This article examines legislative and administrative actions necessary to change the public attitude about high-density development served by transit.

The article argues that solving housing shortages requires future regional growth going into mixed-use job and population centers of 12 million square feet in areas within 2000 feet of major transit.

Fourteen civically involved San Franciscans offer their views of what makes a good city, ranging from density, diversity, pedestrians, bikability, beauty, change, children and creativity.

The 1990s brought a new era of public buildings and spaces for San Francisco. In creating these crucial civic places, the planning of the whole must occur hand-in-hand with a careful attention to the parts.

April Philips, one of two members of the winning team for 1997 competition to redesign Union Square, explains the core concepts of their plan must include a "zen component" of a definite sense of place, plus it must present multiple possibilities for how it will be used by San Franciscans.

Veteran Examiner colunist Gerald Adams tells us his most outstanding memories of his 20 years as a reporter at the Examiner, a personal confession, and some thoughts about changing the process by which land uses are determined in San Francisco.

Prowler recounts his experience successfully negotiating public and private interests in the redevelopment of Mission Bay, and explains how such efforts could be replicated.

Gabriel Metcalf interviews City Controller Ed Harrington. Harrington, who served from 1990-2008, describes his role as not just financially managing city departments, but assisting them with staff and resources to be more effective.

Following the success of Proposition E, SPUR calls on the SFMTA to expand transit through programs to for obtaining funding and building infrastructure.

In the city’s first round of district elections since 1979, San Francisco voters elected what one victor boasted was a “progressive super-majority” to the Board of Supervisors and decisively thumped Mayor Willie Brown’s anointed candidates in one district after another, wrecking his vaunted machine. As establishment leaders lament their defeat and business elites despair, there is joy among progressives in our left coast city this…

This article describes the way San Francisco pays for infrastructure, how we underfund maintenance and makes several proposals, including a set-aside for deferred maintenance.

Beryl Magilavy calls for greater transparency and more in-depth scrutiny of certain civil service positions. By demanding more accountability from these positions Beryl argues that the city will save money.

Metcalf considers various reforms to make San Francisco City government run more efficiently.

Includes SPUR's analysis of 18city measures on the November 7, 2000 ballot.

This measure appeared on the November 2000 San Francisco ballot. What it does Prop. R says that it shall be city policy to create an interpretive educational public use facility at Pier 45’s Shed A, with a mission to promote a greater understanding and respect for the bay, its delta, and its Pacific Ocean sanctuaries through exhibits, resource archives, educational programs, public forums, and…

This measure appeared on the November 2000 San Francisco ballot. What it does Proposition Q is a non-binding statement of policy that encourages San Francisco to create a Pedestrian Safety Fund that would at a minimum include the baseline funding provided in the city’s 2000-01 budget for the “Livable Streets” program. The measure also asks that the city divert a portion of fees and…

This measure appeared on the November 2000 San Francisco ballot. What it does Proposition P is a non-binding declaration of policy that would declare that it is city policy that the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard be cleaned of toxic contamination to a standard which would permit any use to occur on any part of it. It requests that the Navy allocate enough money to…

This measure appeared on the November 2000 San Francisco ballot. What it does This measure would amend the city’s existing Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance to establish new limits on campaign contributions, including to non-candidate and independent committees; provide for partial public matching funding for candidates for the Board of Supervisors; and impose additional reporting and disclosure requirements on candidates and political committees.Why it…

This measure appeared on the November 2000 San Francisco ballot. What it does This measure would restrict the conversions of rental housing to owner-occupied property. First, it would continue the limits on condo conversions that are already in place but due to expire. Second, it would narrow San Francisco’s condominium conversion law, which has allowed property owners to convert from rental use to homeownership…

This measure appeared on the November 2000 San Francisco ballot. What it does This proposed ordinance would amend a 1978 initiative measure (“Proposition K”) relating to the regulation of taxicabs. It would empower the Taxicab Commission to issue various special permits and it would allow these permits to be held by corporations rather than only by cab drivers as is currently the case.Why…