I used to live in the Bay Area (Mountain View, 2007-08), but moved away because it was too expensive (ironically, just months before the banking crisis & Great Recession hit). I used to be perplexed why more people didn't also move away, but I finally realized (as the article also explains) that being able to move is an incredibly privileged position to be in. Some people simply can't afford to leave the situation they find themselves in, even if (or because) everything around them is too expensive. This could be because they have no/little savings, have family responsibilities, are dependent on their current employment for specific reasons (like medical insurance), safety reasons, or are dependent on local government services in some specific way. The list is long. Some people are stuck and probably won't get unstuck without major legislative changes that could help them.