San Francisco Mayoral Race Dominated by Concerns About Housing and Crime
As the upcoming mayoral race in San Francisco looms, voters are faced with the decision of choosing a path to lead their city out of a slump. The challenges faced by San Francisco, emblematic of many large U.S. cities post-COVID-19, include an uneven economic recovery and rising cost of living.
Critics of the city's leadership point to a "doom loop" characterized by street homelessness and open-air drug markets, slow downtown recovery, and a high office vacancy rate of 32%. The city has seen a political shift towards the moderate-centrist wing of the local Democratic party, with ballot measures passing for new police surveillance technology and mandatory drug screening for city public assistance recipients.
The mayoral race, set to begin with early voting on Oct. 7, will feature 13 candidates in an instant-runoff, ranked-choice voting system. Incumbent Mayor London Breed faces four major opponents, all Democrats. Breed, who has been leading the city since 2018, has garnered the endorsement of the San Francisco Democrats.
Top issues among voters include crime and public safety, ahead of housing affordability and homelessness. A delay in the election, due to a 2022 ballot measure moving local elections to even-numbered years, may have helped Breed improve perceptions of her leadership.
Crime rates have fallen by 32% year-over-year, attributed to increased police resources and better surveillance technologies. However, critics argue that more needs to be done, particularly in tackling the housing crisis. San Francisco is behind state-mandated housing goals, with only around 500 new units permitted out of a required 82,000.
Homelessness remains a persistent issue in the city, with around 8,000 homeless individuals. Breed's administration has implemented homeless tent sweeps, among other solutions. Progressive-left candidates like Peskin and philanthropist Lurie have criticized Breed's approach to homelessness.
Lurie, who has outspent all other candidates, emphasizes the need to address homelessness through compassionate and humane policies. With contributions from tech executives and venture capitalists, Lurie's campaign aims to bring new perspectives to the mayoral race.
In a city known for its prosperity and unique architecture, the outcome of the mayoral race will shape the future of San Francisco and its residents' lives.