They hedged their bets, holding on to Joanna’s rent-controlled apartment in San Francisco just in case they wanted to return.

I have LOTS of sympathy for these people.

Also: the couple has struggled to make friends, McIsaac-Kierklo has not yet mastered the language (or learned much of it)…

Is there any possibility that these two things are related?

Jackasses. I think it’s safe to say that San Francisco doesn’t want them back.