San Franciscans see the city turning a corner—and they overwhelmingly support giving police the modern tools needed to keep that progress going.
The Direction of San FranciscoWould you say things in San Francisco are going in the right direction, or would you say they are off on the wrong track?
The turnaround is real. For the second year in a row, a majority of San Franciscans say the city is on the right track, and the number keeps climbing.
The most serious problems facing San FranciscoDo you think each issue below is an extremely serious problem, a very serious problem, somewhat serious problem, or not too serious a problem for residents of San Francisco?
Change in concern, July 2025 → July 2026
Concern is easing on almost every issue we track, and fear about crime is fading fastest. Worry about property crime saw the biggest one-year improvement of anything on the list.
Affordability is the exception. Housing costs were the only top concern to stay flat, and they now sit at the very top of the list. The city's defining problem is shifting from street conditions to the cost of living here.
Is San Francisco getting better?Here are some issues that San Francisco city government has been working to address. For each one, please indicate if you think this issue is getting much better, somewhat better, somewhat worse, or much worse over the past year. If you think it has stayed the same, you can select that option.
Residents are seeing a positive change in street conditions. On trash, drug use, and homelessness, far more voters say things improved over the past year than say they got worse.
These are the city's most visible problems, and on all three, voters say the city is delivering.
Police cameras and dronesCurrently, SFPD can only monitor live footage from cameras in public safety hotspots in limited circumstances. Would you support or oppose allowing SFPD to monitor these cameras in real-time at all times in hotspots like open-air drug markets in the Tenderloin and the Mission, to help deter crime and hold offenders accountable?
Suppose restrictions were added to protect civil liberties to the proposal to allow SFPD to monitor these cameras in real-time in hotspots like open-air drug markets in the Tenderloin and the Mission. In that case would you support or oppose the proposal?
Some people have proposed expanding the use of drones and camera technology by other city departments. Here are some potential uses. For each one, please indicate whether you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose expanding the use of camera technology for this use.
Crime has fallen sharply over the past two years, thanks in part to SFPD's use of technology like cameras and drones to catch suspects in the act. San Franciscans back these tools by wide margins even after hearing the arguments against them.
Moreover, voters support the further use of technology. Most would put cameras to work beyond policing, from stopping illegal dumping to preventing fatal overdoses.
More tools for public safetyAs you may know, the San Francisco Police Department is currently the only major city police department in the United States whose patrol officers are not equipped with tasers. Tasers are designed to provide officers with a non-lethal option to subdue suspects and reduce the need for more serious uses of force. Would you support or oppose allowing San Francisco police officers to carry tasers?
Do you support or oppose the San Francisco Police Department repeatedly directing people who are openly dealing or using illegal drugs in public spaces to disperse and leave the area?
San Francisco is the only major American city whose patrol officers do not carry tasers, and voters want that to change.
On open-air drug markets, voters overwhelmingly support active police enforcement to shut them down and restore safety and order to public spaces.
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