Boomtown Boomtown

San Jose, the self-described “Heart of Silicon Valley,” has been dragging behind the rest of the region in terms of city budgets and services. You could say San Jose didn’t have the dumb luck to be home to one of the tech firms that blew up in this latest boom, like Google or Facebook. But increasingly, San Jose is getting a piece of the action. Reporter: Rachael Myrow.

The tech boom is pumping unprecedented riches into the region. But San Jose is barely in the black after years of deep deficits and painful cutbacks. How can that be? And what will it take to turn things around? Reporter: Rachael Myrow

Tens of thousands of San Franciscans live in converted garages, attics and basements: commonly known as "in-law units". Until recently, most of these were technically illegal. But the housing crunch prompted supervisors to not only bring them out of the shadows, but also find ways to create new in-law units. These creations are also inspiring creativity in people looking for ways to make in-laws better places to live. Reporter: Stephanie Martin-Taylor

The longtime owner of the Buena Vista trailer park is trying to close it down and capitalize on the land. About 400 mostly low-income residents have been fighting to stay put. Silicon Valley real estate is soaring in value these days. And now, a nonprofit is offering to run the park if the owner will sell. Reporter: Peter Jon Shuler

Poet, painter and publisher Lawerence Ferlinghetti provides a historical perspective on San Francisco's boom, as someone who has seen booms and busts over the decades. Joanne Jennings spoke with him in the city's North Beach neighborhood.

We hear a lot about how tech workers are earning high salaries, gentrifying neighborhoods and driving up rents. But hearing from these workers directly, on-the-record, is rare, and there is a reason for that. Reporter: Sam Harnett