Crain's San Francisco 7-6-2017

YOUR NEWS FOR THURSDAY, JULY 06, 2017

With prices surging, developers can’t build enough homes

A CoreLogic report revealed prices for single-family attached and detached homes in California rose 5.8 percent between May 2016 and May 2017. A shortage of available homes drove the price hikes. Developers aren’t building enough to keep pace with the demand, and it’s only going to get worse, said CoreLogic President and CEO Frank Martell. (Los Angeles Daily News)

San Francisco Sex Workers Battle For Rights, Legitimacy

In San Francisco and across the country prostitution remains illegal, with the exception of some rural Nevada counties. But that doesn’t stop it from happening. The Polaris Project, an anti-human trafficking organization, found that as many as a third of all massage businesses in San Francisco are advertising erotic services online. (CBS San Francisco)

Women say Tesla factory is a ‘predator zone’

A slew of scandals highlighting some of Silicon Valley’s less admirable traits such as its seemingly pervasive “bro culture” may have opened a can of worms. According to a story published by The Guardian Wednesday, one female employee at Tesla described the factory floor as a “predator zone” and a number of employees said they had experienced catcalling.(SiliconANGLE)

Google could be hit with 2nd massive fine from the EU

Google Inc. is bracing itself for a second massive fine from European Union regulators, as another antitrust case nears its conclusion. The case relates to Google’s Android platform and its dominance of the mobile device market in Europe, according to a report from Reuters. (SiliconANGLE)

Qatar Airways says it is exempt from U.S. laptop ban

Qatar Airways announced early Thursday it is exempt from the U.S. ban on electronics in aircraft cabins on flights from the Middle Eastern country’s capital city to America. “Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport have met with all requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new security guidelines,” the airline said in a press release.(Fox Business)

30-year-old asthma drug might lead to new diabetes treatment

The anti-inflammatory drug amlexanox was invented in Japan in the 1980s to treat asthma but was quickly eclipsed by more effective treatments. Now a team of scientists led by the University of California at San Diego is looking at repurposing the drug in an entirely new setting: Type 2 diabetes.(FierceBiotech)

Crash tests raise questions about safety of Tesla Model S

A new set of crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety questions Tesla’s claim that the Model S is the safest car in history. In fact, the person who oversaw the Model S crash tests tells CNBC, “If you’re looking for top-line safety, we believe there are other, better choices than the Model S.” (CNBC)

Brands worry that Twitter underestimates impact of bots

Earlier this year, a brand started seeing unusual levels of engagement on Twitter. The account was generating more followers and more retweets. This would have been a welcome development – if only it weren’t mostly bots and fake accounts prompting the sudden popularity. (Ad Age)

Mall owners pay up to stay relevant in Amazon era

Costs are escalating as mall owners work to keep their real estate up to date and fill the void left by failing stores. The companies are turning to everything from restaurants and bars to mini-golf courses and rock-climbing gyms to draw in customers who appear more interested in being entertained during a trip to the mall than they are in buying clothes and electronics.(Ad Age)

Analysts react to Volvo’s bet on electric and phaseout of traditional engine

Volvo, in the face of competition from electric-vehicle makers such as Tesla, General Motors and Nissan, plans to go fully electric or plug-in hybrid, phasing out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine. The longtime Swedish automaker is the first major automaker that plans to transition from the standard powertrain that has propelled the industry for more than 100 years. (Automotive News)