What percentage of companies in SV pay their customer support staff a 'livable wage' for the bay area? If I recall correctly, this community wasn't kind to the Yelp letter girl.
Sure, they have a "choice," they don't have to drive 250 miles and stay at their jobs for a week for low pay. But sleeping in your car to be able to work is, as the say, "not normal." The only reason Uber is able to get away with this is because their drivers' choices are limited. Just like the Jamaicans and similar that come to America to pick and serve strawberries. They're exploited because it's possible.
It's a dilemna, I realize. I rarely go stay at a B&B, for example, and if the B&B paid "American, livable" wages, they'd be too expensive for me to ever go. So maybe a business that provides "services" for things like a place to sleep (and someone to clean up after you) and something to eat (and someone to cook and clean up after you) is simply not sustainable (even though those exploited people would probably rather have the job than not).
Maybe there shouldn't be lots of hotels, restaurants and car services, except for the niche that serve people willing and able to pay enough for those services to in turn pay equitable wages.
Pretty tough to figure out, for me.
(It's because capitalists have stolen all the property and are renting it back to you.)
edit: hn thread from the time: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11138086