Balancing Oakland's Budget
Closing the city’s structural deficit to move toward fiscal solvency and economic growth
Governor’s Proposed Budget Includes Focus on Housing as a Climate Strategy
News / For the second year in a row, California will have a sizable budget surplus — and a host of critical needs to be funded. Governor Newsom’s proposed budget spending plan continues to include significant investments in affordable housing and solutions to homelessness. SPUR is especially pleased to see a strategy that makes an explicit link between locating housing in urban areas and reducing climate change, a key idea in our Civic Vision for Growth.
Burdens and Benefits
Research California’s Proposition 13 is one of the most studied property taxes in the country, but how does it affect the lives of residents in Bay Area cities? SPUR’s research brief Burdens and Benefits explores how the law impacts homeowners in Oakland, with a look at who receives the largest benefits from the state’s unique property tax law and who shoulders the burdens from its constraints on revenues.
SPUR and Others to Pilot New Technology for Making Healthy Food More Affordable
News / California has reached a milestone in its effort to make healthy, California-grown food more affordable for low-income residents. The California Department of Social Services has awarded contracts to SPUR and two other nonprofits for pilot projects that will test new technology for providing healthy food incentives.
Re-Envisioning the Guadalupe River Park
Initiative The Guadalupe River Park is downtown San José’s most important urban green space, but it faces serious challenges. What can we do to secure the future of this incredible amenity for all San Joséans? SPUR's new virtual exhibition celebrates the promise of the river park and brings together three years of research and conversation about its future.
Op-Ed: Health Care Plans Must Embrace Food- and Nutrition-Based Medical Interventions
News / From the SF Examiner: At the end of 2021, California received permission to pilot new approaches to providing healthcare for those who rely on Medi-Cal. The onus is now on local health plans to implement pilot strategies. One option they should consider is medically supportive food and nutrition. Recent SPUR research makes a strong case for these interventions, which include produce prescriptions, food pharmacies, healthy groceries and medically tailored meals.