COVID-19 and SPUR Events
Due to the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order, SPUR has suspended in-person events until further notice. We are moving as many events as possible online. Read more >>
July 2020
Jul
14
Tue
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
How Labor and Developers Can Work Together to Build Economic Recovery
12:30 p.m.
The limited availability of tradespeople has had detrimental effects on construction costs across the Bay Area, helping to drive up the astronomical housing prices found regionwide. Hear directly from the building trades unions about the current state of our construction workforce, and learn what it will take to both retain and attract workers.
Jul
15
Wed
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
POSTPONED: Imagining the Bay Area of Tomorrow: SPUR's Model Places
12:30 p.m.
How can the Bay Area equitably add 4 million people in the next half-century without sprawling? SPUR is developing a vision for how all types of places can accommodate their share of the projected growth in a way that reflects our shared values and makes for more inclusive, accessible and resilient places.
Jul
16
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
POSTPONED: Cost Estimation for Megaprojects
12:30 p.m.
Amid constrained financial resources and an ever-growing list of infrastructure needs, cost estimation becomes a crucial tool for policymakers and the public in deciding which projects to champion. This holds especially true for megaprojects, whose budgets may be in the billions of dollars. Come learn about this critical element for successful project delivery as part of SPUR’s latest paper on megaproject delivery.
Jul
17
Fri
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
What is California Doing About Housing?
5:00 p.m.
The California State Legislature was set to debate hundreds of housing bills before COVID-19 hit. In the weeks since, the state’s budget has radically shifted, but the housing shortage still underlies many of the challenges faced by Californians. Fortunately, the Bay Area’s state legislators remain stalwart housing champions, so join them for a conversation about what they think can be accomplished in Sacramento this year.
Jul
21
Tue
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Treating Housing as Essential Infrastructure
12:30 p.m.
Housing is a critical piece of the Bay Area’s infrastructure and essential to the health and well-being of residents. What steps can policymakers take to build housing, both market-rate and affordable, during a downturn? How can building housing during these times stimulate the economy, drive down the cost of construction and create a more affordable region for everyone?
Jul
22
Wed
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
The Bay Area’s Transit Survival Plan
12:30 p.m.
Earlier this spring, SPUR — in partnership with AECOM and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission — convened transit agencies and advocates from across the Bay Area to discuss the recovery and reshaping of the region’s transit ecosystem in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us as we share the results of these workshops, including specific recommendations for amending transit funding, legislation and the existing transit network.
Jul
22
Wed
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
EVs in the Age of Cheap Oil
5:00 p.m.
In recent years, electric vehicle (EV) adoption has skyrocketed. However, the economic downturn, combined with the recently plummeting price of oil, has many wondering about the continued growth of EV use. Join us for a discussion about the future of EVs during a pandemic and in a new age of cheap oil.
Jul
23
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Planning, Zoning and Legislation to Enable Missing Middle Housing
12:30 p.m.
Across the country, people are looking for housing options that shape affordable, walkable and desirable neighborhoods. Hear from the author of the new book, Missing Middle Housing, as he illustrates how these housing types can be a powerful tool to create the communities that people both want and can afford.
Jul
23
Thu
San Francisco
A Tale of Two Parks
5:00 p.m.
New York City’s Central Park and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park are two of the country’s most influential and beloved urban open spaces. In celebration of Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary, join us as we examine the role of big parks in growing cities and how they reflect emerging ideas about public space, social and racial equity, ecological functions and climate resilience.
Jul
29
Wed
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Can Cycling Superhighways Succeed in the Bay Area?
10:00 a.m.
The Copenhagen metro region boasts over 290 miles of cycling “superhighways,” protected commuter bike lanes that connect the Danish capital to outlying cities and towns. Could a similar network work in the Bay Area? Come learn about the Supercykelstier model and how transit agencies are building a Bay Area version closer to home.
