Upcoming Events

Grassroots organizations adhering to the slogan of YIMBY, for Yes In My Backyard, have emerged in recent years to demand new housing, denounce bureaucratic obstacles, challenge public opposition to development and flout traditional political coalitions in order to create something both novel and widely inspiring. Come learn about the origins of the YIMBY movement and how an incredible momentum has carried it to profound impact in metropolitan regions around the globe. Co-presented by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

San Francisco had been enjoying a thriving urban core spurred by major commercial development, an influx of new residential units, the lowest office vacancy rate in two decades and unprecedented investments in the public realm. One year later, however, and office vacancy now stands at a record high, the repercussions of which have echoed across businesses in the retail, service, restaurant and hospitality sectors. What has this unprecedented year cost San Francisco’s economy and culture, and how can the city recover what has been lost? Join us for the second discussion in a three-part series as we examine the proactive steps necessary to facilitate the recovery of the downtown and what is at stake if we fail to act.

The pandemic wreaked havoc on Oakland's economy and its social core, a vibrant arts and culture scene reflective of Oakland's diversity. Hear from three Oakland leaders as they discuss how arts and culture will impact the economic recovery and pivot to respond to social behavior change as the pandemic lifts.

The affordability of drinking water was already a problem before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting economic crisis has only served to accelerate and deepen the plight for California residents. Come discuss the policy solutions that will preserve the financial health of water utilities while maintaining precious access to drinking water for our fellow Californians.

Because our programming doesn't always have the time to establish a base level of understanding on a particular topic or dive deeply into the nuances of a specific policy recommendation, we've created Office Hours, SPUR’s new monthly series where you have the opportunity to ask pressing questions to some of the region’s brightest policy experts. This month, we’re joined by Eli Zigas, SPUR’s Food and Agriculture Policy Director. Join us for an engaging hour where you bring the questions — and your lunch — and our policy leaders provide the answers

Downtown San Francisco is slowly beginning to reopen, but should the new normal that comes along with it be enough? Or should we be aiming for something more transformational? From the easily implementable to the blue-sky and aspirational, what are the policy moves, redesigns and best practices that San Franciscans should be considering as we navigate the post-pandemic future of this critical part of the city? Join us for a series of inspiring, rapid-fire presentations about what the future could — and should — hold for downtown San Francisco.

The public sector does not wait for water to be provided to homes and businesses, it actively intervenes to ensure that it happens. Can we treat housing similarly by pivoting the role of the government in the provision of homes? Considering housing to be essential infrastructure could drastically change the way that it gets delivered. Join a panel of state legislators and policy leaders as they discuss this concept.

Across the United States health plans are integrating medically-supportive food and nutrition interventions like produce prescriptions, food pharmacies and medically-tailored meals into their services. California’s upcoming Medicaid waiver, CalAIM, offers an exciting opportunity to cover a broad spectrum of interventions as In Lieu of Services (ILOS) benefits. Join us to learn about the structure of the ILOS benefit, the timeline for implementation, and key considerations for community-based organizations interested in contracting with health plans to provide these services.

The City of San José, the County of Santa Clara and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority have all taken steps to move toward a new vision for Coyote Valley, one that prioritizes preserving land for agricultural and open space uses. Join us for a timely discussion of what has recently changed and what challenges to these new visions still remain.

As part of its Regional Strategy, SPUR and AECOM, along with a taskforce of community stakeholders in San Francisco, San José and Oakland, identified seven key sites spread across the Bay Area’s three central cities that are prime opportunities to tackle major regional challenges through local planning processes. Come learn about the process behind selecting each location before splitting up into groups to dive deeper.

Each month, the Casita Coalition will be discussing best practices in ADUs by highlighting some of the innovative approaches that local ADU practitioners have used to navigate state policy and make these homes more accessible. This webinar will shine a spotlight on the innovations in Los Angeles.

We need to radically change how much housing gets built, how we build it and where, but we also must ensure that the benefits of this new infill development are shared by those who have been historically left behind, specifically low-income communities and communities of color. As part of a new series of Digital Discourses titled “Housing the Region”, we’ll gather state legislators and policy leaders in conversation to focus on the steps needed to stabilize both people and neighborhoods around the region.

Our region is no stranger to drought conditions, but will we have enough water to meet future demand? Where will it come from? What top-down policies must be implemented across the Bay Area to ensure that people and the environment will have the water they need to not just survive, but thrive? Hear from experts whose research answers these critical questions and offers the solutions necessary for a water resilient future that can accommodate all.

The constant shadow of drought doesn’t need to stand in the way of building the housing we need. In fact, how we choose to build and develop now has lasting impacts on our ability to adequately provide water in the long term. SPUR’s forthcoming report, Water for a Growing Bay Area, spotlights best practices in water use from across the region.

SPUR has estimated that the region needs to produce 2.2 million housing units over the next half-century, across all income levels, in order to meet anticipated demand while simultaneously addressing the chronic housing shortage caused by the last two decades of limited residential construction. To do this, it is imperative that we re-think the rules that govern how we plan for and permit housing. Come examine what it’ll require to build the more than two million homes necessary as part of our new series, "Housing the Region"

In honor of the release of SPUR’s monumental Regional Strategy, join us for five themed trivia rounds of searing questions all relating to the cities, architecture, urban planning and policy of the Bay Area. As we always say, it’s the ultimate showcase of urbanist talent and planning geekery. Bring your own team of six or join up with other urbanists at the event to compete for the figurative crown and prizes.

The San Francisco Bay Area is faces enormous challenges, from the cost of housing to the threat of sea level rise. For the last several years, SPUR has undertaken an initiative to envision a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous Bay Area for all — and propose the bold strategies necessary to get there. The result, SPUR’s Regional Strategy, will launch on May 13 and provide a clear vision for the next fifty years of our region. Come learn about this enormous effort and, more importantly, ask any questions that you might have about how we can build the future that we want.

The Bay Area is a region of incredible diversity and phenomenal cultural, geographic and economic wealth. But it’s also a region with significant challenges, from sharp inequalities in income and employment opportunity to sky-high housing costs. And with more than two million new residents expected to move here over the next three decades, these inequities will only continue to grow — unless we act proactively and as a unified region. What will it take to create a truly equitable and sustainable Bay Area in which all people can thrive, and how can we foster the collective action and mindset shift that is so critical to realizing that vision? To commemorate the release of SPUR Regional Strategy, join some of the Bay Area’s most inspiring leaders as they discuss the value of regionalism and its role in advancing a future that everyone deserves.

In 2020, TransForm welcomed Darnell Grisby as the organization’s new Executive Director. Under his leadership, TransForm is poised to advance an anti-racist vision and strategy to meet the Bay Area’s most pressing transit and housing challenges. Join us for a conversation between SPUR’s President and CEO and one of our region’s leading transportation advocates about how more just transportation systems can fuel a transition to an economy that works better for everyone.

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act allocated $305 billion dollars in transportation spending over five years, but it's coming up for reauthorization. At the same time, the White House has centered sustainable and equitable transportation spending in its plans for economic recovery. How can these two opportunities dovetail to benefit California? Join a panel of transportation leaders for a discussion about federal transportation reauthorization and the opportunities and risks that this reauthorization holds for our state.

Because our programming doesn't always have the time to establish a base level of understanding on a particular topic or dive deeply into the nuances of a specific policy recommendation, we've created Office This month, we’re joined by Michael Lane, SPUR’s State Policy Director. Join us for an engaging hour where you bring the questions — and your lunch — and our policy leaders provide the answers