Your Voice Your Vote 2024

Live results
Updated: Nov. 10, 10:03 AM ET

National Election Results: presidential

republicans icon Projection: Trump is President-elect
226
312
226
312
Harris
70,858,691
270 to win
Trump
74,535,467
Expected vote reporting: 94%

San Francisco mayor defends city's reputation, argues 'hard decisions' must be made for progress

"We have to keep working towards solutions," London Breed said.

November 19, 2023, 9:57 AM

While San Francisco's struggles to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic are well known, as images of tent-lined sidewalks, empty downtown storefronts and broken car windows become all too common sights, Mayor London Breed says she has not lost hope -- and that progress is being made.

"When people are coming to San Francisco, they are surprised that things aren't as bad as what they thought they were," Breed told Martha Raddatz in an interview at City Hall for ABC's "This Week."

"Are things perfect in San Francisco? No they're not. Are they perfect in any other city in the country or in the world? No, they are not. But we continue to work aggressively at it in order to solve some of our most pressing problems," Breed said.

The city last week hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, marking the biggest gathering of world leaders in San Francisco since the U.N. charter was signed there in 1945. Breed said she saw the conference as an opportunity for her city, which has long held strong economic ties to Asia and served as an American "gateway" to the region.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed speaks with ABC News' Martha Raddatz at City Hall.
Julia Cherner/ABC News

"Our relationship with China has been important because of the people who not only live here, but also the people who conduct business here," Breed said. "We're really excited about the opportunity to build on the economic prosperity that we know can exist when those relationships are solid."

The conference came at a critical time for San Francisco, which has struggled to recover after COVID shutdowns intended to limit the spread of infection and death from the virus.

Breed acknowledged San Francisco's reputation was affected by the lockdowns at the start of the pandemic three years ago, but she said that the public health choices were life-saving.

"San Francisco shut down first, and we got a lot of attention. At first it was very negative, that we would shut down San Francisco to deal with a global pandemic, and eventually we saw that we saved so many lives from the decisions we made, and then San Francisco was a leader during COVID," Breed insisted.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed speaks to the press prior to the arrival of President Joe Biden at San Francisco International Airport for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, Calif., Nov. 14, 2023.
Brittany Hosea-Small/Reuters

She also referenced the scrutiny the city frequently receives, including from conservatives who seek to paint it as a failure of liberal politics. (Breed and many other San Francisco leaders are Democrats -- and have been for decades.)

"We are used to the kind of attention that we get, sometimes not necessarily fairly, but we are committed to dealing with the challenges that exist here," she said.

At the same time, the city's economy has shifted as, post-shutdowns, major companies withdrew from in-person offices that were a local staple.

Breed said empty offices didn't tell a complete story about her city and that going forward, areas like downtown had to be adapted to be more than just retail.

"I think that sometimes people equate the vacancy rate for office in downtown with what's happening in San Francisco, but San Francisco has created a number of new neighborhoods where people want to be that’s unlike what downtown has been," she said.

Breed, who was first narrowly elected mayor in a crowded 2018 special election, insisted San Francisco is seeing progress thanks to her administration's homelessness and crime policies.

While law enforcement data shows San Francisco is not nearly among the country's most violent cities per capita, it has grappled with poor public perception and higher rates of property crime. A Gallup survey from July found that barely half of Americans said they rated San Francisco as safe to live in or visit.

Breed told Raddatz that things are getting better.

"We have since 2018 helped over 10,000 people exit homelessness in San Francisco," she said. "When you look at the data of what is happening with our crime numbers over the past five years, they are showing a decline, especially with car break-ins, burglaries and other challenges that people are talking about."

Still, Breed has faced some criticism in recent months for her proposal to mandate drug screenings and treatment for welfare recipients, with recent headlines alleging a "swing to the right."

"Do you think you're coming down too hard on this?" Raddatz pressed.

Breed said it wasn't her idea alone.

"What is important to note here is when I put forward the legislation in order to require treatment for people suffering from addiction, if they want to receive general assistance from the city, this came from people who are former addicts themselves, who felt that San Francisco was not being as aggressive as they should have to help people get clean and sober, especially in light of the number of people who are dying from drug overdoses on the streets of San Francisco every single day," she said.

"I'm willing to do what's necessary in order to save lives," Breed added. "No, it's not always the popular thing to do, and this is not about right or left. This is about -- do we want to save lives, or do we want to continue to do things the same way we've done them? And I'm willing to take the kinds of risks necessary in order to save lives just like I did during COVID."

ABC News' Martha Raddatz sits down with Mayor London Breed at San Francisco City Hall.
Nathan Luna/ABC News

A lifelong San Franciscan who was raised by her grandmother in public housing, Breed said her background makes her uniquely positioned to deal with the city's challenges.

"I grew up in the most challenging conditions of the city and lived over 20 years of my life in public housing in the midst of the crack epidemic that destroyed our community, so I've lived in these kinds of conditions," Breed said.

She lost her sister to a drug overdose, and her brother is serving time in prison for involuntary manslaughter and armed robbery.

"In my community, that was normal. It wasn't just my family that suffered a lot of challenges. It was everyone I lived next to," Breed said.

"Growing up in poverty, I didn't want to live like that for the rest of my life," Breed told Raddatz. "I felt that there was something better. And, fortunately, I was able to go to college. But that didn't happen for everyone that grew up around me."

San Francisco Mayor London Breed discusses challenges facing her city with ABC News' Martha Raddatz at San Francisco City Hall.
Nathan Luna/ABC News

Despite the challenges San Francisco faces, Breed said she holds steadfast optimism about its future.

"The thing that gives me hope is the fact that finally some of the policy decisions, some of the financial investments, some of the things that we've been working towards are working," Breed said.

"You are optimistic and you are doing things and you're making changes. But people see what's happening," Raddatz said, noting a "degradation" over time -- and concerns about homelessness or what it's like to walk out on the streets.

Breed responded that San Francisco is not the only city experiencing such challenges.

"The difference is how we are handling it here," she said, going on to tout a controversial initiative in which police detain people who use drugs in public and then try to get them sober.

"We have made the courageous decision to make arrests of not only people who are dealing drugs, but people who are using drugs. We're getting help from the U.S. attorney's office, from the Drug Enforcement Agency, from our federal and state partners," Breed said. "That is really helping us to make an impact on our streets. That has not happened before. The kinds of partnerships that are helping us deal with the challenges of San Francisco are finally starting to show a difference on the streets of this city."

"At the end of the day, yes, we have problems," she continued. "I'm not pretending that we don't. But we can't just throw our hands up. We have to keep working towards solutions. And we have to be prepared to make the hard decisions to get to a better place, and that is what I have done."

Popular Reads

ABC News Live

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
mfhoudan.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
jerusalemdispatch.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
worldhealthstory.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
techguroh.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com