Balancing Oakland's Budget
Closing the city’s structural deficit to move toward fiscal solvency and economic growth
A Downtown for Everyone
SPUR Report / Downtown Oakland is poised to take on a more important role in the region. But the future is not guaranteed. An economic boom could stall before it gets going. Or the economy could take off in a way that harms Oakland’s character, culture and diversity. We propose five big ideas for how downtown Oakland can grow while providing benefits to all.
Walking in San Francisco
Urbanist Article / Block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, planners, writers, designers, dreamers, an L.A. expat and the manager of the Giants, among others, share the walks that make San Francisco their city.
Heeding the Call for Affordable Housing in Silicon Valley
News / San Francisco housing fights may make the headlines, but the median home sales price in the San Jose metropolitan area is the highest in the nation, at $980,000. A new advocacy group launched this year will focus directly on Santa Clara County’s affordable housing issues. SV@Home will advocate for more policies, programs, funding and land for affordable housing in the county.
A Roadmap for St. James Park
Policy Brief / Like older downtown parks throughout the country, San Jose’s St. James Park has suffered from disinvestment in recent years. Today downtown San Jose is experiencing new vitality and growth, creating an opportunity to transform St. James Park into the jewel it deserves to be. SPUR recommends steps to create a renewed vision for the park through improved stewardship and governance.
The Return of Passenger Rail in the North Bay
News / Many communities in Marin and Sonoma County grew up around rail. The remnants of this legacy are the walkable downtowns adjacent to former rail stations in many North Bay cities. Now, after decades of hard work by locals, passenger trains will once again connect the North Bay's communities: Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) will begin passenger rail service in December 2016.