Balancing Oakland's Budget
Closing the city’s structural deficit to move toward fiscal solvency and economic growth
How San José Can Fill Its Vacant Ground-Floor Office Spaces to Speed Economic Recovery: Q&A with Erika McLitus and Sujata Srivastava
News / Like many urban centers, downtown San José is grappling with low daytime foot traffic and high vacancies in office and commercial buildings. A new policy brief from SPUR suggests that filling empty ground-floor spaces is a critical first step to long-term economic revitalization. We spoke with the brief's authors, Erika McLitus and Sujata Srivastava, about how SPUR’s recommended policy changes can support local artists and entrepreneurs and bring new energy to downtown.
Equitably Transitioning to Clean Water Heating in the Bay Area: State of Play for 2026
News / The Bay Area is shifting to zero-emission heat pump water heaters by phasing out the sale of smaller residential gas models. Despite the loss of federal tax credits, SPUR’s analysis shows that combining local and state incentives helps many residents purchase heat pump water heaters at prices comparable to those of gas models. However, continued incentives and new financing options are crucial to ensure low-income residents can afford the transition.
Getting In on the Ground Floor
Policy Brief / Downtown San José is a walkable, transit-rich, culturally dynamic urban center. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still grappling with low daytime foot traffic and high vacancies in office and commercial buildings. Filling empty ground-floor spaces is a critical first step in a long-term economic revitalization strategy. SPUR offers 13 recommendations to capitalize on the opportunity these spaces offer for local artists, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses.
SPUR 2025 Impact Report
Impact Report / SPUR’s research, education, and advocacy drive outcomes for Bay Area cities. This year we played an important role in passing state and local legislation to build more affordable housing, secure funding for public transit, reduce carbon emissions, strengthen hazard resilience, and make city government more effective.
Op-Ed: There’s No Fixing San Francisco Without Fixing Its City Charter. Here’s How
News / In an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, SPUR 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’s hands at precisely the moment when flexibility and adaptability are needed most.