San Francisco Residents Reported Improved City Services
A new city survey shows higher satisfaction grades for governance, libraries, and parks compared to previous years.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Civic Engagement
Live Poll
Do you feel the quality of life in your city is generally improving?
The city of San Francisco released a survey of 2,505 residents showing an increase in satisfaction with local government and city services. Scores for safety, utilities, and governance have improved since 2023.
Why it matters
The survey results provide a snapshot of public sentiment regarding the city's performance in key areas like safety and infrastructure. Tracking these sentiment shifts allows officials to measure the effectiveness of municipal policy changes.
The survey of 2,505 residents shows government and safety both earned a B grade, while libraries and parks received a B+. Street conditions received a C+ grade, marking the lowest performance metric among the reported categories.
The players
Office of the Controller
This San Francisco city agency is responsible for independent oversight and fiscal management of municipal operations.
InterEthnica
This firm specializes in public opinion research and demographic analysis for government and private sector clients.
EMC Research
This is a full-service opinion research firm that provides data-driven insights to public agencies and political organizations.
The details
Commissioned by the Office of the Controller, the survey was conducted by polling firms InterEthnica and EMC Research. Residents continued to identify housing and cost of living as significant concerns alongside homelessness.
Timeline
The first resident survey was conducted in 1996.
Survey scores in 2015 were similar to the current results.
In 2023, the government received a C grade.
The 2026 survey results were released on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Political Context
The 2026 results show a departure from the lower satisfaction levels recorded during the 2023 San Francisco resident satisfaction survey. Critics often point to persistent housing and street condition metrics as evidence that underlying systemic issues remain unaddressed by current policy.
Residents may notice changes in municipal priorities following the identification of homelessness, housing, and cost of living as top concerns. The improved grades for parks and libraries suggest potential shifts in funding and service availability that could impact daily community life.
The takeaway
The latest resident feedback indicates a measurable shift in public perception of municipal performance compared to previous years. Officials will likely use this data to refine resource allocation strategies for the upcoming fiscal cycle.
Further reading
For more information on how residents participate in local governance, visit San Francisco Civic Engagement.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mission Local.
Live Poll
Do you feel the quality of life in your city is generally improving?
