Mayor Edwin M. Lee today issued the following statement on San Francisco’s unemployment rate dropping to 3.1 percent in April 2016, based on preliminary unemployment numbers released by the California Employment Development Department (EDD):

“When I took office five years ago, the unemployment rate neared double digits, our City’s economy was hit hard in a great recession, families faced joblessness, and we were forced to make cuts to vital services and public safety to balance our City’s budget. Now we are near full-employment with the lowest unemployment rate since 2000. We are experiencing a tremendous economic recovery from our unrelenting focus on putting people back to work and bringing opportunity and hope back. A strong economy is key to addressing our challenges and ensuring that our City’s prosperity benefits every single resident, including our seniors, youth and families. We are investing like never before in affordable housing, transportation, public education, public safety, and in the quality of life in our neighborhoods, all while maintaining record levels of reserves and our highest credit rating in our City’s history.”

San Francisco’s unemployment rate is now tied with Marin County for second lowest in the State among California’s 58 counties.