2017 Good Government Awards: How the Zuckerberg Hospital Move Team Safely Relocated Patients and Staff
The 2017 Good Government Awards, Held on March 22, recognized outstanding performances by Managers Working for the City and County of San Francisco. The ceremony honored the Zuckerberg Hospital Move Team for their role in safely transferring patients and staff to the hospital's new trauma center.
2017 Good Government Awards: How Donny Oliveira Champions San Francisco’s Environmental Initiatives
The 2017 Good Government Awards, Held on March 22, recognized outstanding performances by Managers Working for the City and County of San Francisco. The ceremony honored Donnie Oliveira for his work creating clever, culturally sensitive public outreach programs to help San Francisco achieve its environmental protection goals.
Who Benefits From Oakland’s “Community Benefits” Negotiations?
By Robert Ogilvie, Oakland DirectorWith new construction heating up in Oakland, local groups are asking developers to pay for “community benefits” beyond what the city requires. But as Uber backs away from its plans for downtown, Oaklanders should beware that pushing too hard may lose the city the most important community benefit of all: the long-term increase in tax rolls that the city desperately needs.
Friendship and Five Other Principles for Designing a New Bay Area Transit Map
By Arielle Fleisher, Transportation Policy AssociateThe Bay Area has more than two dozen public transit operators, but few people use more than one service — and many don’t use them at all. Getting more people onto buses and trains will mean making it easier for potential riders to understand what services are available. A new partnership is looking at how a user-friendly regional transit map might help bridge the gap.
The Downfall of the Mall, the Triumph of the City and the Birth of Something in Between
By Joshua Brett, San Jose Policy Intern, and Laura Tolkoff, San Jose Policy DirectorThe popularity of Santana Row reflects a renewed interest in urban places — and places that feel urban. As midcentury shopping malls fail across the country, many are being transformed into “lifestyle centers" that integrate entertainment, dining, public spaces and even housing. At a recent SPUR forum, UC Berkeley's Chris Calott explored the origins — and future — of Santana Row and other lifestyle centers.
Can San Francisco Grow Without Gridlock?
By Arielle Fleisher, Transportation Policy AssociateHow do you keep people moving and avoid gridlock in a city that’s poised to add 190,000 jobs and 100,000 households over the next 25 years? For San Francisco, solving this problem is not a thought experiment — it’s reality. To address this issue, the city is enlisting developers in making sure their new projects don’t add up to thousands more car trips.
Inclusionary Housing: A Good Tool but Let’s Wield It Carefully
By Kristy Wang, Community Planning Policy DirectorHow much affordable housing should San Francisco require market-rate developers to build? A new study offers recommendations, and city supervisors will soon vote on a permanent requirement. The question they’ll face next is whether to stand by recommendations grounded in technical analysis or yield to political pressures to approve a higher requirement that sounds good but could backfire.
What We Will Lose If the Census Stops Gathering Racial Data We Can Map
By Sarah Jo Szambelan, Research ManagerIn January, two new laws were introduced in Congress to limit public information on the racial makeup of communities and the race of those struggling to afford housing. These proposals could impact how the U.S. Census collects data. In effect, they would blot out our ability to measure institutional racism — or track our progress to reverse it.
Double Up Food Bucks: SPUR’s Healthy Food Incentive Grocery Pilot
By Eli Zigas, Food and Agriculture Policy DirectorSPUR's newly launched pilot program Double Up Food Bucks helps low-income families afford more fruits and vegetables and supports California farms. The project allows families participating in the CalFresh program (formerly known as food stamps) to double the value of their benefits when they buy California-grown produce at select grocery stores in Santa Clara County.
The Best Equity Plan for Downtown Oakland: Grow for Everyone’s Sake
By Robert Ogilvie, Oakland DirectorOakland’s Downtown Specific Plan process is about to restart, but with a major shift in approach. Responding to public concern over displacement, the city is developing a racial equity framework for the plan. If Oakland is bold enough in its ambitions, the downtown plan can be opportunity to demonstrate that equity will come from supporting economic growth — not from stifling it.