Mayor Lurie reflects on city's progress 1 year after taking office: 'San Francisco is on the rise'
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie says his city is on the upswing after years of high crime, a widespread drug epidemic and an exodus of businesses.
"Our progressive values sort of overtook common sense," Lurie told "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl in his first network sit-down interview since taking office one year ago.
A political outsider and an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, Lurie was elected in the fourteenth round of ranked-choice voting in 2024, beating incumbent London Breed by 10 points. He ran on a pledge to fix public safety and revitalize the city, which famously struggled to rebound after the COVID pandemic.
Now, both property and violent crime are down and some retail stores are returning, according to Lurie. San Francisco is "a city that has its good vibes back," he said.
"We lost our way as a city," Lurie went on. "I think we got away from the basics of government. Now, today, if you come to San Francisco to commit a crime, we're going to catch you and we're going to prosecute you."
Lurie pointed to the 44% drop in motor vehicle theft, which skyrocketed in the city after the pandemic.
"There's nothing progressive about car break-ins. You know, you could drive by blocks and blocks and see car windows smashed," Lurie added. "This past year, we're at a 22-year-low when it comes to car break-ins. We have fundamentally shifted what's happening and how people feel."
The moderate Democrat has enjoyed popular polling numbers -- his approval rating hit 73% in July among registered San Francisco voters, according to a San Francisco Chronicle poll.
During the in-person interview, Karl and Lurie walked through the city's North Beach neighborhood, where residents thanked the mayor for his work and asked for photos. "Best mayor ever!" shouted one woman as the cameras rolled.
Crime fell 25% in 2025, according to police statistics, but the city is still struggling with open-air drug markets. Lurie has increased police enforcement but acknowledged there’s still work to do.
Another campaign pledge Lurie made was to address the city’s homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. One of his biggest legislative victories last year was passing his Family Zoning Plan, which allows for taller and denser housing on the north and west sides of the city. He has also celebrated the lowest tally of homeless tents in San Francisco since 2019.
He said homelessness is intertwined with the fentanyl epidemic, which he said caught San Francisco "flat-footed."
"We kept putting people with addiction into shelter, into housing, with no support," Lurie said. "We've changed our approach on that here in San Francisco this past year. We're no longer just handing out drug supplies and letting people kill themselves on the street."
Lurie has partnered with the business community to supplement city programs, such as announcing private funding for new shelter beds and revitalizing the city’s downtown.
"I am pro-small business. I am pro bringing conventions back to San Francisco. I'm pro-big business being here in San Francisco and my demand of the business community is get involved in our city, get involved in our public schools and in our arts and culture," Lurie said.
Lurie also worked with the city’s business leaders when President Donald Trump announced he was going to send the National Guard to San Francisco. After calls with the business community and Lurie, Trump later changed his mind.
"I told [Trump] what I'm telling you, and I'm telling the world that San Francisco is on the rise, our numbers are going in the right direction in terms of our economy, crime is down," Lurie said. "I think, you know, I think people have an outdated notion of what was happening in San Francisco. I think we've proven that it was the right decision."
Lurie said his call with Trump lasted almost a half hour.
"He asked me if I was a Democrat and I said, sir, I was born and raised in San Francisco. Yes, I'm a Democrat. So I appreciated the conversation with him. I will work with anybody that wants to help San Francisco and, of course, when the president calls, you talk," Lurie added.
