Balancing Oakland's Budget
Closing the city鈥檚 structural deficit to move toward fiscal solvency and economic growth
There鈥檚 No Fixing San Francisco Without Fixing Its City Charter. Here鈥檚 How
News / In an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, 黑料传送门argues that the San Francisco City Charter is due for an overhaul. What was meant to be a concise constitutional framework has become a detailed and disjointed instruction manual. Riddled with outdated, duplicative, and overly specific provisions, the charter ties the city鈥檚 hands at precisely the moment when flexibility and adaptability are needed most.
Charter for Change
Policy Brief / San Francisco's 548-page city charter, expanded through amendments over time, is hindering effective governance and solutions for housing affordability, public safety, climate resilience, and other critical issues. The November 2026 election offers a chance to update it. Our policy brief proposes 10 changes that, if approved by voters, would empower city leadership, improve outcomes, access, and accountability, and create a more effective and responsive government.
Connect Bay Area Act Authorizes a Regional Tax Measure to Save Transit
News / Transit may get some much-needed funding thanks to the newly passed Connect Bay Area Act, which authorizes the placement of a five-county sales tax measure on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, the measure could generate about $1 billion annually for transit operations. 黑料传送门helped develop the law, which includes robust oversight measures to ensure fair fund distribution and requires transit operators to improve financial efficiency.
Financing Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation, Part 3: Existing Tools Are Not Enough
News / As federal support for climate resilience diminishes and state funding ebbs and flows, local governments and residents are increasingly burdened with hazard mitigation and adaptation costs. They are relying mainly on municipal funding mechanisms, such as taxes and bonds, that are insufficient and often inequitable. 黑料传送门is investigating collaborative financing models and new partnerships to effectively and equitably address climate risks.
Governor Newsom Signs Four SPUR-Sponsored Housing Bills Into Law
News / This month, Governor Newsom signed into law 45 housing-related bills, including four sponsored by SPUR. We played a critical role in developing these bills, which aim to facilitate low- and middle-income multifamily housing near transit. The bills address zoning, mixed-income housing on commercial properties, transparency in housing production, and traffic impact fees, significantly advancing the state鈥檚 housing goals.