image of data infographics from research publications

SPUR Publications

SPUR articles, research, policy recommendations, and our magazine, The Urbanist

Advanced Publications Search

A Bolder Vision for Downtown Oakland

News /
After years of work, the City of Oakland is close to completing a specific plan for downtown Oakland. While the current draft is a great improvement over earlier drafts, SPUR believes that the plan needs to be more visionary and that it should encourage both jobs and housing — and put them in the right places.

Bringing Big Ideas to Life in San José

News /
For San José, 2019 was a year of planning for the big ideas launched in 2018. The city made major progress on the policy analysis, planning processes and community dialogue needed to realize those visions, with some notable milestones.

It Takes a Village

Policy Brief
San Jose’s 2040 general plan proposed “urban villages” as a key strategy for sustainable growth. These higher-density, mixed-use urban places would concentrate new offices, stores and housing in locations accessible by transit, foot or bike. But only a handful of the 60 designated urban villages have projects underway. SPUR recommends strategies to remove barriers and successfully implement San Jose’s urban village vision.

Don’t Dismiss Transportation Pilot Projects: We Need More Wild Ideas

News /
When cities and transit agencies pilot new kinds of services, the early ridership numbers are not always strong, leading many to dismiss the new ideas — and the agencies for trying them. But this skepticism undermines the purpose of pilots: to test new ways to get people out of their cars. Rather than pooh-poohing pilots, we should embrace them as a chance to learn.

A New Vision for Coyote Valley

News /
San Jose’s Coyote Valley is a paradox: Just 20 minutes south of downtown, miles of farmland and open space provide natural habitat for rare and endangered species. For a decade, locals have debated whether to preserve the land or build manufacturing space and grow jobs. Last week, San Jose City Council settled the debate, agreeing to purchase and preserve more than 900 acres.

Kincade Fire: It Will Take a Region to Combat Our Shared Threats

News /
The Kincade Fire has forced the largest-ever evacuation of Sonoma County and threatens areas that are still recovering from the devastating fires of 2017. As the climate changes, the threats to California communities are becoming more frequent and more severe. And if we don’t plan regionally, the resilience investments we do make may not have the expected payoff.

2019 Silver SPUR Awards: How Michael Krasny's Storytelling Informs and Engages San Francisco

News /
2019 Silver SPUR Honoree Michael Krasny, Ph.D., is a professor of English language and literature at SFSU and host of KQED’s “Forum with Michael Krasny .” He discovered literature at a young age and has been telling poignant stories through his numerous books and radio show ever since. Michael serves the public through broadcast journalism that spreads information about the world’s most pressing topics.

2019 Silver SPUR Awards: How Jane Graf Pursues Her Belief That Housing Is a Human Right

News /
2019 Silver SPUR Honoree Jane Graf is the president and CEO of Mercy Housing, one of the nation's largest affordable housing organizations. She seeks to provide affordable, reliable housing options for the Bay Area's most vulnerable populations. Currently, she is working on transforming affordable housing in the Sunnydale-Velasco neighborhood, a partnership with Hope SF.

2019 Silver SPUR Awards: How Charles M. Collins Empowers Children From All Backgrounds

News /
2019 Silver SPUR Honoree Charles M. Collins is president and CEO of YMCA of San Francisco and serves on numerous commissions. With his leadership, the YMCA is a sustainable organization focused on human growth and potential, especially on empowering children in leadership. His extensive experience in law, city planning and real estate led to the Downtown Plan for San Francisco.

2019 Silver SPUR Awards: How Nínive Calegari Infuses Care into Education

News /
2019 Silver SPUR Honoree Nínive Calegari is an educator, nonprofit co-founder, award-winning film producer, and bestselling author. She advocated for the importance of teachers w ith her book, Teachers Have it Easy , and her film, American Teacher. The Teacher's Salary Project fights for wages to reflect the prestige of the profession. She engages community youth through Enterprise for Youth and 826 National.

How California Can Stop Sprawl, Reduce Emissions and Strengthen Regional Economies — All at the Same Time

News /
California can address many of its issues at once by adding new jobs and housing around passenger rail stations. In September, SPUR partnered with Governor Newsom's Regions Rise Together initiative to hold a half-day workshop for California cities with rail stations. Together we asked: How can the state help cities spur compact growth and economic development near rail?

Solving the Bay Area’s Problems Means Embracing the Collective Us

News /
At this year's Silver SPUR Awards, Alicia John-Baptiste, SPUR’s new president and CEO, shared her approach for addressing the problems facing the Bay Area: Our challenges have divided us, she argued, but working on them collectively could bring us together.

Four Trends Shaping the Future of Downtown San Jose

News /
San Jose — long known as the bedroom community for Silicon Valley — has struggled to grow its job base. But four new trends in downtown development may be about to change that. In 2014, SPUR made recommendations for how to encourage growth downtown. Five years later, we are seeing these ideas unfold — with positive indications for San Jose’s financial footing.

How Oakland’s Housing Boom Can Help Prevent Displacement

News /
Oakland’s annual rent increase has slowed dramatically as the amount of new housing has skyrocketed. Some developers are even offering free rent to lure prospective tenants. This is welcome news for renters who can afford market-rate rents, but the benefits are not limited to them. New research demonstrates that construction of market-rate housing can have positive effects for those who already live in the neighborhood.

$30 Million in Soda Tax Revenue: What Will It Fund in San Francisco and Oakland?

News /
San Francisco and Oakland will spend a combined $29.5 million in soda taxes this year. Now that elected officials have passed budgets in both cities, we can answer two questions: How do both cities plan to spend the revenue? And have San Francisco and Oakland followed the recommendations of their respective soda tax advisory committees?

It’s Time to Think Bigger About the Future of Caltrain

News /
As Silicon Valley’s economy and population grow, the Peninsula is in dire need of transportation solutions. Caltrain has the potential to provide frequent, all-day transit service that could greatly reduce driving and serve more people. To deliver on this service vision, Caltrain must also develop a bigger organizational vision. One that enables it to meet the needs — and challenges — of the future.

What Will It Take to Deliver Bus Rapid Transit in the Bay Area?

News /
Bus rapid transit has been delivering better transportation options in cities around the world for 20 years — but it’s still a work in progress in the Bay Area. O nly one BRT project has been built here, and others have encountered significant hurdles. What will it take to deliver BRT in the Bay Area?

Updating San Jose’s Urban Vision

News /
Every four years, the City of San Jose reviews and updates selected elements of its general plan, Envision San Jose 2040. Since the last review in 2015, the city has seen incredible demand for development, which requires the community to think comprehensively when it comes to this year's update. SPUR supports the items the city proposes to focus on and suggests additional items to consider.