1 of 3 San Franciscans want to leave within next three years

About one-third of San Francisco residents said they were likely to leave over the next three years over dissatisfaction with life in the once-teeming metropolis, according to a new survey.

The poll, conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle, found that the public is deeply pessimistic about the problems that have plagued the city for decades.

When asked what they considered the city biggest problems, homelessness took first place, followed by public safety and housing affordability. When asked if they believed those problems would be significantly less severe three years from now, almost 70% responded either “slightly likely” or “not likely at all.”

John Whitehurst, a political consultant, told the Chronicle that he has “never seen voters more upset and angry in San Francisco than they have been over the last two years and continue to be, and that anger gets expressed in many ways.”

He noted two recent indicators of residents’ pent-up rage were the recalls of three progressive school board members in February and District Attorney Chesa Boudin in June.

Roughly 1 in 3 respondents said they were likely to leave within the next three years, and 65% said life in the city is worse than when they moved here.

The Chronicle notes that the city has already lost many of its younger residents during the pandemic, with 20% of people age 25 to 29 leaving between April 2020 and July 2021. Remote worked allowed some professionals to keep their lucrative San Francisco-based jobs while moving to more affordable places, “hollowing out” the city’s business corridors.

Racism was also a perceived issue that seemed to be growing. When asked how much racism makes it difficult for San Francisco to solve its biggest problems, more than 60% said either a “moderate” amount, “a great deal” or “a lot.” That figure was highest among black and Asian residents (73% and 70%, respectively) and lowest among white residents (56%).

The Chronicle survey was conducted after the district attorney recall in June. The 1,653 respondents reportedly matched the demographics of the city and answered more than 90 questions each.

“I just remember the hippie generation, and it was all about, take care of your friends, brotherly love. And that is totally gone," said one 53-year-old poll respondent. He expects the high cost of living will force him out of the city when he retired.