Jul
29
Wed
San José
Learning from the Best: How Toronto's Experience Can Shape San José's Future
5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Toronto is now the fastest-growing city in both the U.S. and Canada. To accommodate this growth, it has undertaken several projects to enhance the city's quality of life. Hear from urban designer Ken Greenberg as he examines the successes and challenges of city design in Toronto, then join a panel discussion with local leaders about the lessons San José can learn from Canada’s largest metropolis.
Jul
30
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Government Segregated America
11:00 a.m.
In The Color of Law, Richard Rothstein argues that segregation in America is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state and federal levels. Join us for an essential, timely conversation about their devastating impact on generations who were denied the right to live where they wanted to live, and raise and school their children where they could flourish most successfully.
Jul
30
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Farmers: Impact and Resiliency During the Pandemic
12:30 p.m.
The pandemic has upended the ways that many of us think about food. Will the grocery store have a line? Is the farmer's market even open? Join us to hear directly from the farmers who provide our food to learn how the pandemic has impacted their businesses, what it has taken for them to adjust and what they see as the future of farming.
August 2020
Aug
6
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
The New Future of the Office
12:30 p.m.
How has COVID-19 changed how designers and companies are looking at office functionality? And what lasting impacts will these changes have on real estate, the labor market and the economy? Hear from a panel of experts as they discuss the new future of the office.
Aug
6
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
City Trivia Night XVIII
5:00 p.m.
The much-loved City Trivia Night is back at SPUR — and this time it's all online! Five themed rounds of searing questions relating to cities, architecture, urban planning and policy make this event 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 crown and prizes.
Aug
10
Mon
San José
Planning for a More Stable and Resilient Downtown
12:30 p.m.
Downtowns and retail districts across the country have been subjected to devastations in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recession. In response, San José's Downtown Association initiated a process to create a plan that will expedite the stabilization, recovery and resilience of the downtown. Come learn more about the recommendations in the plan and how they will be implemented.
Aug
11
Tue
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Better Buses, Better Cities
12:30 p.m.
Here in the U.S., buses have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The book, Better Buses, Better Cities, describes the implementable steps necessary to marshal widespread support and strengthen collaboration between everyone from community activists to transportation department heads in order to evolve the role of the bus on our streets.
Aug
13
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Ensuring Equity in Public Space
12:30 p.m.
Many public spaces have been designed to prevent certain types of behaviors, uses and even people. If we want our public spaces to be open and accessible for all people, we must rethink how we engage, design and maintain these places. Join a panel of experts from across the country to explore the challenges and triumphs of creating truly equitable public space in our cities.
Aug
13
Thu
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Housing Stability in the Age of COVID-19
5:00 p.m.
Housing has never been more critical to the health of our residents and communities than now. Join us for a discussion on how the affordable housing landscape in San Francisco has changed over the last several months and what needs to be done now to address our communities’ near- and long-term economic impacts related to COVID-19.
Aug
25
Tue
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
Developing for the Missing Middle
12:30 p.m.
What about households who can’t afford market-rate housing but don’t qualify for affordable housing? How do we create housing for those in the “missing middle”? What financing tools can and should be available to address this gap, and what zoning changes are needed to encourage the production of smaller and less expensive housing units? Come examine these questions with experts of “missing middle” development.
Aug
26
Wed
San Francisco + San José + Oakland
What’s Next for Food Incentives and the Grocery Industry?
11:00 a.m.
The grocery industry has had to adapt to new safety requirements, customer demands and supply chain interruptions, prompting innovations that help grocers buffer their already thin margins. Food incentives at retail locations have been a way for the grocery industry to supplement their EBT sales and increase overall revenue. Come hear how the approach to offering incentives has changed as a result of the pandemic.
October 2020
Oct
22
Thu
2020 Silver SPUR Awards Luncheon
11:00 a.m.
If, in order to participate in a SPUR event, you need auxiliary aids or services for a disability (e.g., qualified interpreter, qualified reader, written materials, taped texts) please submit your request five business days before the event to publicprograms@spur.org or 415-781-8726 x132. SPUR will work with you in identifying effective auxiliary aids or services that it can provide. If you need to cancel your request, please notify SPUR at least two business days before the event.