The higher prices for housing are because of politically induced scarcity through zoning density restrictions. SF, NYC, LA, Boston, DC, London, and other cities suffer from these "market failures" in this case called "economic rents." The result is a regressive "tax" transferring wealth from renters to landlords. Income that should be going towards goods and services are going toward landlords such as Donald Trump instead making landlords far wealthier than they would be in an efficient market.
In NYC, there was formerly a politically induced scarcity of taxi medallions (limited to 13,000) with the result that medallions had a market value for $1.2 million and taxi riders paid higher fares to help cover the higher taxi leasing prices of drivers. Once Uber/Lyft came to town, the politically induced scarcity was no longer occurring as there were many more taxi-like vehicles. The result: taxi medallions dropped in value to $700,000 and Uber/Lyft rides have been getting cheaper (but still far higher than LA, Chicago).
See (Harvard Economist) Edward Glaeser: Build Big Bill
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/build-big-bill-article-1....
and
Financial Times columnist and BS, MS Economics Oxford Tim Harford: The Undercover Economist
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NIDW1Q/
Many people complain about the high cost of living, but the issue is simply political. High tech people, particularly need to get involved in politics to help make housing more affordable for all. Simply fix the "rent seeking" laws that restrict zoning density.
In the 19th century, David Ricardo wrote about the "Corn Law" which placed high tariffs on all grain imported to England with the result that landlords that owned land that grain was grown on realized far greater "economic rents" amounts of money for their land while other people paid for for basic food such as bread. Ricardo went into politics to help reverse the Corn Laws with the result that landlords no longer realized their regressive tax on consumers while food prices decreased.
The housing problem is simply another case of "Corn Laws."
In particular, Google (Alphabet) has a profit making subsidiary called Sidewalk Labs for improving cities.
https://www.sidewalklabs.com
From the website:
"Sidewalk Labs is a new type of company that works with cities to build products addressing big urban problems."
City Labs is in a position to use Google's resources to make housing more affordable. Google owns one of the largest office buildings in NYC and Sidewalk labs is located in NYC, so NYC might be a good place to start.
Like Ricardo's case of reversing the "Corn Laws" this is simply reversing unfair laws that benefit landlords over renters and make housing unaffordable. No increase in taxes are required.