Economic Justice
Our goal: Enable all people to participate in the region’s thriving economy and attain economic security
SPUR’s Five-Year Priorities:
• Develop and seed ideas that redress the fundamental inequity in the distribution of resources in our region.
• Grow and improve public support systems so that all people seamlessly receive the benefits they are eligible for and need to thrive in the Bay Area.
• Remove the financial burden placed on low-income families and people of color by making taxes, fees, and fines more equitable.
SPUR Report
Mending the Net
Long before COVID-19, California had the highest poverty rate in the nation. The state is also one of the worst at getting benefits to those who need them. Streamlining the application process would help Californians receive the public support they have a right to.
SPUR Report
Undue Burden
Sales taxes are a common revenue-raising tool, but they also play a role in reinforcing structural inequality. SPUR explores three options for creating a more equitable tax code.
SPUR Report
More Harm Than Good
California’s system of fines and fees is causing significant financial harm to low-income, Black, and Latinx communities in the Bay Area. California should eliminate its reliance on punitive fees and introduce more effective ways to promote behavior that supports safety and the greater social good.
SPUR Report
Ladders Out of Poverty
Thousands of Bay Area households struggle to pay their bills each month, a situation worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The region should look to the promise of unrestricted cash transfer programs, which give people money with no specific requirements on how it is spent.
SPUR Report
Economic Prosperity Strategy
The Bay Area has one of the strongest economies in the world, but the benefits are not universally shared. Over a third of the workforce earns less than $18 an hour. How can we make sure the region’s rising economic tide lifts all boats?
Updates and Events
Research Fellows and Interns Make Major Contributions to SPUR’s Work
News /During the last two academic years, SPUR has been fortunate to host a talented group of policy researchers through partnerships with graduate school fellowship and practicum programs. Their research has contributed to SPUR’s work, including policy changes and proposed legislation at the regional and state levels. Learn more about the work they’ve done with SPUR and what they’ve gone on to do after collaborating with us.
SPUR and fellow advocates call on MTC to support and strengthen draft transit-oriented communities policy
Advocacy LetterSPUR, Enterprise Community Partners, Transform, and NPH have led a coalition of advocates pushing a bold and equitable regional Transit-Oriented Communities policy. The latest draft would deliver strong residential and commercial growth around the region's transit hubs, while increasing affordability and protecting against displacement. SPUR and fellow advocates called for further action to ensure that the policy affirmatively furthers affordable housing, and limits auto-oriented development.
SPUR urges Governor to sign bill to make parking cash-out work
Advocacy LetterSPUR-sponsored AB2206 clarifies how to determine the amount of cash to which an employee is entitled, making it easier for employees to follow the law and easier for jurisdictions to enforce it. The bill was approved by the legislature and awaits Governor Newsom's signature.
Finding a Way to Build: Can the Bay Area Learn from Copenhagen’s 1990s Reinvention?
News /Comparing 2022 Copenhagen to the Bay Area of 2022 is like comparing apples to oranges. Aside from a few one-offs, most projects in Copenhagen would not be easily transferable to the Bay Area at scale due to foundational differences in the way our governments operate, from the national level on down. What would be more transferable would be to apply the lessons learned in the 1990s-era Copenhagen to the Bay Area in 2022.
California Leaders Invest in Economic Security
News /With the passage of a $17 billion inflation relief package, the California Legislature and Governor Newsom built on the economic stimulus efforts of the past two years by getting cash into the hands of Californians and investing in programs to help people make ends meet. By continuing to invest in helping people who have been most destabilized by the pandemic, and who suffer the most under inflation, California can take meaningful steps toward building economic security for all people.
Proposed “Parking Cash-Out” Bill Aims to Level the Commute Playing Field for Non-Drivers
News /A bill to give California commuters more options for sustainable transportation is getting strong support. Assembly Bill 2206 would make it easier for employers to implement a California law known as parking cash-out, which requires companies that provide free employee parking to offer the cash equivalent to those who choose not to drive to work. SPUR explored the benefits of parking cash-out at a digital discourse earlier this year.