One year into his mayoral term, Daniel Lurie has certainly left his mark on the San Francisco community. From the new free concert series every first Thursday of the month, the closing of the Great Highway, and local muni lines being cut or reduced, Lurie’s impact has been noticeable to residents. But as the city adjusts to his new agenda, a new poll of SHC students and faculty offers a look into how Lurie’s first year in office is being received.
In a recent survey of 127 SHC students and faculty, the poll asked respondents if they or their family voted for Daniel Lurie last year. Of the 128 responses, an overwhelming 44.1% of respondents were unsure of their family’s decision on who they cast their vote for last November. On the other hand, 44.9% of respondents voted for or know their family voted Daniel Lurie into the Mayoral office of San Francisco, displaying a booming majority, with only 11% of voters in the SHC circle voting for other candidates. In the election, Lurie ran against St. Ignatius alumni and former interim mayor, Mark Farrell, previous mayor of San Francisco London Breed, and District 3 supervisor Aaron Peskin. The final race between Daniel Lurie and London Breed ended with Lurie taking the new role of mayor.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s poll of Mayor Lurie’s approval showed an approval rating of 73%, one of the highest approval rates in the country. In our poll, we found very similar results. 71.6% of respondents said they are either very or somewhat satisfied with Lurie’s first year of his tenure. 26.8% of students and faculty were neutral on Lurie’s term. With this relatively large number of respondents feeling neutral, students may need to find time to research who their mayor is. With the majority of students ranging from ages 14-18, we are all hopefully going to be eligible to vote in the next election. Being informed about the causes we care for and the leaders we have is essential as we become voting citizens in America.
Lurie’s administration has brought light to many issues that have been prevalent in the city for many years. Crime rates have gone down by nearly 30% citywide since Lurie took office. On social media, Lurie has been very active, and he frequently posts videos addressing accomplishments for the city as well as addressing the people’s urges. Since his social media has reached such a broad audience of SF, he ends most videos with “We are bringing back San Francisco,” and it seems that his tactics are working, as many new events and live music around the city have brought city morale up as a whole. It seems that the SHC community agrees, as nearly 70% of respondents believe city image and vibe have affected the SF community in a positive way while also effectively handling big issues.
A large issue that respondents are still not completely sold on is Lurie’s policy is homelessness. It can be argued that San Francisco has one of the worst homeless crises in the country. Previous administrations have tried to fight the crisis, but no method has been enough to solve the issue. The poll shows that a large number of the SHC community believe that the issue can be handled better, as SHC is near the Tenderloin district, which is the main concentrated hub of homelessness in the city. Lurie announced on Tuesday, November 11, that he plans to arrest homeless drug users and send the people to treatment and sobriety centers in hopes of getting people off the streets and providing resources to those who need them.
Though Lurie has shown himself to be a very active mayor, the SHC community has shown they approve of his term, but there is still work to be done. Lurie’s tactics on handling city image have helped keep people in the city and strengthen their love for the city and its culture. Regarding the work still needing to be done, Lurie does not have the odds in his favor due to the constant failure of past mayoral terms to handle the homelessness and drug crises within the city. But with the city being “on the rise,” we can come together as a city and make our home the best it can be.
