SPUR Publications

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. SPUR helped develop the law, which includes robust oversight measures to ensure fair fund distribution and requires transit operators to improve financial efficiency.

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. SPUR is investigating collaborative financing models and new partnerships to effectively and equitably address climate risks.

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’s housing goals.

Multifamily condos made up only 3 percent of new housing built in California between 2011 and 2021, compared to 38 percent in Canada. Why? A new report commissioned by the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and SPUR identifies a direct consequence of our state’s construction defect liability laws: the high cost of insurance for condo builders pushes developers to build rental apartments instead of for-sale projects that could create more affordable homeownership opportunities.

An October deadline for amending local energy codes has inspired many California cities to accelerate adoption of energy efficiency and sustainability “reach” codes, which SPUR helped develop. Because the deadline makes some exceptions for home hardening and emergency standards, Bay Area cities are reassessing their options to exceed the state minimum requirements for resilient building design. Doing so offers big savings but requires incentives to offset upfront costs.

On November 4, 2025, Santa Clara County voters will weigh in on a proposed measure to temporarily raise the county sales tax from 9.125% to 9.75%, estimated to generate $330 million per year until it expires in 2031. While sales taxes are regressive in nature, Measure A would directly benefit low-income and vulnerable communities by backfilling some of the deep federal funding cuts to social safety net services such as Medicaid. SPUR recommends a YES vote on Measure A.

SPUR collaborates with Nuestra Casa to address critical environmental and public health issues, such as groundwater rise and drinking water safety, in East Palo Alto. We asked Nuestra Casa Environmental Justice Fellow Osvaldo Macias about the fruits of this partnership. He explains how our work together has advanced impactful research while extending his organization’s reach and influence in advocating for policy changes.

California has dramatically expanded wildfire spending over the past decade, but most resources still go toward fire response rather than proactive resilience measures like vegetation management, home hardening, and community preparedness. To match the scale of rising wildfire risks, the state must increase and maintain resilience investments.

The 2025 California legislative session was a critical one for averting a transit fiscal cliff. As the session drew to a close, SPUR worked with our partners to focus on three issues: securing critical short-term loans for transit operators; passing Senate Bill 63, which authorizes a regional transit funding measure for the November 2026 ballot; and maintaining funding for transit within the renewal of the the state’s Cap-and-Invest Program.

This summer, SPUR hosted a talented group of policy researchers through partnerships with fellowship and practicum programs at high schools, colleges, and graduate programs. Learn more about the work they did with SPUR and where they headed after collaborating with us.

Why should voters in one county care about funding transit in another? Because the Bay Area’s transit system is very regional. SPUR research found that Bay Area transit trips are 70% more likely to cross county lines than car trips, making the success of all transit agencies vital to the region’s health. We dug into the impacts of the looming $800 million annual deficit and why Senate Bill 63 is the best hope to save Bay Area transit.

San Francisco’s proposed Family Zoning Plan would allow thousands of new housing units to be built in west side neighborhoods that haven’t seen much growth in decades. What would a population increase like this mean for traffic and mobility in this part of the city? SPUR delved into local transportation data and made some surprising discoveries about traffic and commute patterns.

Bay Area Air District rules phasing out the sale of gas-fired space and water heating equipment will lead to the steady transition to heat pumps in homes and the realization of enormous health and environmental benefits. A thoughtful implementation process will ensure the rules are on track for success. SPUR recommends four actions to strengthen that process.

Most residents are unfamiliar with their city’s charter — the foundational legal document that functions as a city’s local constitution and shapes nearly every aspect of its governance. As San Francisco and Oakland consider changes to their city charters, SPUR dives into what a charter is, how it works, and why it’s important to everything from the powers of elected officials to how public services are delivered.

In California, it takes too long and costs too much to build infrastructure of all kinds, including transit. A new report from Circulate San Diego in partnership with SPUR details the challenges that transit projects face during the permitting process and ways to overcome them. Powerless Brokers charts a set of possible next steps for the state legislature following a momentous year for infrastructure streamlining.

Hazard mitigation and climate adaptation investments — overlooked until disaster strikes — reduce long-term damage, save lives, and lower recovery costs. Yet just as the stakes of climate hazards skyrocket, the federal government has begun to retreat from its leadership role in mitigation, leaving states and local governments scrambling to fill the gap.

The City of San Francisco has implemented all six of SPUR’s recommendations to accelerate adaptive reuse projects. By converting obsolete office buildings into housing, the city will provide significant economic, social, and environmental benefits: more housing for workers, support for small businesses and cultural organizations, increased office space value, and greater property and sales tax revenues.

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’s new planning director, the 2007 recession was revelatory: no matter a city’s vision, market realities and risk management dictate development outcomes. That realization sparked Sarah Dennis-Philips’ 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.

Heat pumps can heat and cool buildings, reduce greenhouse gasses, and improve indoor and outdoor air quality. So why aren’t 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’s Sam Fishman explains current permitting headaches and walks us through how to smooth the way to a gas-free future for buildings.