Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jan 14, 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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Designates Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, Elevating US–Riyadh Defense Partnership
Trump Organization Deepens Saudi Property Focus with $10 Billion Luxury Developments
There is no sovereign immunity for poisoning millions with drugs.
Mohammed bin Salman’s Global Standing: Strategic Partner in Transition Amid Debate Over His Role
Saudi Arabia Opens Property Market to Foreign Buyers in Landmark Reform
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
CNN’s Ranking of Israel’s Women’s Rights Sparks Debate After Misleading Global Index Comparison
Saudi Arabia’s Shifting Regional Alignment Raises Strategic Concerns in Jerusalem
OPEC+ Holds Oil Output Steady Amid Member Tensions and Market Oversupply
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
President Trump Says United States Will Administer Venezuela Until a Secure Leadership Transition
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Saudi-UAE Rift Adds Complexity to Middle East Diplomacy as Trump Signals Firm Leadership
OPEC+ to Keep Oil Output Policy Unchanged Despite Saudi-UAE Tensions Over Yemen
Saudi Arabia and UAE at Odds in Yemen Conflict as Southern Offensive Deepens Gulf Rift
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Riyadh Air’s First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Completes Initial Test Flight, Advancing Saudi Carrier’s Launch
Saudi Arabia’s 2025: A Pivotal Year of Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Saudi Arabia to Introduce Sugar-Content Based Tax on Sweetened Drinks from January 2026
Saudi Hotels Prepare for New Hospitality Roles as Alcohol Curbs Ease
Global Airports Forum Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Leading Aviation Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Choice on Iran Amid Regional Turbulence
Not Only F-35s: Saudi Arabia to Gain Access to the World’s Most Sensitive Technology
Saudi Arabia Condemns Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with Australia
Washington Watches Beijing–Riyadh Rapprochement as Strategic Balance Shifts
Saudi Arabia Urges Stronger Partnerships and Efficient Aid Delivery at OCHA Donor Support Meeting in Geneva
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Drives Measurable Lift in Global Reputation and Influence
Alcohol Policies Vary Widely Across Muslim-Majority Countries, With Many Permitting Consumption Under Specific Rules
Saudi Arabia Clarifies No Formal Ban on Photography at Holy Mosques for Hajj 2026
Libya and Saudi Arabia Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Telecommunications Cooperation
Elon Musk’s xAI Announces Landmark 500-Megawatt AI Data Center in Saudi Arabia
Israel Moves to Safeguard Regional Stability as F-35 Sales Debate Intensifies
Cardi B to Make Historic Saudi Arabia Debut at Soundstorm 2025 Festival
U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Raise National Security and Influence Concerns Over Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Wall Street Analysts Clash With Riyadh Over Saudi Arabia’s Deficit Outlook
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Cement $1 Trillion-Plus Deals in High-Profile White House Summit
Saudi Arabia Opens Alcohol Sales to Wealthy Non-Muslim Residents Under New Access Rules
U.S.–Saudi Rethink Deepens — Washington Moves Ahead Without Linking Riyadh to Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia and Israel Deprioritise Diplomacy: Normalisation No Longer a Middle-East Priority
Saudi Arabia Positions Itself as the Backbone of the Global AI Era
As Trump Deepens Ties with Saudi Arabia, Push for Israel Normalization Takes a Back Seat
Thai Food Village Debuts at Saudi Feast Food Festival 2025 Under Thai Commerce Minister Suphajee’s Lead
Saudi Arabia Sharpens Its Strategic Vision as Economic Transformation Enters New Phase
Saudi Arabia Projects $44 Billion Budget Shortfall in 2026 as Economy Rebalances
×