DrugsHomelessnessSan Francisco

One of America’s most liberal — and derelict — cities might finally be waking up. San Francisco voters have just plumped for two new laws which give police additional powers to combat crime and require adults on city welfare to undergo screenings for drug use. Propositions E and F were voted through by 63% and 60%, respectively, startling figures for a city long associated with lawlessness and drug dependency.

Last year a flagship branch of Whole Foods was shut down for the sake of employee safety, after a spate of shoplifting and violence, just days after tech executive and Cash App founder Bob Lee was stabbed to death. The city’s population has declined markedly as residents have become disillusioned with the failure to tackle inequality and widespread vagrancy amid a significant budget deficit. What could have shocked San Franciscans into action? Perhaps they watched a documentary exploring their failing city.