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Legalizing Urbanism, One Block at a Time

News /
Jason Roberts just wanted a coffee shop and bike lane in his Dallas neighborhood. But he found that even the simplest streetscape improvements were too expensive or, worse, illegal. So Roberts and his friends got to work with duct tape and stencils. As a result, the city has since dramatically reduced permitting fees and peeled back ordinances that banned street activity.

Urban Field Notes: The Ocean Pools of Sydney

Urbanist Article /
The warm ocean is by far the most satisfying place to swim. Living in cold-water San Francisco means I usually have to settle for swimming in a pool, but the ocean pools of Australia, which I visited daily on SPUR’s recent city trip, opened my eyes to the fact that swimming in a pool isn’t necessarily settling.

Member Profile: Dan McKinley

Urbanist Article /
Dan McKinley is the art director at McSweeney’s, an independent publishing house founded by Dave Eggers that publishes all manner of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. We caught up with him near the cozy and book-stuffed McSweeney's HQ in the Mission to chat about small cities, literary cities and his interest in making his kids’ hometown a better place.

Building an Inclusive Community in Times of Fear and Distrust

News /
Our nation is suffering from a gaping wound reminiscent of the 1960s. During that era, my parents were active in el movimiento, working alongside Cesar Chavez to advocate for better living conditions, opportunities, safety and acceptance. My parents dreamed of a different future than we are experiencing now. We must return to being an inclusive community that provides a path to opportunity and mobility.

Violence and the Urban Commons

News /
There are times when the very fabric of society seems to be unraveling, and this is certainly one of them. San Bernardino, Orlando, Dallas, Nice. Oscar Grant, Michael Brown, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling. How are those of us who think about cities to understand this moment?

A Plea to End Racial Bias: A Mom’s Response to Police Violence in Our Cities

News /
When people want to know what can be done to change centuries of institutional racism and socialized prejudice, I want them to know my experience as a White mom to Black kids. As Americans, we are all socialized toward bias. In my experience you can change your part in it, and it is critically important for White people to take responsibility for doing so.

SPUR Supports Oakland Infrastructure Bond

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR recommends that the Oakland City Council support putting the Oakland Infrastructure Bond on the November ballot. Oakland has a severe shortage of housing that grows more dire each day, a $443 million paving backlog that has put Oakland in 89th place out of 106 Bay Area cities in pavement quality, and a growing number of dated and aging park and library facilities.

What’s Going On: Tensions, and Solutions, in a Changing Oakland

News /
On July 7, more than 2,000 people marched peacefully in Oakland to protest police killings of innocent civilians in other parts of the country. In a city that is changing quickly, and where tensions run high, a peaceful protest is worth noting. We must pay close attention to the reasons people were marching — and work as hard as we can to fix the causes.

Can State Power Make a Better Region?

Urbanist Article /
Sydney, Australia’s planning system is entirely different from the Bay Area’s, primarily because of the strong role of its state government in planning decisions. What can the Bay Area learn from its approach?

Learning from Australia’s “Millennium Drought”

Urbanist Article /
Australia’s cities and towns survived their terrible drought, demonstrating world-leading innovation and exceptional examples of urban water planning and management driven by crisis. What can California learn from their actions?

What Can San Francisco Do to Address Homelessness?

News /
On June 29, more than 80 Bay Area media organizations contributed to an unprecedented wave of coverage on homelessness. SPUR, together with HandUp, hosted an evening forum, “Housing, Homelessness and the Way Forward for San Francisco,” to report on the challenges the city faces, uncover solutions and inspire action.

Is San Francisco Finally Ready to Make In-Law Units Legal?

News /
San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin recently introduced an ordinance to allow new “in law” housing units across San Francisco. Soon afterward, supervisors Mark Farrell and Scott Wiener introduced a proposal that’s similar but slightly less restrictive. We’re thrilled to see proposals to increase the city’s housing supply moving forward. Now it’s going to be important to get the details right.

Why California Accidentally Encouraged Driving, and How That's About to Change

News /
California cities that want to become more environmentally sustainable are being held back by, of all things, the California Environmental Quality Act. Here’s how an environmental regulation became one of the biggest forces in widening roads to accommodate more cars — and why the state is finally changing this outmoded standard.

A New Pro-Housing Generation Says “Yes In My Back Yard”

News /
A growing collection of like-minded urbanists from around the country have jauntily adopted the label YIMBY or “Yes In My Back Yard.” YIMBYs tend to live in cities. And the thing they most want in their backyards is housing. Last week they met at YIMBY 2016, their first-ever international conference.

Future-Proof Water for Silicon Valley

Research /
Silicon Valley’s historically reliable water supply has been essential to its growth. But the last four years of severe drought have revealed the region’s dependence on statewide water availability. Local leaders see sustained conservation and water recycling as the best solution. To assist these efforts, this paper updates the South Bay data in our 2013 report Future-Proof Water and highlights areas for research and partnerships.

What Is Your Radical Idea for San Jose?

News /
If money were no object, what "moonshot" idea do you believe would make the biggest positive impact on San Jose? SPUR is entering its fifth year in San Jose, and we’ve accomplished a lot. As we look toward our next five years, we’re looking for new thinking that could transform the future of the city. We’d love to hear about your vision for San Jose.

San Francisco’s Schools Adopt a Good Food Framework

News /
Many food service institutions in the Bay Area can point to items on their menu to show that they offer healthy, sustainable and fairly made food. But it’s often unclear how deep that commitment goes across the menu as a whole. San Francisco Unified School District, with its $11 million annual school food budget, just pledged to make that commitment clearer and stronger.

What Do Three Mega Projects Tell Us About Silicon Valley’s Future?

News /
Santa Clara's City Place development, San Jose’s Diridon Station Area Plan and Mountain View’s North Bayshore Precise Plan seek to reshape growth in Silicon Valley. What do they tell us about the future of Silicon Valley and what do they mean for the region? Can we expect something different than auto-oriented suburbs? Are we “thinking different” — or repeating the mistakes of the past?

SPUR Supports Accessory Dwelling Units Across SF

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR supports making in-law units easier to create and appreciates legislation that would extend legalization of ADUs to all zoning districts that allow residential use.