This exodus, sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the change in working habits that came with it ...
B-
freaking-S! The exodus from SF and CA began years before Covid! Aggressive bums, increased crime and decreased prosecution thereof, and the predictable housing cost increases due largely to gooberment hindering the building of new housing are all contributors to the exodus. The WFH movement sparked by Covid is, at most, a recent contributor to what has been happening for 10-20 (possibly more!) years.
Personally, I am at my current job because 8 years ago my then employer gave us all ~17 months' notice that they would be shutting down the division and moving the product lines to Pennsylvania or SoCal (depending on the product). Very generous incentives were offered for people to stick it out to the closing
and to move. The reason for the shutdown/move? The cost of housing made recruiting new engineering grads from colleges pretty much impossible.