This year, the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced that the first segment of high-speed rail will connect the Central Valley to San Jose, instead of Los Angeles. The Bay Area will become the proving ground for how high-speed rail can transform California’s cities. What do we need to do to get it right?​

Robert Joseph of Tipping Point recently sat down with SPUR President Gabriel Metcalf to discuss how the housing market came to be what it is, what we can do to fix it and how policy changes and philanthropy can help.

What matters most as San Francisco works to develop a neighborhood plan for the Central SoMa district? According to an analysis by city staff, changing zoning rules to allow taller buildings in the area — when combined with existing fees and requirements — could generate approximately $2 billion for public benefits. How should those dollars be dedicated? SPUR weighs in.

Public and private investment have sparked a renaissance in downtown Oakland, but as the attention and interest grow, downtown finds itself in a bind. The current revival hasn’t been strong enough to attract new construction, and institutions, residents and businesses are being displaced. The Downtown Oakland Specific Plan, now in process, provides an opportunity to address displacement and think big about the future of downtown.

The San Jose City Council has placed a quarter-cent sales tax on the June ballot. The increase would yield a projected $40 million in annual revenue to support police, fire and emergency response, parks and other basic services. Measure B is one of best ways the city can restore needed services that were cut during the recession. SPUR urges voters to support it.