Blacks Fleeing San Francisco

Since this is in my neck of the woods I thought I’d include this little tidbit.

The city of San Francisco seems to have just realized that Black folks are leaving in droves (btw: it’s not just black folks either) and they’re not sure why. Sigh.

Gee, could it maybe be the astronomical cost of living, poor public schools, and unsafe neighborhoods? It’s no wonder African-Americans are rapidly abandoning this famously progressive city.

San Francisco officials have vowed to stop the exodus and develop a strategy to win blacks back to the city. In June, Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed a task force to study how to reverse decades of policies -- and neglect -- that black leaders say have fueled the flight.

According to Census estimates, the number of blacks here shrank from 13.4% of the population in 1970 to just 6.5% in 2005 -- the biggest percentage decline in any major American city.

"San Francisco's strength is the fact that we don't just tolerate our diversity, we celebrate it," Newsom says. "One of the real gifts of living in this city is living together and advancing together across every conceivable difference. There's magic to that."

Well let’s see what magic the city’s task force pulls out of its hat. I doubt it’ll be more than a little white rabbit…