Publication Type
Topic
Geography
Date Range
Snell and 70th Avenue, Oakland

ϴSponsors State Bills to Promote Housing Production

News /
Among the many state housing bills ϴis advocating for this year, we are sponsoring five in particular that would facilitate housing production through transit-oriented, mixed-income, and affordable residential development. The bills tackle issues from lack of transparency about the total costs of a project’s development impact fees to attempts by jurisdictions to thwart the so-called Builder’s Remedy.
red report cover with a graphic of an org chart becoming more organized and rational

Designed to Serve

ϴReport
Over time, San Francisco’s governance structure has evolved to distribute authority and maximize oversight. As a consequence, policies don’t always meet the needs of the people they were intended to serve. The lack of clear, coordinated action to address big challenges has led to a growing perception that city government isn’t working. SPUR’s latest report outlines how San Francisco can choose to design a better system that supports leadership and empowerment with clear lines of accountability.

ϴand coalition ask governor to unfreeze emergency transit funds

Advocacy Letter
In response to California's budget deficit, Governor Newsom's Administration put a spending freeze on numerous agencies, which also impacted the release of emergency transit operating partners. In June, ϴand our Survive + Thrive coalition partners once again came together to urge the administration to make funding available to transit operators for transit operations and capital projects. In July, the governor released that critical funding to operators to avoid cutting service.
Montgomery Station, San Francisco

Senators Put Pause on Bill to Authorize a Regional Measure to Fund Transit

News /
A bill that would have authorized the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to place a regional transportation revenue measure on the ballot in 2026 has been paused, bringing the prospect of severe transit cuts ever closer. ϴsupports a recently announced effort by MTC to identify a path to a new bill that would be introduced in the 2025 legislative session.
Sarah Atkinson Headshot

The Climate Threat Beneath Our Feet and What Policymakers Can Do ϴIt: Q&A With Sarah Atkinson

News /
Bay Area residents are keenly aware of the threat of sea level rise as the planet warms — but most of us know far less about the impacts of groundwater rise. In the Bay Area, those impacts will be felt long before sea level rise causes overland flooding. That’s one of the takeaways of a new ϴcase study that examines how one Bay Area community, East Palo Alto, would likely be affected in the absence of adaptation efforts. We spoke with author Sarah Atkinson about her findings.
100 Van Ness, San Francisco

Rethinking Revenue: Business Tax Reform in San Francisco in the Era of Remote Work

News /
The rise of remote work and other economic changes have exposed vulnerabilities in San Francisco’s business tax structure. The city’s controller and treasurer have studied potential tax reform recommendations for a possible November 2024 ballot measure. Their proposal aims to increase the city’s economic resilience, create more transparency for taxpayers, and help struggling small businesses.
Report cover with abstract illustration of groundwater rising up toward underground pipes and the buildings above ground

Look Out Below

ϴReport
Bay Area cities planning for sea level rise need to address another emerging hazard: groundwater rise. ϴpartnered with community-based organization Nuestra Casa to investigate how rising groundwater is likely to affect one Bay Area city: East Palo Alto. Our case study explains specific risks and offers five recommendations — all applicable to other vulnerable communities along the San Francisco Bay shore.

ϴSupports Becker's Senate Bill 382 on Single-Family Residential Property Energy Systems Disclosures

Advocacy Letter
ϴjoined s a support letter on Senate Bill 382 which would require a the seller of single-family residential properties to disclose information related to electrical systems of the property, and to disclose the existence of any state or local requirements relating to the future replacement of existing gas-powered appliances installed at the property. The bill will help prospective buyers seek safe and healthy living conditions, and learn about existing electrical systems so that they can make informed purchases.
Amanda Eaken Headshot

SFMTA Board Chair and Muni Fan Amanda Eaken on Making San Francisco Streets Safer and More Welcoming

News /
Traversing city streets on foot or by bike can be a hair-raising experience. Ten years ago, San Francisco launched Vision Zero to take the scary out and put the convenience in when it comes to moving around without a car. Since then, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has made streets a more welcoming place, but challenges remain. We asked SFMTA Board Chair Amanda Eaken about changes she’d like to see and how residents can more effectively advocate for safer streets.
Eli, Katie, and Grecia standing in front of a brick wall

Introducing Fullwell: SPUR’s Food and Agriculture Program Launches as a New Organization

News /
This month, SPUR’s Food and Agriculture policy program starts a new chapter as an independent organization. Staff members Eli Zigas, Katie Ettman, and Grecia Marquez-Nieblas are leaving ϴto launch Fullwell, a nonprofit public policy group working to put an end to food insecurity and create a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. As we wish them well, we take a look back on the program’s successes over its 13 years at SPUR.
Participants in SPUR's workshop on downtown San José

