Upcoming Events

A new era in transportation is unfolding. Ride sourcing, bike sharing, scooters, microtransit and more — collectively known as “emerging mobility” — are changing the way we travel and the transportation ecosystem as a whole. How can these modes become the catalyst to create a flexible transit system that is also robust enough to weather future technological developments? Hear from forward-thinking experts on how we can take advantage of this opportunity and recalibrate our transportation system toward people and places...

What are community benefit districts (CBDs) and business improvement districts (BIDs) and what do they do? What power do they wield in the neighborhoods in which they operate? San Francisco has 16 of these unique districts across the city, found in neighborhoods as diverse as Union Square, Ocean Avenue, Japantown and the Tenderloin. Join us for a discussion with the leaders of several of these districts to learn about the opportunities and challenges they face in a changing city.

Propaganda posters have a rich history in changing how cultures and societies view the world. Though these posters often play an important role during times of war — “I Want You for U.S. Army” and “We Can Do It!” being two of the most familiar to American audiences — they can be equally compelling during peacetime. As part of its Regional Strategy, SPUR has partnered with TBD*, a student-led design studio at California College of Arts, to examine what propaganda...

Brooklyn Basin, located on the waterfront between the Lake Merritt and Fruitvale BART stations, has been transformed from an industrial waterfront into a brand-new neighborhood. With the first phase of the project set to open this summer, the total plan will feature more than 30 acres of publicly accessible parks, trails and marinas, in addition to homes and shopping. Come see the floor plans and greenspaces and hear from the developers about what it took to bring this project to life.

Unfortunately, this program has been postponed until the summer. Please check back soon for a new date. Machine learning, the ability for computers to use algorithms and statistical models to perform tasks without explicit instructions, has the potential to alter nearly every aspect of our daily lives — far beyond, for example, a digital assistant curating specific lines and images from news articles based on our past browsing history. In fact, many of the most profound changes may occur unseen, as machine learning shapes and reforms the world around us. Come learn about the vast world, and potential outcomes, of this nascent form of artificial intelligence.

The Bay Area workforce is ever-changing, with constant disruptions created by new technology and innovations. How might we ensure that everyone has the agency to participate in the dialogues that will shape the future of work in our cities? Join us for an in-depth conversation around the trends and forces that are impacting the workforce, and hear about opportunities for change. Co-presented by American Leadership Forum. + Chris Benner / Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation + Luther Jackson /...

San Francisco’s outer, lower-density neighborhoods have opportunities for new growth and increased densification, in the form of adding affordable housing to the city’s western reaches. Join SPUR and the Council of Community Housing Organizations (CCHO) for a discussion about strategies to open up pathways for affordable housing in these neighborhoods. Speakers with on-the-ground experiences in development and organizing will shed light on the ways we can successfully bring infill housing to the city's outside lands. Co-presented by CCHO as part of this year's San Francisco Affordable Housing Week .

ULI San Francisco’s Housing the Bay is a collaborative initiative to address the Bay Area’s housing shortage and affordability crisis. By bringing together diverse representatives from various aspects of the land use and development lifecycle, ULI SF and its partners are working to foster innovative solutions in the areas of financing, cost of building, policy and the public process. Presented by ULI San Francisco. Learn more and register >>

In just over a year, people from all sectors will undertake a massive effort that underpins our democracy: counting every person in the country as part of the 2020 Census. That tally of people is the foundation for determining representation in Congress, funding for crucial public services (like affordable housing and transportation) and more. A successful census will fully count those who are often hard to reach, such as renters, children, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants and people with limited English proficiency. Come to an action-oriented event to learn about the efforts already underway in Oakland and to discuss the role each of us can play in ensuring equitable success. Co-presented by New America CA.

As Oakland begins the preparation of its 2019–2021 budget, two background reports have already been released to the City Council. One report features the financial realities that the city faces in adopting the next budget, while the second details a five-year fiscal forecast. The realities of both reports show a clear structural deficit and substantial financial challenges. What will it take for the city to balance a budget when faced with these pressing issues? Come hear from city leaders about Oakland’s fiscal health and what comes next in the budgetary process.

Join SPUR and the Kapor Center this spring for a three-part series about how tech can be done right. The employment landscape of the future could look far different than what we’re familiar with today. With the advent of new technology, including advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, what will the good jobs of the future look like? What will it take to build an equitable blue-collar tech workforce? In part three of the conversation, we’ll learn how new forms of entrepreneurship are expanding the definition of the workforce. Co-presented by the Kapor Center.