{"rewrite":{"id":"r_e7b6af13f4e16360c84d8577","clusterId":"c_f2bfd7a7efb3af7bff159334","slug":"a-housing-simulator-where-san-francisco-says-no","model":"deepseek-v4-1-flash","headline":"A Housing Simulator Where San Francisco Says No","summary":"A browser game called Discretionary Review casts the player as a San Francisco housing developer. Starting in January 2015 on the default Developer setting, the player files a 55-unit proposal at 2918 Mission St., faces resident opposition, a protected-tree review, and a mid-2016 affordable housing rule, and fails the first investor goal by January 2017 with 34 units left standing.","whyItMatters":"The review documents a game whose stated premise is that the city side does not want the city built, and its mechanics are drawn from real contested sites and real policy changes.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe game runs on a monthly clock at adjustable speed, with funds and expenses across the top and a San Francisco map marking land that was contested in the real world. Clicking a plot explains it; clicking each proposal brings up its numbers. A button in the corner compares the in-game law at that moment with real-world events.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA 55-unit, 6-story condominium at 2918 Mission St. carries a 36 million dollar construction cost and a projected 45 million dollar value and 26 percent return, above the investors\u0026#39; 12 percent benchmark. By January 2017 the first investor goal is unmet.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Discretionary Review is a browser game about building housing in San Francisco. A 55-unit Mission St. proposal runs into residents, a protected tree, and a 2016 affordability rule. By January 2017, the first investor goal is missed.","twitterPost":"A San Francisco housing simulator called Discretionary Review has you file a 55-unit proposal at 2918 Mission St., survive resident opposition and a protected-tree review, and miss the first investor goal by January 2017.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Discretionary Review is a browser city-builder where the city does not want to be built. You start in January 2015 as a developer, file a 55-unit project at 2918 Mission St., and confront residents, a tree designation, and a 2016 affordability requirement. The first investor deadline passes unmet.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"GIGAZINE\",\"url\":\"https://gigazine.net/news/20261015-san-francisco-housing-simulator/\",\"title\":\"I tried to build 55 housing units, but 3 years later it was down to 34: Playing \\\"Discretionary Review,\\\" a game where you're at the mercy of residents and the government\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4678,"outputTokens":579,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1792076828,"createdAt":"2026-10-15T15:01:42.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-10-15T15:06:05.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-15T15:06:05.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_f2bfd7a7efb3af7bff159334","canonicalTitle":"住宅を55戸建てようとしたら3年後には34戸に、住民と行政に振り回されるゲーム「Discretionary Review」をプレイしてみた","representativeArticleId":"a_5aafcd4b1592d5054a87e2af","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Discretionary Review\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"review\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-10-15T14:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-10-15T14:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-15T15:06:05.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"GIGAZINE","url":"https://gigazine.net/news/20261015-san-francisco-housing-simulator/","title":"住宅を55戸建てようとしたら3年後には34戸に、住民と行政に振り回されるゲーム「Discretionary Review」をプレイしてみた"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Discretionary Review"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"review","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}
