San Francisco City Hall lit up red, white and blue during election season

Good Government

Our goal: Support a high-functioning public sector that serves the collective good.

SPUR’s Five-Year Priorities:

• Provide voters in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland with in-depth analysis and recommendations for all ballot measures at the state, regional and city level.

• In each of our policy areas and cities, develop the government capacity necessary to address the region’s most pressing challenges.

 

Read our policy agenda

SPUR Voter Guide

The SPUR Voter Guide

The SPUR Voter Guide helps voters understand the issues they will face in the voting booth. We focus on outcomes, not ideology, providing objective analysis on which measures will deliver real solutions.

SPUR Event

Good Government Awards

The Good Government Awards honor outstanding managers working for the City and County of San Francisco, recognizing them for their leadership, vision and ability to make a difference in city government and in the community.

SPUR Report

Back in the Black

San José has the highest median household income of any major city in the country, but years of budget cuts and staffing reductions have left the city in a precarious position. SPUR and Working Partnerships USA explore how San Jose can bolster its resources and deliver high-quality public services.

SPUR Event

SPUR Impact Awards

The Impact Awards Luncheon, honors the outstanding contributions by employees of city and county governments, public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Santa Clara County. The awards celebrate significant accomplishments in the areas of housing, transportation, placemaking and urban design, community advocacy, and sustainability and resilience.

Updates and Events


From Catastrophe to Renaissance

Urbanist Article
Not so long ago, it seemed to many that New Orleans might be done for, the first city to succumb to the existential threats of our age. But a decade after Hurricane Katrina, the Crescent City is back — and may be better than ever. What can we learn from New Orleans about what really makes a place resilient?

2015 Good Government Awards: Jimmy Chiu's SFO Runway Safety Program

News /
Jimmy Chiu , Airport Infrastructure Program Director, led both design and construction efforts for the successful implementation of FAA-required runway safety areas at San Francisco International Airport ( SFO ). Chiu worked to build consensus among the FAA, airlines and airport operations staff to ensure the project would be completed by the December 2015 federal deadline.

2015 Good Government Awards: Paula Kehoe's Water Supply Diversification Programs

News /
Paula Kehoe oversees pivotal water conservation and water resource diversification programs for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission . With California’s severe drought conditions, the work of the Water Resource Division, led by Kehoe , is particularly critical. Kehoe directed the development of new strategies for water supply diversification through non-potable supplies.

Momentum for Local Minimum Wage

Urbanist Article
An overwhelming majority of voters in San Francisco and Oakland voted to raise the local minimum wage in November. Meanwhile San Jose and a number of other Bay Area cities have already increased their minimum wage or are planning to establish one. Public opinion has shifted, and higher minimum wages have become a win-win mainstream issue. A regional minimum wage could be next.