Over time, San Francisco’s governance structure has evolved to distribute authority and maximize oversight. As a consequence, policies don’t always meet the needs of the people they were intended to serve. The lack of clear, coordinated action to address big challenges has led to a growing perception that city government isn’t working. SPUR’s latest report outlines how San Francisco can choose to design a better system that supports leadership and empowerment with clear lines of accountability.

In response to California's budget deficit, Governor Newsom's Administration put a spending freeze on numerous agencies, which also impacted the release of emergency transit operating partners. In June, SPUR and our Survive + Thrive coalition partners once again came together to urge the administration to make funding available to transit operators for transit operations and capital projects. In July, the governor released that critical funding to operators to avoid cutting service.

Bay Area cities planning for sea level rise need to address another emerging hazard: groundwater rise. SPUR partnered with community-based organization Nuestra Casa to investigate how rising groundwater is likely to affect one Bay Area city: East Palo Alto. Our case study explains specific risks and offers five recommendations — all applicable to other vulnerable communities along the San Francisco Bay shore.

SPUR joined s a support letter on Senate Bill 382 which would require a the seller of single-family residential properties to disclose information related to electrical systems of the property, and to disclose the existence of any state or local requirements relating to the future replacement of existing gas-powered appliances installed at the property. The bill will help prospective buyers seek safe and healthy living conditions, and learn about existing electrical systems so that they can make informed purchases.

Switching home energy uses from fossil fuels to electricity will improve air quality and meet state climate goals. But California’s plan to decarbonize its buildings is getting bogged down by the complexities and costs of electric panel and service upgrades. SPUR suggests three strategies and 17 recommendations to overcome these barriers. By adopting policy changes, California can facilitate the transition to a climate-friendly, climate-ready built environment and serve as a model for other states.

In an effort to improve air quality, Bay Area regulators have passed regulations to phase out the sale of gas heating in buildings. SPUR and our partners in the Bay Area Clean Air coalition created this toolbox to enable policymakers and advocacy groups to identify strategies and action that will support the transition to zero-pollution, both in the Bay Area and in other jurisdictions seeking to move away from gas heating.

SPUR supports and seeks amendments to SB 1031 (Wiener, Wahab), enabling legislation for a future regional transportation revenue measure. SPUR strongly supports finding new funding to support transit operations and we have been working with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, legislative staff and other advocates to advance and shape SB 1031 as this complex bill advances through the legislative process.

SPUR is proud to co-sponsor and support Senate Bill 960 alongside CalBike, Street for All, AARP, and WalkSF. Senate Bill 960 is designed to make state-owned highways in California safer and more convenient for all users. If enacted, this bill would redouble the state’s efforts on improving roadway design on state highways to achieve the following goals: ● Reduce deaths and serious injuries by making state-owned roadways safer by design; ● Give transit riders a more reliable and predictable trip with transit priority treatments; ● Create a virtuous cycle of growing ridership that, in turn, reduces climate pollution, increases equitable mobility, and improves transit’s fiscal sustainability.

SPUR provided comments on the California High Speed Rail Authority's 2024 Draft Business Plan. While SPUR applauds the progress the Authority has made on the Central Valley segment of the project we remain deeply concerned about the overall lack of funding to complete the full statewide program.

SPUR added it's support to a letter to Mayor Breed organized by SF Climate Emergency Coalition to defend funding for key staff positions at San Francisco Department of the Environment. SFE's request of $1.8 million in FY 2024-25 and $1.6 million in FY 2025-26 is tiny portion of the city's budget, but would defend staff critical to leveraging tens of millions in grant funding for climate mitigation and resilience programs.