Meet San Francisco's 'permanent underclass' — and the ones who think they still have a shot

Kacie Barrett, a 26-year-old project manager in San Francisco, described downsizing her internet package and moving from a studio apartment to a shared room as living costs rose amid the city's AI boom. She said she now cooks most meals, goes out once a month, and uses the cheapest gym she could find. Barrett told Business Insider she feels she is living like a college student rather than an adult. The term "permanent underclass" has circulated online for months.

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