photo of San Francisco City Hall

The Next 100 Days

An urbanist decision-making framework for San Francisco’s new mayor

illustration of people helping each other climb a staircase made of red tape

Purchasing Power

Improving San Francisco’s procurement process to deliver more equitable services

bicycle rider in a green bike lane on an urban street

Success on the Street

How California’s CEQA exemption can help cities build modern mobility faster

Mural painted on the headquarters of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District

Culture as Catalyst

How arts and culture districts can revitalize downtowns

Illustration of houses plugging into electricity

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

Planning an equitable transition away from fossil fuel heat in Bay Area buildings

How the 15-Minute City Concept Can Help Shape the Evolution of San José’s Urban Form

News /
Many cities grappling with post-COVID-19 economic recovery have seized on the concept of the “15-minute city,” where people can meet most of their needs within a short walk or bike ride from home. San José embraced similar principles in 2011, when it proposed “urban villages” as a key pillar of its general plan. ϴbelieves the 15-minute city concept can help San José evolve its urban form to support a more equitable and sustainable future.

Buildings: The Weak Link in California’s Race to Slow Climate Change

News /
California homes and workplaces are failing to keep pace with the clean energy transition — so much so that the buildings sector could scuttle California’s 2050 net-neutrality goal. Assembly Bill 593 (Haney), now before the California legislature, would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a pollution-cutting plan for buildings that fast-tracks progress by centering equity in implementation.

Revitalizing San José’s Downtown: Five Strategies

News /
San José’s downtown has been hit hard by the impacts of hybrid and remote work. Its office occupancy rate is the lowest among the ten largest U.S. metros, and tax revenues in the city’s Downtown Growth Area have decreased in line with the drop in commuters there. City leaders, with the support of other downtown stakeholders, can adopt five strategies to revitalize downtown as a central social district.

The World Is Coming to San Francisco. Will Public Transit Be Ready?

News /
World political and business leaders are coming to San Francisco later this year for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit. The Bay Area will use the event to highlight its innovation leadership. Ironically, the region’s claims to environmental leadership and the pursuit of equity will be undercut by a public transit system in freefall — unless the state acts quickly to use readily available and more-than-sufficient funding to help transit agencies step back from a fiscal cliff.