Publication Type
Topic
Geography
Date Range
June 2026 Voter Guide

San José Measure D - Open Space Tax

Ballot Measure /
Levies a new, ongoing parcel tax of 2 cents per square foot of building area for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to invest in wildfire protection, clean water, open space, and agricultural land protection.
June 2026 Voter Guide

Oakland Measure E - City Services Tax

Ballot Measure /
Levies a new special parcel tax on Oakland property owners for nine years to generate approximately $34 million annually to fund public safety and city services.
Affordable housing development for low-income families at 222 Taylor Street in San Francisco

Report Highlights the Math That Keeps Housing From Being Built in San Francisco

News /
In San Francisco, even market-rate housing doesn’t pencil out for developers. A new economic feasibility report shows that most projects are not viable under current market conditions and that affordable inclusionary requirements set significantly above 0% would likely further reduce housing production. To incentivize development, an advisory committee recommends recalibrating inclusionary housing requirements to align with market realities.
report cover with title and subtitle in white text on gold background

Permitting Progress

SPUR Report /
San Francisco’s permitting system determines what gets built, how quickly businesses can open, and whether public infrastructure projects move forward or stall. But structural inefficiencies in the current system can result in lengthy delays, increased costs, and a sense of governmental obstruction. SPUR’s latest report offers recommendations to modernize the city’s permitting system so San Francisco can grow and adapt to change.

SPUR Supports Missing Middle Housing in San José General Plan Update

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR urges San José to allow more flexibility to create missing middle housing throughout the city. SPUR emphasizes that restrictive zoning has contributed to the housing shortage and increases in density are necessary to improve affordability and expand housing choices.
Candidates speaking to crowd at SPUR event

Rebuilding an Affordable, Sustainable Insurance Market: Insurance Commissioner Candidates Weigh In

News /
The race for California insurance commissioner has never been more critical: climate change and wildfires have upended the home insurance market, affecting the cost of living, disaster resilience, and housing access, especially for low-income homeowners. SPUR believes the next commissioner must encourage companies to return to California’s market, ensure accountability, and implement and reward risk mitigation strategies. We invited the candidates to share their plans for California’s broken home insurance market.
Oaklanders attending a discussion of charter reform

Path to Better Governance: Oakland Takes a Big Step Toward Charter Reform

News /
Oakland has an opportunity to adopt a governance structure that creates clear accountability, allows for decisive leadership, and enables effective action, thanks to a charter reform measure that Mayor Barbara Lee has introduced to the City Council for placement on the November 2026 ballot. The measure reflects recommendations from a charter reform working group co-facilitated by SPUR and the League of Women Voters Oakland. It would enhance the powers of both the mayor and the City Council and create an independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office.

SPUR and 40 Other Environmental Groups Comment on April 2026 CARB Proposal

Advocacy Letter /
This letter, signed by dozens of California environmental organizations including SPUR, urges Governor Newsom and the California Air Resources Board to remove a proposed Manufacturing Decarbonization Incentive from the Cap-and-Invest rulemaking, warning that creating 118 million additional allowances outside the emissions cap would undermine California's 2030 climate targets. The groups also argue the proposal would shift billions of dollars away from household affordability programs and ratepayer relief toward subsidies for polluting industries, and that the rushed 15-day amendment process violates the Administrative Procedures Act.
grid of red and blue squares with text: SPUR Voter Guide

The June 2026 SPUR Voter Guide Is Here!

News /
The June election is upon us and there’s a lot at stake on the ballot in San Francisco, San José, and Oakland. Every election, SPUR takes several months to dig deep into local and state ballot measures. Here’s a look at our analysis process and some tips on how you can use the guide in your own research — and share it with others.

SPUR Supports SB 1375 - San José Diridon CEQA Exemption

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR supports SB 1375 (Cortese), a bill that would exempt the San José Diridon station program of projects from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). SPUR has long been a supporter of San José's efforts to reimagine Diridon Station, and we agree that the extensive environmental review already completed at and around the station area obviates the need for additional analysis.
portraits of new board members in a grid

Welcome New SPUR Board Members

News /
This year SPUR welcomes 18 new members to our board of directors and our three city advisory boards. These new appointees bring extensive knowledge in planning, housing, transportation, good government, and sustainability and resilience. We look forward to their leadership as we continue our work to make the Bay Area a place where everyone can thrive.
Homes in San Francisco's Outer Richmond neighborhood

SPUR Cosponsors Two Bills to Reduce Electrification Project Hurdles

News /
SPUR is cosponsoring two bills inspired by the leadership of cities and counties working to streamline climate-friendly housing construction and residential retrofits. Both bills would dramatically reduce the permitting and inspection barriers encountered in electrification projects. Both represent common-sense reforms that reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, lower household costs, and accelerate decarbonization in the building sector.
BART train near Berryessa Station in San José

MTC Transit Efficiency Review Shows Transit Operators Are Tightening Belts

News /
BART, Muni, AC Transit, and Caltrain are staring down a fiscal cliff and the potential for drastic service cuts. As campaigns work to place transit funding measures on the November 2026 ballot, voters may be wondering whether these agencies are doing their part to operate more efficiently. A new report highlights more than $1 billion in savings they’ve achieved since 2020 and outlines additional steps they must implement to be eligible for funding.
Portrait of Sarah Atkinson

Retrofitting for Resilience: Q&A with Sarah Atkinson

News /
120 years after the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, the city is still grappling with the safety of buildings constructed before modern seismic safety codes. These older buildings are integral to the city’s identity and economy, but without proactive retrofitting, they pose significant risks to public safety and economic stability in the event of a major earthquake. We talked to SPUR’s Sarah Atkinson about her latest policy brief, which outlines the city’s current seismic safety efforts and vulnerabilities.
Photo of a construction crane next to a new apartment building

SPUR Sponsors State Bills to Reduce Housing Construction Time and Cost

News /
SPUR is sponsoring or supporting more than a dozen state bills to reduce housing construction costs and timelines in California. Among them are proposals to enhance affordable homeownership opportunities through condominium construction financing, promote housing construction innovation through factory-built methods, improve development fees transparency, and streamline existing housing approvals.

SPUR Comments on Draft of SB 63 - Mandated Transit Efficiency Study

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR provided comments on the draft report of the first phase of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's transit financial efficiency study. This study was mandated as part of Senate Bill 63, the legislation that authorized a 2026 regional revenue ballot measure to support public transit.

SPUR Supports AB 2308 - Financing SF Redevelopment Successor Agency Projects

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR supports AB 2308 (Haney), a bill that would allow the successor agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City and County of San Francisco to continue to issue bonds or incur other indebtedness to finance the infrastructure required by the Transbay Implementation Agreement, including entering into arrangements with the Transbay Joint Powers Authority and the City and County of San Francisco.