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

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What Can San Francisco Do to Address Homelessness?

News /
On June 29, more than 80 Bay Area media organizations contributed to an unprecedented wave of coverage on homelessness. SPUR, together with HandUp, hosted an evening forum, “Housing, Homelessness and the Way Forward for San Francisco,” to report on the challenges the city faces, uncover solutions and inspire action.

Is San Francisco Finally Ready to Make In-Law Units Legal?

News /
San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin recently introduced an ordinance to allow new “in law” housing units across San Francisco. Soon afterward, supervisors Mark Farrell and Scott Wiener introduced a proposal that’s similar but slightly less restrictive. We’re thrilled to see proposals to increase the city’s housing supply moving forward. Now it’s going to be important to get the details right.

Why California Accidentally Encouraged Driving, and How That's About to Change

News /
California cities that want to become more environmentally sustainable are being held back by, of all things, the California Environmental Quality Act. Here’s how an environmental regulation became one of the biggest forces in widening roads to accommodate more cars — and why the state is finally changing this outmoded standard.

A New Pro-Housing Generation Says “Yes In My Back Yard”

News /
A growing collection of like-minded urbanists from around the country have jauntily adopted the label YIMBY or “Yes In My Back Yard.” YIMBYs tend to live in cities. And the thing they most want in their backyards is housing. Last week they met at YIMBY 2016, their first-ever international conference.

Future-Proof Water for Silicon Valley

Research
Silicon Valley’s historically reliable water supply has been essential to its growth. But the last four years of severe drought have revealed the region’s dependence on statewide water availability. Local leaders see sustained conservation and water recycling as the best solution. To assist these efforts, this paper updates the South Bay data in our 2013 report Future-Proof Water and highlights areas for research and partnerships.

What Is Your Radical Idea for San Jose?

News /
If money were no object, what "moonshot" idea do you believe would make the biggest positive impact on San Jose? SPUR is entering its fifth year in San Jose, and we’ve accomplished a lot. As we look toward our next five years, we’re looking for new thinking that could transform the future of the city. We’d love to hear about your vision for San Jose.

San Francisco’s Schools Adopt a Good Food Framework

News /
Many food service institutions in the Bay Area can point to items on their menu to show that they offer healthy, sustainable and fairly made food. But it’s often unclear how deep that commitment goes across the menu as a whole. San Francisco Unified School District, with its $11 million annual school food budget, just pledged to make that commitment clearer and stronger.

What Do Three Mega Projects Tell Us About Silicon Valley’s Future?

News /
Santa Clara's City Place development, San Jose’s Diridon Station Area Plan and Mountain View’s North Bayshore Precise Plan seek to reshape growth in Silicon Valley. What do they tell us about the future of Silicon Valley and what do they mean for the region? Can we expect something different than auto-oriented suburbs? Are we “thinking different” — or repeating the mistakes of the past?

What Is Oakland Doing About Its Housing Crisis?

News /
As housing prices continue to climb in Oakland and stories of displacement circulate, many are asking when the city is going to do something about the housing affordability crisis. Progress may look slow on the ground, but in fact the city has been making rapid progress on a number of fronts.

Go Big and Go Home: Why the Housing Bonus Program Is Good for SF

News /
On June 13, Mayor Lee and Supervisor Tang’s Affordable Housing Bonus Program heads to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ Land Use and Transportation Committee. The program has come under fire from both housing advocates and neighborhood opponents. Recently, Supervisors Mar and Peskin announced a competing proposal. But we still think the original plan is the way to go. Here’s why.

Three Ways Downtown San Jose Just Got a Lot More Urban

News /
In the past few weeks, San Jose has taken three big steps toward creating a more urban and active downtown. These milestones took place with little fanfare, but we think they’re worth celebrating.

Governor Brown’s Solution to the Affordability Crisis: Allow New Housing “By Right”

News /
In May, Governor Jerry Brown proposed streamlining the approvals process for multi-family housing developments that are built in urbanized areas and include affordable housing. If the proposal passes, eligible housing projects would be approved “by right,” and not subject to local approval or review under CEQA. The governor's proposal is not a panacea, but it is a practical, modest step in the right direction .

Back in the Black

SPUR Report
San Jose needs more money. Although the “capital of Silicon Valley” has the highest median household income of any major city in the country, years of budget cuts and staffing reductions have left the city in a precarious position. This report, a collaboration between SPUR and Working Partnerships USA, explores how San Jose can bolster its resources and deliver high-quality public services.

Saint Clare Coffee Comes to the SPUR Urban Center

News /
SPUR’s forums bring hundreds of people to our building each week, and we've seen how lively the interactions before and after those events can be. Now there’s a place to continue the conversation: We've opened a new café, Saint Clare Coffee, in the ground floor of the SPUR Urban Center. SPUR's Allison Arieff spoke with Saint Clare’s founder, Kevin Bohlin , about his newest venture.

Regional Agencies Take a Step Closer to Merging

News /
Last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments took a major step toward more comprehensive regional planning. A joint committee of the two agencies endorsed a full organizational merger . After reviewing seven proposed merger options, the committee voted to support one that would make all ABAG and MTC staff part of the same organizational and management structure.

High-Speed Rail Gets Real for the Bay Area

News /
This year, the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced that the first segment of high-speed rail will connect the Central Valley to San Jose, instead of Los Angeles. The Bay Area will become the proving ground for how high-speed rail can transform California’s cities. What do we need to do to get it right?​

Prioritizing the “Public” in Public Benefits for Central SoMa

News /
What matters most as San Francisco works to develop a neighborhood plan for the Central SoMa district? According to an analysis by city staff, changing zoning rules to allow taller buildings in the area — when combined with existing fees and requirements — could generate approximately $2 billion for public benefits. How should those dollars be dedicated? SPUR weighs in.

Time to Plan Big for the Future of Downtown Oakland

News /
Public and private investment have sparked a renaissance in downtown Oakland, but as the attention and interest grow, downtown finds itself in a bind. The current revival hasn’t been strong enough to attract new construction, and institutions, residents and businesses are being displaced. The Downtown Oakland Specific Plan, now in process, provides an opportunity to address displacement and think big about the future of downtown.