San Francisco Declares Homicide Rate at 70-Year Low Amid Significant Crime Reductions

San Francisco officials have recently announced substantial declines in crime across the city, with homicides reaching a 70-year low. This declaration comes amidst ongoing public discourse regarding the actual state of public safety, as evidenced by social media commentary questioning previous claims of decreasing crime. City and state leaders attribute these positive trends to enhanced law enforcement strategies and collaborative efforts.

According to an October 2025 announcement from Governor Gavin Newsom's office, San Francisco has seen a "nearly 30%" reduction in overall crime. Mayor Daniel Lurie further specified that homicides have decreased by 45% and robberies by 40% between 2019 and 2025. Former Mayor London Breed also reported a 14% drop in violent crimes in 2024 compared to 2023, with only 35 homicides recorded, marking the lowest figure in six decades.

Property crime figures also show significant improvement, with car break-ins reaching 22-year lows, according to Mayor Lurie. Former Mayor Breed announced a 31% decrease in reported property crimes in 2024 from the previous year, with auto break-ins falling by 54% from 2023 levels. The city's total crime index reportedly declined by 42.0% between 2023 and 2025, bringing crime to levels not seen since the early 2000s.

Officials credit these improvements to accelerated police staffing, leveraging innovative technology, and close coordination with state and federal law enforcement partners. Governor Newsom stated, "our crime is down," emphasizing the impact of significant funding and dedicated partnerships. Mayor Lurie highlighted a "new approach using every tool available" to keep streets safe and clean.

Despite these official statistics and pronouncements, public sentiment, as reflected in online commentary, sometimes questions the veracity of these claims. For instance, Jenny G. Shao recently tweeted, "> But, but, but…I tawt crime was down. Didn’t some elected San Francisco official(s) proclaim this with graphs?" This highlights an ongoing debate and the challenge of aligning official data with public perception, especially as some crime categories like gun assaults, shoplifting, and drug offenses have seen exceptions to the overall downward trend.