SPUR Planning Policy Area

Planning

We believe: Growth can be good and should be directed to areas
that will support equitable development and sustainability.

Our Goals

• Leverage growth to create great neighborhoods and public spaces.

• Protect and expand open space.

• Concentrate new jobs and housing in downtowns and near major transit hubs.

• Grow up, not out.

Photo of a locally owned bakery storefront in downtown San Francisco

Policy Brief

Small and Mighty

San Francisco’s small businesses face complex regulations, rising costs, and slow economic recovery after the pandemic. SPUR identifies seven interventions to support the city's small business sector.
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Photo of high rise buildings in downtown San Francisco

SPUR Report

From Workspace to Homebase

Converting empty offices into apartments could both reanimate downtown San Francisco and provide housing for more people near transit, jobs, and culture. SPUR explores the suitability of converting office buildings to housing and tests the financial feasibility.
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illustration of a mixed-used downtown with offices, restaurants, childcare, retail, greenspace and transit

Urbanist Article

What If We Get Downtown Right?

SPUR asked community leaders: “What would it look like if cities were to get downtown right?” We invited them to picture a future in which today’s ideas and policy proposals for downtown revitalization are put into place ... and they work.
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photo of a pedestrian bridge and tree cover over the Guadalupe River

Virtual Exhibition

Re-Envisioning the Guadalupe River Park

The Guadalupe River Park is downtown San José’s most important urban green space, but it faces serious challenges. SPUR's virtual exhibition celebrates the promise of the river park and brings together three years of research and conversation about its future.
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Updates and Events

Changing Roles of Urban Parks

Urbanist Article
From the pleasure garden to the reform park, recreational facility and open-space system, San Francisco has all forms, each reflecting its era’s ideology about order and an underlying attitude about the city.

Better Parks in San Francisco

SPUR Report
The outlook for San Francisco's parks is much brighter after the successful passage of Propositions A and C in the March 2000 election. SPUR makes recommendations to the Recreation and Parks Commission to fully implement the measures.

The Future of Visitacion Valley

Urbanist Article
Home Depot proposed for the Schlage Lock Company site is the exact opposite of the transit-oriented development SPUR advocates. This paper describes an alternative vision for the site.

Redesigning Harvey Milk Plaza

Urbanist Article
Harvey Milk Plaza, located at the intersection of Market and Castro, is a memorial space dedicated to assassinated former city supervisor Harvey Milk. SPUR and other organizations have begun a contest to imagine how this space could become more significant and defined.

A Dilemma for "Sustainable Regionalists"

Urbanist Article
In the early 1990s, regional leaders declared the need for a regional forum to discuss and manage growth. Author Peter Lydon argues for an institution that would take an active role in making development more sustainable.

Sustaining a Livable City in the New Millennium

Urbanist Article
This article is the text of the keynote address delivered at a community forum focused on livability issues and Federal, State and local decisions that impact the quality of life for San Francisco.
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