Illustration of a crane stacking cargo containers that say "sound fiscal policy," "structural change" and "economic growth"

Balancing Oakland's Budget

Closing the city’s structural deficit to move toward fiscal solvency and economic growth

photo of San Francisco City Hall

The Next 100 Days

An urbanist decision-making framework for San Francisco’s new mayor

illustration of people helping each other climb a staircase made of red tape

Purchasing Power

Improving San Francisco’s procurement process to deliver more equitable services

bicycle rider in a green bike lane on an urban street

Success on the Street

How California’s CEQA exemption can help cities build modern mobility faster

Mural painted on the headquarters of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District

Culture as Catalyst

How arts and culture districts can revitalize downtowns

Illustration of houses plugging into electricity

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

Planning an equitable transition away from fossil fuel heat in Bay Area buildings

Water on All Sides

Urbanist Article
Formidable challenges aren’t keeping Miami from taking bold action against climate change.

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.

How Has San Francisco Done on Addressing Housing and Homelessness?

News /
Just before San Francisco’s 2018 mayoral election, SPUR released San Francisco’s Next Mayor: A Blueprint for Change, a policy agenda for the city's next leader. One year later, we took a look back at the progress that Mayor Breed and the Board of Supervisors have made toward those recommendations, specifically on housing and homelessness.

Time to Rethink How Oakland Passes Budgets

News /
July marked the beginning of the new fiscal year for the City of Oakland, and with it the end of a rancorous two-month-long adoption process for a new two-year budget. Without a city controller to establish a common set of financial facts , the debate in Oakland is not only over which priorities to fund but whose numbers to believe.