Since you’ve submitted this prompt twice, I’ll assume you’d like a fresh take or a variation on the previous response. Below is a revised news article with a different angle, focusing more on the tech CEOs’ perspectives and the broader economic stakes, while keeping the core event—Mayor Daniel Lurie’s plea at the StrictlyVC event—intact.
SF Mayor Lurie’s Plea to Tech CEOs: “How Can We Get You Back?” Sparks Mixed Reactions
San Francisco, CA – April 5, 2025
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie threw down the gauntlet to tech CEOs at TechCrunch’s StrictlyVC event on Thursday night, issuing a candid call to action: “How can we get you back?” The question, posed to a room of industry titans and startup founders, reflects Lurie’s urgent mission to lure tech giants back to a city battered by post-pandemic decline. With downtown’s economic pulse faltering and tech’s center of gravity shifting elsewhere, the mayor’s outreach has ignited a debate among Silicon Valley’s elite—some see a lifeline, others a long shot.
Lurie, a political rookie and Levi Strauss scion who took office in January, framed his pitch as a personal crusade. “I’m not waiting for you to call me—I’m calling you,” he told the crowd, recounting recent chats with CEOs about reversing the exodus that’s left San Francisco’s office vacancy rate at a staggering 34.2%. He touted early wins: a new Permit SF initiative to streamline startup approvals, launched April 2, and a pledge to tackle homelessness and drug markets head-on, including axing a free-paraphernalia program this week. “We’re cutting the red tape and cleaning up the streets,” he said. “San Francisco’s ready to be your home again.”
The plea lands as the city rides an AI-fueled resurgence—OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI have set up shop here—yet struggles to reclaim its pre-2020 glory. Tech CEOs, once anchored in SF’s urban buzz, have scattered to remote hubs or sunnier climes like Austin and Miami. Elon Musk’s X famously decamped to Texas, while others downsized local footprints. Lurie’s ask isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about dollars. Downtown’s tax base, once buoyed by tech payrolls, has cratered, with property values dropping 20% since 2022, per CBRE data. “If tech doesn’t return, we’re looking at a $1 billion budget hole by 2027,” warned UC Berkeley economist Enrico Moretti.
Responses from tech’s C-suite vary. Ryan Peterson of Flexport, a logistics unicorn, cheered Lurie’s “pro-business vibe” from the StrictlyVC stage, hinting he’d consider expanding SF operations if housing and safety improve. “I love the energy here, but my employees need to feel safe walking to work,” he said. Sam Altman of OpenAI, a Lurie ally via the Partnership for San Francisco, has stayed mum but is reportedly mulling a bigger presence if the city delivers on infrastructure. Others are less convinced. “Nice words, but I’m not moving back until I see results,” tweeted a Bay Area founder on X, echoing posts skeptical of Lurie’s ability to fix entrenched issues like tent encampments and petty crime.
The stakes are personal for tech leaders too. Many cut their teeth in SF’s startup scene—Peterson launched Flexport here in 2013, and Altman’s early ventures thrived in the city’s orbit. Yet, remote work’s rise and SF’s high costs (median rent hit $3,500 last month) have dulled its allure. Lurie’s betting on a mix of incentives—like tax breaks floated this week—and a cultural reboot to win them over. “This isn’t just about offices; it’s about being where the future’s built,” he said, nodding to AI’s momentum.
Skeptics, though, see a disconnect. “Lurie’s talking to CEOs, but workers don’t want to commute into a mess,” one X user posted, referencing the mayor’s push for a four-day in-office mandate for city staff starting April 28—a policy some fear could alienate hybrid-friendly tech firms. Others question if his billionaire background blinds him to grassroots fixes. Still, Lurie’s undaunted, promising to “keep knocking on doors” until SF’s tech heart beats strong again. For now, the CEOs are listening—but they’re not packing their bags just yet.
By Staff Writer, Silicon Scoop
This version shifts the lens toward the CEOs’ viewpoints, adds economic context, and tweaks the tone to emphasize their hesitancy versus Lurie’s optimism. Let me know if you’d like further refinements!