Balancing Oakland's Budget
Closing the city’s structural deficit to move toward fiscal solvency and economic growth
Getting In on the Ground Floor
Policy Brief / Downtown San José is a walkable, transit-rich, culturally dynamic urban center. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still grappling with low daytime foot traffic and high vacancies in office and commercial buildings. Filling empty ground-floor spaces is a critical first step in a long-term economic revitalization strategy. SPUR offers 13 recommendations to capitalize on the opportunity these spaces offer for local artists, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses.
SPUR 2025 Impact Report
Impact Report / SPUR’s research, education, and advocacy drive outcomes for Bay Area cities. This year we played an important role in passing state and local legislation to build more affordable housing, secure funding for public transit, reduce carbon emissions, strengthen hazard resilience, and make city government more effective.
Op-Ed: There’s No Fixing San Francisco Without Fixing Its City Charter. Here’s How
News / In an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, SPUR argues that the San Francisco City Charter is due for an overhaul. What was meant to be a concise constitutional framework has become a detailed and disjointed instruction manual. Riddled with outdated, duplicative, and overly specific provisions, the charter ties the city’s hands at precisely the moment when flexibility and adaptability are needed most.
Charter for Change
Policy Brief / San Francisco's 548-page city charter, expanded through amendments over time, is hindering effective governance and solutions for housing affordability, public safety, climate resilience, and other critical issues. The November 2026 election offers a chance to update it. Our policy brief proposes 10 changes that, if approved by voters, would empower city leadership, improve outcomes, access, and accountability, and create a more effective and responsive government.
Connect Bay Area Act Authorizes a Regional Tax Measure to Save Transit
News / Transit may get some much-needed funding thanks to the newly passed Connect Bay Area Act, which authorizes the placement of a five-county sales tax measure on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, the measure could generate about $1 billion annually for transit operations. SPUR helped develop the law, which includes robust oversight measures to ensure fair fund distribution and requires transit operators to improve financial efficiency.