After an especially fraught budget season, Governor Newsom signed the state budget into law on June 30, providing critically needed relief funding for public transit. The lifeline from the state will buy time to avoid service cuts in the near term. Long-term stability hinges on passage of a tax measure and reauthorization of the Cap-and-Trade Program.

For San Francisco’s new planning director, the 2007 recession was revelatory: no matter a city’s vision, market realities and risk management dictate development outcomes. That realization sparked Sarah Dennis-Philips’ curiosity about how capital flows and public policies influence what actually gets built. In a world where planning, land use, and growth are no longer predictable or sequential, Sarah says the role of city planner has expanded from designer and regulator to strategist, facilitator, and problem solver.

Heat pumps can heat and cool buildings, reduce greenhouse gasses, and improve indoor and outdoor air quality. So why aren’t they more common in California? A web of complex requirements, restrictive zoning and planning codes, excessive documentation requirements, and high fees have hindered adoption. SPUR’s Sam Fishman explains current permitting headaches and walks us through how to smooth the way to a gas-free future for buildings.

SPUR supported a recent Berkeley ordinance that motivates investments in zero-emissions home retrofits by taking advantage of home sales to require energy upgrades. Berkeley’s time-of-sale approach balances consistent investment with flexible compliance pathways for retrofits. It’s just one approach cities can take to expand their decarbonization toolboxes.