New mayor Daniel Lurie aims to address San Francisco's downtown exodus

San Francisco's newly elected mayor, Daniel Lurie, plans to declare a state of emergency on drugs immediately upon taking office. Lurie, a billionaire and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, defeated incumbent Mayor London Breed by positioning himself as the candidate to address the city's pressing issues, including crime, drugs, homelessness, and housing.

The city has been grappling with a series of challenges since 2020, notably a fentanyl crisis that has claimed 3,300 lives. "We are going to get tough on those that are dealing drugs," Lurie stated in his first press conference post-election. He emphasized a balanced approach towards handling street conditions.

Lurie's campaign also focused on making housing more affordable in San Francisco. Despite high prices due to limited supply, median home prices have seen some decline from $1,436,000 in 2020 to $1,192,000 in 2024. He pledged to build sufficient housing for residents.

The city's struggles have prompted many residents to leave for safer areas with lower living costs. Sam Fitz-Simon, an East Bay Realtor®, mentioned clients leaving due to safety concerns such as finding needles in public spaces.

Downtown San Francisco has seen major retail closures due to rampant thefts. Phil Green of Buy SD relocated his family citing living costs and city changes post-pandemic as reasons for leaving.

Hamilton Lombard from the University of Virginia noted that while out-migration peaked in 2021 with 57,000 residents moving out, it stabilized last year with only 6,000 departures. San Francisco's rich amenities contribute to this stabilization despite continued high migration levels after the pandemic.

Lurie's revitalization promises come too late for some former residents like Green who argue for easing building regulations for affordable housing solutions. Eric Finnigan highlighted that only 3,000 housing units were authorized last year compared to Sacramento's nearly fourfold number.

The Burns Affordability Index shows San Francisco's monthly housing costs consume 81% of buyer income versus Sacramento's 46%. Samantha Sousa expressed skepticism about whether Lurie can reverse these trends but acknowledged potential benefits from his wealthy connections if he engages housing experts effectively.

Cara Ameer suggested financial incentives might be needed to attract businesses and people back given their perceived advantages elsewhere: less congestion and expense alongside safety and climate factors.