin analyzed data from ClimateCheck, a provider of climate risk assessments for real estate, and the US Census, which showed that of the 50 largest US counties exposed to climate risks from heat, storms, drought, floods and fire, the majority of the population are exposed there has been an increase in population over the past five years.

In counties with houses that are at the highest risk of heat, the population has increased by an average of 4.7% over the past five years. Counties with homes at high risk of drought saw population growth of 3.5% over the past five years, fire-prone counties 3%, floods 1.9% and storms 0.4%.

AP Photo / Noah Berger

Firefighters fight the Tamarack Fire in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, California on Saturday, July 17, 2021.

In the meantime, places with relatively low climate risks have seen population decline. For example, the 50 counties with the lowest number of homes at risk of heat saw a 1.4% population loss over the past five years, according to Redfin.

Counties around New York City and Chicago – both in states which the US already led in population decline – only lost more people during the pandemic than homebuyers left metropolitan areas, according to Redfin.

“Counterintuitively, people are moving to places with a higher climate risk,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “And it seems like although the climate is something people care about, it is bottom of the list or not a top priority.”

For example, migration to Wasatch County, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City, has increased nearly 15% over the past five years. But wasatch County has the third highest fire risk in the US, according to Redfin, with 96% of homes there being at risk. The area became even more popular last year amid the pandemic as people sought affordability, more space, and closeness to nature.

“2020 saw some of the worst wildfires we’ve ever seen in Utah,” said Ryan Aycock, agent and market manager for Redfin in Salt Lake City. “I don’t necessarily think it will slow the people moving to the area. It’s still extremely affordable. It’s still a very desirable place to live compared to many other places.”

Affordability seems to be a big factor. Of the 50 counties with the highest proportion of homes exposed to high heat and storm risk, more than half had average sales prices below the national average of $ 315,000, Redfin found.

“Nothing will scare you off”

Williamson County, Texas – part of the Austin metropolitan area – has the highest heat risk in the US, but is the county with the highest population growth at 16.3% since 2016, according to Redfin.

“Most of the people live in San Francisco or New York because that’s where they can make the most of their careers, but now Austin is starting to rise as a tech hub and Austin is at climate risk,” Fairweather said.

It’s also where people buy their second homes – followed by Florida, where home buyers benefit from lower taxes, said Scott Durkin, CEO of Douglas Elliman.

“I think people keep betting [climate risk] in the back of my mind. I think there are people who do anything to be by the ocean and the Florida coast and nothing, nothing will put them off, “Durkin said.

And that despite a record-breaking hurricane season last year. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-average hurricane season again this year, with Florida often being a destination.

Still, real estate sales in Palm Beach and Miami have increased 270% and 133%, respectively, since last year, according to Douglas Elliman.

During the blazing housing market fueled by a pandemic, Durkin said many buyers waived home inspections in an attempt to beat other buyers. In temperate climates, however Durkin advises against it.

“When you have something that has the elements of heavy weather, or … exposed to high winds and breaking waves and beach erosion, you really need to think twice. You might even want to negotiate the inspection along the way ahead of you, just so that you know for yourself, “said Durkin.

Nichols wants to be out of her Los Angeles home in a few months.

“It is no longer the question of ‘Where do we want to live?’ The question has become: ‘Where can we live in relation to what is climatically happening there?’ “Said Nichols.

The post Extra People are ignoring the warning indicators of local weather change, shifting to high-risk areas appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

