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IN DEFENSE OF
SAN FRANCISCO

   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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