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IN DEFENSE OF
SAN FRANCISCO |
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Here's a shocker for you. Time Out Group, a worldwide media
and entertainment company founded in 1968 and based in London, England,
surveyed 27,000 global city dwellers and came out with its annual list of
world's best cities to live in.
Yep, San Francisco was rated #1, followed in the top ten by
Amsterdam, Manchester, Copenhagen, New York, Montreal, Prague, Tel Aviv,
Porto (Portugal) and Tokyo. That's some select company, and San Francisco
is on the top.
I didn't believe it when I heard it, either. Most people go
nuts when I relay the information to them. Everyone is so used to bashing
San Francisco that they've become blind to the positives.
I'm guilty as charged. I wrote a column a couple of months
ago decrying the lawlessness that seems to be rampant in the city. It
struck a chord, and readers responded with similar complaints, vowing to
never visit again. I didn't argue with them.
I now think we're all wrong. The positives far outweigh the
negatives, and it's time we accentuate the positives. San Francisco needs
a good PR agent, and I'm stepping up.
Not convinced? How about U.S. News and World Reports analysis
of the 150 most populous metro areas in the United States? San Francisco
came in at #15 of the best places to live in this country for 2021-2022.
Boulder, Colorado was #1, and that certainly makes sense. No other
California city was in the top 30.
I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I've had a love
affair with the City for as long as I can remember. The last few years
have been a bit bumpy, like all relationships, but these surveys are a
reminder that my love is not misplaced.
Walk along the beach at Crissy Field in The Presidio and spin
around. The Golden Gate Bridge is looming majestically to the west, Angel
Island and Alcatraz across the water to the north, the dramatic skyline to
the east, and the hills and neighborhoods to the south. Few other cities,
if any, can compare with that setting.
I know---no one questions San Francisco's natural beauty. The
problem is we don't appreciate it enough. We focus instead on the dirty
streets, the crime, the homeless and the political circus.
Valid points all around, and worth discussing. But what about
the positives? The vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, from West Portal,
where I grew up, to Chinatown. Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, the Castro,
Union Street, Clement Street---all wonderful examples of a great city.
Stroll down the Embarcadero, past the Exploratorium, past the
markets in the glorious Ferry Building, past the open piers with their
stunning views of the Bay, past the spectacular Oracle Park, home of the
best team in baseball (for the moment). Continue into San Francisco's
newest neighborhood, Mission Bay, with its world-class hospital. We do a
lot of things right.
There's so much more. Golden Gate Park, the beaches, the zoo,
the restaurants, the bars, the shopping, even the weather. Not too hot,
not too cold.
San Francisco is, and always will be, the "cool, grey
city of love," as the poet George Sterling called San Francisco many
years ago. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't think he would be spinning
in his grave with its current state. He'd acknowledge the problems, and
keep moving forward.
All cities have problems. Based on conversation, you would
think San Francisco has the highest homeless population in the country.
Not even close. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, New York City has 77,943 homeless, Los Angeles 63,706. San
Francisco has 8,124, even less than Seattle.
Crime? Drugs? Dirty streets? Mental health? Always issues,
and never going away. Every city struggles with solutions, and San
Francisco is no exception.
As I wrote before, I'm all in favor of new leadership.
The School Board is a national joke, and San Francisco's wildly
progressive policies are the source of much of the ridicule that San
Francisco suffers. So go ahead and bash the leaders and cry out for
change, but don't bash the city.
As these surveys so beautifully point out, San Francisco is a
leader in the world when it comes to culture, sense of community,
friendliness, job market, and high quality of life. I'm not sure it's the
#1 city in the world, but my heart swells with pride to realize someone
else thinks so. |
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