Governance
We believe: The public sector can and should serve the collective good.
• Improve government’s capacity to provide services and address challenges effectively.
• Support voter engagement.
Our Goals
SPUR Report
Designed to Serve
San Francisco’s governance structure has evolved to distribute authority and maximize oversight. As a result, policies don’t always meet the needs of the people they intend to serve. SPUR outlines how San Francisco can choose to design a better system.
SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide helps voters understand the issues they will face in the voting booth. We focus on outcomes, not ideology, providing objective analysis on which measures will deliver real solutions.
SPUR Report
Making Government Work
Many of the challenges Oakland faces are worsened by its unusual government structure, which makes it harder for the mayor and other officials to do their jobs well. SPUR explores how the city can adapt its governance structure to better serve Oaklanders.
Updates and Events
San Francisco’s Utilities in the 21st Century
Urbanist Article supply structure Generally speaking, wholesale power markets are comprised of large central station generating plants, usually remote from population centers, together with high voltage transmission lines needed to get power from those plants closer to where it is used. The retail portion of electric supply includes parts of the system closer to end-users, that are needed to transform the power into usable voltages, distribute it…
November 2001 Voter Guide
Voter Guide Includes SPUR's analysis of nine city measures on the November 6, 2001 ballot.
Planning for Growth
SPUR Report SPUR makes four recommendations to expand the successful transit impact development fee.
Reforming Local Government
Urbanist Article Beryl Magilavy offers suggestions on how to update San Francisco governmental policies, and calls for greater transparency and an elected public advocate as potential answers to the problems.
Public/Private Partnerships 101:
Urbanist Article Prowler recounts his experience successfully negotiating public and private interests in the redevelopment of Mission Bay, and explains how such efforts could be replicated.
Small Steps Toward a Better City
Urbanist Article 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.