California Prop 5 - Voter Approval Threshold
Ballot Measure / reduces the voter approval threshold from two-thirds to 55% for local government general obligation bonds to fund affordable housing and a range of public infrastructure projects.
California Prop 32 - $18 Minimum Wage
Ballot Measure / Increases the state minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026 for all employers and then adjusts for inflation.
California Prop 33 - Rent Control Rules
Ballot Measure / Repeals the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995 and prohibits the state from limiting the right of cities and counties to maintain, enact, or expand local residential rent control ordinances.
Take It From a Critic — Muni Is Actually Doing Great
News / As an advocate for high-quality transit, SPUR has at times been one of Muni’s critics. In a 2005 report, we argued that the agency was in a downward spiral, but now Muni appears to be enjoying a virtuous cycle. That cycle can only continue with voter support of Propositions L and M on the November ballot.
Six SPUR-Sponsored Bills Will Become California Law
News / The 2024 state legislative year ended with a number of big wins for SPUR and our partners in affordable housing and transportation advocacy. Governor Newsom signed hundreds of bills into law, including six pieces of SPUR-sponsored legislation that will make housing faster and easier to build, support development of interim housing for unhoused people, and make dangerous roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Smoothing the Transition to Heat Pumps, Part 2: Permitting and Inspections
News / As the Bay Area phases out sales of gas furnaces and water heaters, more and more property owners will need to install zero-pollution, high-efficiency electric heat pumps in homes. But the current process is complicated and expensive. City planners must quickly make that installation easier and more affordable. In a previous article, SPUR recommended zoning code strategies. In this installment, we explore permitting and inspection improvements.
SPUR Public Comment on BCDC's Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan
Advocacy Letter / In 2023, California adopted SB 272 which requires Bay Area jurisdictions on the shoreline to develop sea level rise adaptation plans as part of a regionally coordinated approach managed by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). To launch this effort, BCDC spent the passed year working with regional stakeholders to develop the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). This framework seeks to guide local planning while establishing regional priorities to ensure collaborative shoreline resilience planning. SPUR has long advocated for regional planning in the face of sea level rise, and has worked in partnership with regional agencies like BCDC to advance regional priorities. As an RSAP advisory group member, SPUR contributed to the development of the RSAP by advocating for things like clearer metrics on outcomes, improved data on groundwater rise and combined flood risks, and the inclusion of impacts of flooding on shoreline contaminated sites in environmental justice communities. SPUR's public comment letter, submitted on October 18, 2024, outlines recommendations for improving both the RSAP document and the technical assistance program that BCDC is developing to support jurisdictions with planning, funding access, project prioritization, etc.
The Loma Prieta Earthquake Inspired Major Resilience Efforts. Today, the Need to Invest Continues.
News / 35 years ago this week, the Loma Prieta earthquake was a wakeup call the Bay Area heeded. In the years since the magnitude 6.9 quake hit, state, regional, and municipal action has improved the seismic safety of the region’s buildings and other infrastructure. However, gaps remain in the region’s preparedness for the estimated 51% chance of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in the next 30 years.
California Delivers Wins for Building Decarbonization
News / Moving California’s homes and other buildings off of health- and climate-harming gas heating will require a transition to electric heat pumps. This year, the state pressed some legislative and regulatory levers to speed that process. SPUR recommendations and advocacy helped shape these building decarbonization wins.
Prop. 5: Giving Communities Better Tools to Invest in Housing, Parks, and More
News / Local bond measures to fund essential services often garner the support of a majority at the ballot box yet fail to pass because they don’t meet California’s requirement that bonds be approved by a two-thirds supermajority. Proposition 5 would amend the state constitution to lower the voter approval threshold for bonds to fund housing, infrastructure, wildfire prevention, and parks.
Funding Regional Transit — and Managing Risk in Uncertain Times
News / SPUR is serving on an MTC-appointed select committee to explore legislation that would put a regional transit revenue measure on the ballot in a future election. Two other regional funding measure efforts — SB 1031 for transit, and the BAHFA bond for housing — were both paused earlier this year, casting a cautionary light on regional funding measures. Our recent comments to the committee focus on how to set up the current transit proposal for success.
Prop 4: Investing Now to Cut Future Climate Costs
News / California is already paying the cost of climate change impacts from devastating wildfires, droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events. By investing in climate action now, voters can reduce future costs both economic and social. California Prop. 4 would put $10 billion toward safe drinking water, drought resilience, ecosystem restoration, resilience to natural hazards, and more.
SPUR provides input on policy considerations for a regional transit measure
Advocacy Letter / SPUR CEO Alicia John Baptiste provided input to MTC's Regional Transportation Revenue Select Committee regarding policy considerations to be included in enabling legislation for a future ballot measure.
SPUR requests Governor Newsom's signature on SB960 (Wiener), the Complete Streets bill.
Advocacy Letter / SPUR is proud to co-sponsor Senate Bill 960 (Wiener) and respectfully requests Governor Newsom's signature on the bill. Signing the bill into law will signal California’s leading commitment to safety and sustainability, and willingness to tackle stubborn trends in traffic deaths and emissions in the transportation sector.
SPUR requests Governor Newsom's signature on AB 2503
Advocacy Letter / SPUR requests Governor Newsom's signature on AB 2503 (Lee). AB 2503 will streamline the planning and delivery of zero emission rail projects in California to help reduce vehicles mile traveled, greenhouse gas emissions and local particulate matter.
SPUR provides comments on development of potential regional transportation measure
Advocacy Letter / SPUR CEO Alicia John-Baptiste provided extensive written comments to MTC"s Transportation Revenue Measure Select Committee regarding the ongoing development of a potential future ballot measure to fund Bay Area transit. Given uncertainties about the 2024 national election and the future mood of the Bay Area electorate, SPUR is strongly advocating for an approach that keeps multiple revenue measure options on the table.
Letter Opposing CalSHAPE Elimination
Advocacy Letter / SPUR signed on to a coalition letter opposing the elimination of the CalSHAPE, or the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency Program, which funds HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) improvements in schools. These investments will be necessary to support new indoor heat standard and the ever-worsening hazard of wildfire-affected air.
SPUR comments on the development of first Caltrans transit plan
Advocacy Letter / Caltrans District 4 - the district that covers the nine county Bay Area - is in the process of developing its inaugural transit plan for the state highway network. SPUR serves on the technical working group and provided comments on how Caltrans can measure success and prioritize investments.
How a Governance Reset Could Improve San Franciscans’ Well-Being: Q&A with Nicole Neditch
News / San Francisco's system of governance has evolved over the decades into a complex web, making it hard for the city to implement policies and serve residents effectively. We spoke with Nicole Neditch about a new SPUR report that breaks down this complexity and proposes a redesign focused on leadership, empowerment, and accountability.
Smoothing the Transition to Heat Pumps, Part 1: Code Changes
News / As the Bay Area phases out sales of gas furnaces and water heaters, more and more property owners will need to install zero-pollution, high-efficiency electric heat pumps in homes. City planners must quickly make these installations easier and more affordable by amending municipal zoning ordinances and permitting processes. In the first article of a series on accelerating heat pump adoption, SPUR recommends four zoning code strategies.