After pandemic gloom, are Bay Area residents feeling more optimistic about the region?

"The gloomy mood that settled over the Bay Area in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is finally showing signs of breaking. A new survey of residents across the region found nearly half agree the Bay Area is headed in the right direction, up from 38% last year and just 29% in 2023. The annual poll conducted by the Bay Area News Group and Joint Venture Silicon Valley, an economic think tank, seeks to capture the tenor of the times."

"Still, the poll revealed 53% believe the region is headed in the wrong direction, and nearly 60% said the quality of life in the Bay Area has worsened over the past five years. When asked which issues pose a serious problem for the region, large majorities agreed that housing costs (96%), the cost of living (95%), homelessness (94%) and wealth inequality (80%) are significant challenges."

"Antonio Arango, a 64-year-old Concord retiree, was among those more optimistic about the Bay Area's future. He credited recently elected big-city mayors for working to tackle homelessness and public safety, as well as attract workers and businesses to downtown areas. Arango, who spent decades living in San Francisco after hitch-hiking to the West Coast from Pennsylvania at the age of 18, credited new Mayor Daniel Lurie with reinvigorating The City by the Bay, which he described as the "driving force" of the region."

A new survey found nearly half of Bay Area residents now say the region is headed in the right direction, up from 38% last year and 29% in 2023. Fewer people are leaving the region compared with the pandemic exodus. Crime is largely declining after recent surges, and some cities are making progress on homelessness. New political leaders are pledging fresh approaches to public safety and downtown revitalization. Despite growing optimism, 53% believe the region is headed the wrong way and nearly 60% say quality of life has worsened in the past five years. Major problems persist: housing costs (96%), cost of living (95%), homelessness (94%), and wealth inequality (80%).

Read at The Mercury News