Developing the Next Steps to Revitalize Downtown San José

News /
Ten years ago, ϴoffered six big ideas to make downtown San José a more welcoming, vibrant, and pedestrian-friendly space and to strengthen the city’s presence on the regional stage. Those ideas have currency today, as post-pandemic shifts affect foot traffic and activity downtown. This spring, ϴconvened a workshop focused on implementation priorities for the urban core’s revitalization and surfaced questions for future policy research.
Blue report cover with title and subtitle in white text

Solving the Panel Puzzle

Policy Brief
Switching home energy uses from fossil fuels to electricity will improve air quality and meet state climate goals. But California’s plan to decarbonize its buildings is getting bogged down by the complexities and costs of electric panel and service upgrades. ϴsuggests three strategies and 17 recommendations to overcome these barriers. By adopting policy changes, California can facilitate the transition to a climate-friendly, climate-ready built environment and serve as a model for other states.
First page of toolbox

Fossil-Free Heat

Policy Brief
In an effort to improve air quality, Bay Area regulators have passed regulations to phase out the sale of gas heating in buildings. ϴand our partners in the Bay Area Clean Air coalition created this toolbox to enable policymakers and advocacy groups to identify strategies and action that will support the transition to zero-pollution, both in the Bay Area and in other jurisdictions seeking to move away from gas heating.
Tiled portraits of ϴBoard of Directors and City Advisory Boards members

Welcome 2024–25 ϴBoard Directors and City Advisory Board Members

News /
This month, 12 years after SPUR's regional expansion, the organization ushered in a new board governance structure. Our smaller, 30-member Board of Directors will provide fiduciary and strategic leadership to the organization in partnership with our three City Advisory Boards, which will support SPUR’s local research and advocacy efforts. These new appointees bring extensive knowledge in planning, housing, transportation, good government, economics, and sustainability and resilience.

ϴSupports and Seeks Amendments to SB 1031 to Fund Transit

Advocacy Letter
ϴsupports and seeks amendments to SB 1031 (Wiener, Wahab), enabling legislation for a future regional transportation revenue measure. ϴstrongly supports finding new funding to support transit operations and we have been working with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, legislative staff and other advocates to advance and shape SB 1031 as this complex bill advances through the legislative process.

ϴproudly co-sponsors SB960 (Wiener) to create safer roads and reliable transit

Advocacy Letter
ϴis proud to co-sponsor and support Senate Bill 960 alongside CalBike, Street for All, AARP, and WalkSF. Senate Bill 960 is designed to make state-owned highways in California safer and more convenient for all users. If enacted, this bill would redouble the state’s efforts on improving roadway design on state highways to achieve the following goals: ● Reduce deaths and serious injuries by making state-owned roadways safer by design; ● Give transit riders a more reliable and predictable trip with transit priority treatments; ● Create a virtuous cycle of growing ridership that, in turn, reduces climate pollution, increases equitable mobility, and improves transit’s fiscal sustainability.

ϴComments on Draft 2024 High Speed Rail Business Plan

Advocacy Letter
ϴprovided comments on the California High Speed Rail Authority's 2024 Draft Business Plan. While ϴapplauds the progress the Authority has made on the Central Valley segment of the project we remain deeply concerned about the overall lack of funding to complete the full statewide program.
California State Capitol

ϴSponsors State Housing and Transportation Legislation

News /
ϴis co-sponsoring a number of state bills this year and lending advocacy support to many more. Our focus this legislative session is on designing safer streets and addressing California’s housing affordability and availability crisis. Here’s a look at the legislation we’re sponsoring.

Letter to the Mayor from SF Climate Emergency Coalition

Advocacy Letter
ϴadded it's support to a letter to Mayor Breed organized by SF Climate Emergency Coalition to defend funding for key staff positions at San Francisco Department of the Environment. SFE's request of $1.8 million in FY 2024-25 and $1.6 million in FY 2025-26 is tiny portion of the city's budget, but would defend staff critical to leveraging tens of millions in grant funding for climate mitigation and resilience programs.
Report cover with title and subtitle in white text on blue background

Small and Mighty

Policy Brief
San Francisco’s small businesses face multiple challenges: a notoriously complex regulatory environment, rising costs, and a slow economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges are even more acute for small businesses in the downtown area, which has still not recovered its office and visitor customer base. ϴidentifies seven interventions to support the small business sector in San Francisco.