When Adriana Nichols moved from New York City to Los Angeles seventeen years ago, she had a simple wish list: daylight (her New York studio apartment was dark), a garden, and quiet neighbors. She managed to tick everything off this list – and lived in the canyons of LA for nearly two decades. But today, as she wants to move again with her husband, her requirements have changed. “It’s a fundamentally different wish list. A places where we have water where we are not … pack bags in case fires evacuate us, “said Nichols. Video above: UN scientists signal” Code Red “warning of the future of climate change the wildfires California and poor air quality make life there unattractive – and downright scary. But she says almost any place she wants to move is an element of climate risk. And a new analysis by Redfin, a real estate agent, shows that More Americans are moving to areas of greatest climate risk than ever before. Redfin analyzed data from ClimateCheck, a provider of climate risk assessments for real estate, and the US census, which showed that the 50 largest US counties are exposed to climate risks from heat, storms and drought , Floods, and fire – the majority have seen their population grow over the past five years, in counties with houses that are at the highest risk of heat ren, the population increased by an average of 4.7% over the past five years. Counties with homes at high risk of drought saw population growth of 3.5% over the past five years, fire-prone counties 3%, floods 1.9% and storms 0.4%. For example, the 50 counties with the lowest number of homes at risk of heat saw a 1.4% population loss over the past five years, according to Redfin. Counties around New York City and Chicago – both in states that were already spearheading the U.S. ‘s population decline – only lost more people during the pandemic than homebuyers left the metropolitan areas, according to Redfin. “And it seems that while the climate is something people care about, it is bottom of the list or not a top priority.” For example, migrating to Wasatch County, Utah is just outside of Salt Lake City, up nearly 15% over the past five years. But wasatch County has the third highest fire risk in the US, according to Redfin, with 96% of homes there being at risk. The area became even more popular last year amid the pandemic as people sought affordability, more space, and closeness to nature. “2020 saw some of the worst wildfires we’ve ever seen in Utah,” said Ryan Aycock, agent and market manager for Redfin in Salt Lake City. “I don’t necessarily think it’s going to slow down the people moving to the area. It’s still extremely affordable. It’s still a very desirable place compared to a lot of other places.” Affordability seems to be a big factor. Of the 50 counties with the highest proportion of homes exposed to high heat and storm risk, more than half had an average sale price below the national average of $ 315,000, found Redfin Metro area – has the highest heat risk in United States, but is the fastest growing county in population at 16.3% as of 2016, according to Redfin, but Austin is now beginning to rise as a technology hub and Austin is at climate risk, “Fairweather said lower taxes, Scott Durkin said, Douglas Elliman’s CEO put them off, “Durkin said. s despite a record-breaking hurricane season last year. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-average hurricane season again this year, with Florida often being a destination. Even so, home sales in Palm Beach and Miami are up 270% and 133%, respectively. , or since last year, says Douglas Elliman. During the blazing housing market fueled by a pandemic, Durkin said many buyers waived home inspections in an attempt to beat other buyers. However, Durkin does not recommend it in temperate climates. “When you have something that has the elements of heavy weather, or … exposed to high winds and breaking waves and beach erosion, you really need to think twice. You might want to get the inspection on the way there before you even negotiate, just with that You know yourself, “said Durkin. Nichols wants to be out of her Los Angeles home in a few months a question of ‘Where do we want to live?’ The question has become: ‘Where can we live in relation to what is climatically happening there?’ “Said Nichols.

When Adriana Nichols moved from New York City to Los Angeles seventeen years ago, she had a simple wish list: daylight (her New York studio apartment was dark), a garden, and quiet neighbors. She managed to tick everything off this list – and lived in the canyons of LA for nearly two decades.

But today, as she wants to move again with her husband, her requirements have changed.

“It’s a fundamentally different wish list. A place where we have [running] Water where we’re not … pack bags in case fire evacuates us, “said Nichols.

Video above: UN scientists signal “Code Red” warning about the future of climate change

In recent years, says Nichols, California wildfires and poor air quality have made life there unattractive – and downright scary.

But she says almost every place she wants to move to experiences some element of climate risk. And new analysis from Redfin, a real estate agent, shows that more Americans are moving to areas with the highest climate risks than ever before.

Redfin analyzed data from ClimateCheck, a provider of climate risk assessments for real estate, and the US Census, which showed that of the 50 largest US counties exposed to climate risks from heat, storms, drought, floods and fire, the majority of the population are exposed there has been an increase in population over the past five years.

In counties with houses that are at the highest risk of heat, the population has increased by an average of 4.7% over the past five years. Counties with homes at high risk of drought saw population growth of 3.5% over the past five years, fire-prone counties 3%, floods 1.9% and storms 0.4%.

AP Photo / Noah Berger

Firefighters fight the Tamarack Fire in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, California on Saturday, July 17, 2021.

In the meantime, places with relatively low climate risks have seen population decline. For example, the 50 counties with the lowest number of homes at risk of heat saw a 1.4% population loss over the past five years, according to Redfin.

Counties around New York City and Chicago – both in states which the US already led in population decline – only lost more people during the pandemic than homebuyers left metropolitan areas, according to Redfin.

“Counterintuitively, people are moving to places with a higher climate risk,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “And it seems like although the climate is something people care about, it is bottom of the list or not a top priority.”

For example, migration to Wasatch County, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City, has increased nearly 15% over the past five years. But wasatch County has the third highest fire risk in the US, according to Redfin, with 96% of homes there being at risk. The area became even more popular last year amid the pandemic as people sought affordability, more space, and closeness to nature.

“2020 saw some of the worst wildfires we’ve ever seen in Utah,” said Ryan Aycock, agent and market manager for Redfin in Salt Lake City. “I don’t necessarily think it will slow the people moving to the area. It’s still extremely affordable. It’s still a very desirable place to live compared to many other places.”

Affordability seems to be a big factor. Of the 50 counties with the highest proportion of homes exposed to high heat and storm risk, more than half had average sales prices below the national average of $ 315,000, Redfin found.

“Nothing will scare you off”

Williamson County, Texas – part of the Austin metropolitan area – has the highest heat risk in the US, but is the county with the highest population growth at 16.3% since 2016, according to Redfin.

“Most of the people live in San Francisco or New York because that’s where they can make the most of their careers, but now Austin is starting to rise as a tech hub and Austin is at climate risk,” Fairweather said.

