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黑料传送门Publications

黑料传送门articles, research, policy recommendations, and our magazine, The Urbanist

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Sacramento Gave Bay Area Transit a Lifeline, But Transit Is Not Out of the Woods

News /
After an especially fraught budget season, Governor Newsom signed the state budget into law on June 30, providing critically needed relief funding for public transit. The lifeline from the state will buy time to avoid service cuts in the near term. Long-term stability hinges on passage of a tax measure and reauthorization of the Cap-and-Trade Program.

For San Francisco鈥檚 New Planning Director, Failure and Flexibility Can Spell Progress

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For San Francisco鈥檚 new planning director, the 2007 recession was revelatory: no matter a city鈥檚 vision, market realities and risk management dictate development outcomes. That realization sparked Sarah Dennis-Philips鈥 curiosity about how capital flows and public policies influence what actually gets built. In a world where planning, land use, and growth are no longer predictable or sequential, Sarah says the role of city planner has expanded from designer and regulator to strategist, facilitator, and problem solver.

The Red Tape Holding Back Heat Pump Adoption, and What to Do 黑料传送门It: Q&A with Sam Fishman

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Heat pumps can heat and cool buildings, reduce greenhouse gasses, and improve indoor and outdoor air quality. So why aren鈥檛 they more common in California? A web of complex requirements, restrictive zoning and planning codes, excessive documentation requirements, and high fees have hindered adoption. SPUR鈥檚 Sam Fishman explains current permitting headaches and walks us through how to smooth the way to a gas-free future for buildings.

Timing Is Money: Transitioning Homes to Electric Energy When the Financial Burden Is Lightest

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黑料传送门supported a recent Berkeley ordinance that motivates investments in zero-emissions home retrofits by taking advantage of home sales to require energy upgrades. Berkeley鈥檚 time-of-sale approach balances consistent investment with flexible compliance pathways for retrofits. It鈥檚 just one approach cities can take to expand their decarbonization toolboxes.

Greenlighting Clean Heat

Policy Brief
California and the Bay Area are using zero-emission appliance rules, building codes, and climate action plans to move the heating appliance market and consumers toward a gas-free future for buildings. But fragmented and outdated permitting systems are posing a barrier to adoption of electric appliances and delaying their health and climate benefits. 黑料传送门offers five recommendations to streamline and standardize permits to improve safety, lower costs, reduce burdens on contractors and consumers, and create a fairer, more efficient system.

Balancing San Francisco鈥檚 Budget, Part 3: Closing the Structural Deficit

News /
San Francisco faces an unprecedented fiscal crisis as rising costs and stagnant revenues drive a growing structural deficit. With a projected $1.47 billion deficit by FY 2029鈥30, city leaders must now make tough choices, including cutting costs, redefining core services, improving budget management, and updating the city charter. The third article in our series looks at structural solutions that can help the city avoid future instability and ensure a sustainable fiscal future.

From Uncertainty to Opportunity: 黑料传送门Exhibition Reframes the Climate Change Narrative

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SPUR鈥檚 exhibition Watermarks: Postcards from the Future invited attendees to approach the challenges of inland and coastal flooding from a perspective of opportunity rather than distress and uncertainty. The exhibition and related events were inspired by three SF Climate Week questions: What if we reframe our relationship with water as one of coexistence rather than control? What if adaptation projects could both revive natural ecosystems and improve public access to the waterfront? What if adaptation needs also create space for community empowerment and equitable action?

Balancing San Francisco鈥檚 Budget, Part 2: Revenues and Expenditures

News /
A city鈥檚 budget reflects its priorities and values 鈥 and choices made over the years. San Francisco鈥檚 $15.9 billion budget for 2024鈥25 is increasingly constrained, with only 18% of funds remaining truly discretionary due to legal mandates, voter-approved set-asides, and other restrictions. Key revenue sources have become more volatile since COVID, and rising costs leave limited flexibility to adapt to changing fiscal conditions. In this article, we take a deep dive into the city鈥檚 revenues and expenditures.

State Legislature鈥檚 Fast-Track Housing Package Includes 3 SPUR-Sponsored Bills

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The California State Legislature鈥檚 鈥淔ast-Track Housing鈥 package addresses the state鈥檚 housing crisis on multiple fronts. 黑料传送门sponsored three of the package鈥檚 bills and is working on four other bills that would make it easier to build critically needed housing, including in transit-rich areas where increased density could boost transit use and help the state meet its climate goals.

Balancing Oakland鈥檚 Budget

黑料传送门Report
Oakland faces a fiscal crisis that is years in the making. For decades, revenues have failed to keep pace with rising costs for pensions, health care, and operations. To close its structural deficit, Oakland must commit to following its own sound financial policies, align on a budget stabilization plan, make structural changes to municipal operations, and promote long-term thinking to grow Oakland鈥檚 economy inclusively. 黑料传送门offers nine recommendations to achieve these goals.

Balancing San Francisco鈥檚 Budget, Part 1: The Budget Process

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Meeting San Francisco鈥檚 many challenges, from accelerating housing production to revitalizing downtown and improving transportation operations, hinges on a lasting fix for the city鈥檚 structural budget deficit. As city leaders work to address a projected budget shortfall of $817 million for fiscal years 2025鈥2026 and a nearly $1 billion deficit for fiscal years 2027鈥2028, they must grapple with voter-approved spending mandates and a budget process that limits their options.

How SF鈥檚 New Mayor Should Spend His Next 100 Days: Q&A With Sujata Srivastava

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Part of SPUR鈥檚 role is to articulate clear principles and goals for urban policymaking. As San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie鈥檚 administration passes the 100-day mark, 黑料传送门offers a decision-making framework to help the new mayor and his administration set priorities and maintain momentum in the face of complex and evolving challenges.

Mayor Lurie鈥檚 Family Zoning Plan Is a Leap Forward for San Francisco Housing Policy

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Mayor Lurie鈥檚 recently proposed Family Zoning Plan increases the likelihood that San Francisco will meet its state-set goal to build 82,069 new homes. The plan would remove regulatory obstacles to building dense multifamily housing in most neighborhoods and create new opportunities to build housing near schools, businesses, and transit. Critically, it would remedy historic patterns of segregation by dismantling hallmarks of exclusionary zoning in the city鈥檚 northern and western neighborhoods.

What It Will Take to Close Oakland鈥檚 Structural Deficit, Part 3: Balancing Budget Priorities

News /
On May 1, Oakland鈥檚 interim mayor will roll out the city鈥檚 proposed 2025鈥2027 budget, which will look to address a $280 million projected deficit over the next two years. As Oakland navigates this moment of leadership transition, policymakers, administrators, employee unions, and community must work together to find creative ways to reduce spending and grow revenues. Although the structural budget deficit cannot be closed in this budget cycle, the city can pass a balanced budget that commits to sound financial practices, lays the foundation for reforms to Oakland鈥檚 governance structure, and builds the city鈥檚 capacity to grow economic prosperity for all Oaklanders.

The Next 100 Days

Policy Brief
San Francisco鈥檚 new mayor has made significant strides in his first 100 days in office. To maintain the momentum for change, the Lurie administration will need to set priorities in a time of many competing needs. SPUR鈥檚 new brief offers a framework for developing policies to streamline government operations, revitalize downtown, create more housing, support transit, prepare for climate hazards and earthquakes, and reduce fossil fuel use.