It’s also where people buy their second homes – followed by Florida, where home buyers benefit from lower taxes, said Scott Durkin, CEO of Douglas Elliman.

“I think people keep betting [climate risk] in the back of my mind. I think there are people who do anything to be by the ocean and the Florida coast and nothing, nothing will put them off, “Durkin said.

And that despite a record-breaking hurricane season last year. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-average hurricane season again this year, with Florida often being a destination.

Still, real estate sales in Palm Beach and Miami have increased 270% and 133%, respectively, since last year, according to Douglas Elliman.

During the blazing housing market fueled by a pandemic, Durkin said many buyers waived home inspections in an attempt to beat other buyers. In temperate climates, however Durkin advises against it.

“When you have something that has the elements of heavy weather, or … exposed to high winds and breaking waves and beach erosion, you really need to think twice. You might even want to negotiate the inspection along the way ahead of you, just so that you know for yourself, “said Durkin.

Nichols wants to be out of her Los Angeles home in a few months.

“It is no longer the question of ‘Where do we want to live?’ The question has become: ‘Where can we live in relation to what is climatically happening there?’ “Said Nichols.

The post Extra Individuals are ignoring the warning indicators of local weather change, shifting to high-risk areas appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

But today, as she wants to move again with her husband, her requirements have changed.

“It’s a fundamentally different wish list. A place where we have [running] Water where we’re not … pack bags in case fire evacuates us, “said Nichols.

In recent years, says Nichols, California wildfires and poor air quality have made life there unattractive – and downright scary.

But she says almost everywhere she plans to move there is some element of climate risk. And new analysis from Redfin, a real estate agent, shows that more Americans are moving to areas with the highest climate risks than ever before.

Redfin analyzed data from ClimateCheck, a provider of climate risk assessments for real estate, and the US Census that showed that of the 50 largest US counties exposed to climate risks from heat, storms, drought, floods and fire, the majority are growing in population recorded over the past five years.

In counties with houses that are at the highest risk of heat, the population has increased by an average of 4.7% over the past five years. Counties with homes at high risk of drought saw population growth of 3.5% over the past five years, fire-prone counties 3%, floods 1.9% and storms 0.4%.

In the meantime, places with relatively low climate risks have seen population decline. For example, the 50 counties with the fewest number of homes at risk of heat saw a 1.4% population loss over the past five years, according to Redfin.

Counties around New York City and Chicago – both in states which the US already led in population decline – only lost more people during the pandemic than home buyers left metropolitan areas in exodus, according to Redfin.

“Counterintuitively, people are moving to places with a higher climate risk,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “And it seems like although the climate is something people care about, it is bottom of the list or not a top priority.”

For example, migration to Wasatch County, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City, has increased nearly 15% over the past five years. But wasatch County has the third highest fire risk in the US, according to Redfin, with 96% of homes there being at risk. The area became even more popular last year amid the pandemic as people sought affordability, more space, and closeness to nature.

“2020 saw some of the worst wildfires we’ve ever seen in Utah,” said Ryan Aycock, agent and market manager for Redfin in Salt Lake City. “I don’t necessarily think it will slow the people moving to the area. It’s still extremely affordable. It’s still a very desirable place to live compared to many other places.”

Affordability seems to be a big factor. Of the 50 counties with the highest proportion of homes exposed to high heat and storm risk, more than half had average sales prices below the national average of $ 315,000, Redfin found.

“Nothing will scare you off”

Williamson County, Texas – part of the Austin metropolitan area – has the highest heat risk in the US, but is the county with the highest population growth rate at 16.3% since 2016, according to Redfin.

“Most of the people live in San Francisco or New York because that’s where they can make the most of their careers, but now Austin is starting to rise as a tech hub and Austin is at climate risk,” Fairweather said.

It’s also where people buy their second homes – followed by Florida, where home buyers benefit from lower taxes, said Scott Durkin, CEO of Douglas Elliman.

“I think people keep betting [climate risk] in the back of my mind. I think there are people who do anything to be by the ocean and the Florida coast and nothing, nothing will put them off, “Durkin said.

And that despite a record-breaking hurricane season last year. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-average hurricane season again this year, with Florida often being a destination.

Still, real estate sales in Palm Beach and Miami have increased 270% and 133%, respectively, since last year, according to Douglas Elliman.

During the blazing housing market fueled by a pandemic, Durkin said many buyers waived home inspections in an attempt to beat other buyers. In temperate climates, however Durkin advises against it.

“When you have something that has the elements of heavy weather, or … exposed to high winds and breaking waves and beach erosion, you really need to think twice. You might even want to negotiate the inspection along the way ahead of you, just so that you know for yourself, “said Durkin.

Nichols wants to be out of her Los Angeles home in a few months.

“It is no longer the question of ‘Where do we want to live?’ The question has become: ‘Where can we live in relation to what is climatically happening there?’ “Said Nichols.

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