transect diagram of a shoreline community with groundwater underneath the soil

Look Out Below

Reducing the risk of groundwater rise in Bay shore cities

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Illustration of houses plugging into electricity

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

Planning an equitable transition away from fossil fuel heat in Bay Area buildings

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illustration of yellow houses on a dark blue background

Structured for Success

Reforming housing governance in California and the Bay Area

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people sitting in a parklet with a colorful mural outside a cafe

The 15-Minute Neighborhood

A framework for equitable growth and complete communities in San José and beyond

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sf cityscape

Office-to-Residential Conversion in Downtown SF

Can converting office space to housing help revitalize downtown?

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illustration of a vibrant neighborhood with cyclists, pedestrians, bike lanes, benches, trees

The 2024 SPUR Annual Report

Celebrating our big wins of the past year

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Joseph Bodovitz

Remembering Joe Bodovitz

News /
SPUR’s first deputy director, Joseph Bodovitz, died on March 9, 2024, at age 93, following a very influential career in public service and environmental protection. A remembrance by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission observed, “Nobody in the entire State of California was more influential in developing California’s coastal zone management policies than Joe Bodovitz.” And it all started at SPUR.
Blue report cover with white text reading "Planning by Ballot: Local land use ballot measures and their impact on housing production in California"

Planning by Ballot

Research
SPUR has created the most up-to-date database of local land use ballot measures that impact housing production in California. Many of the 208 measures we identified curb urban sprawl and protect open space. But others undermine infill housing production in urbanized areas. Over the long term, measures that restrict infill housing can undermine housing affordability and have the potential to exacerbate racial segregation.
Erie Street, Oakland

An Affordable Transition to Zero-Pollution, Climate-Friendly Homes in the Bay Area

News /
A first-in-the-nation air quality standard for home heating equipment will dramatically improve the Bay Area's air quality, save lives, and help the state meet its climate goals. What will ensure that everyone can afford healthy, efficient, and carbon-free heat pumps? SPUR lays out how to use funding, financing, and market development to ensure heat pumps are affordable through 2027 and beyond.
Voter guide

March 2024 Voter Guide

Voter Guide /
For the March 2024 election, SPUR analyzed local and state measures related to our policy areas on the California and San Francisco ballots. Our analysis includes the background behind the measures, equity impacts, pros and cons, and a recommendation on how to vote. (Note: There were no regional or San José measures related to SPUR policy areas on this ballot. SPUR did not analyze Oakland Measure D because it qualified for the ballot after SPUR completed its analysis process.)
Report cover with illustration of houses plugging into electric energy

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

SPUR Report
New Bay Area regulations are ushering in a transition from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric-powered heat pumps, which heat air and water without emitting harmful pollutants, use far less energy, and would greatly reduce the region’s carbon emissions. A major challenge in adopting heat pumps is that, for now, they cost more to install. SPUR’s detailed action plan shows how incentives and electrical code changes can help the Bay Area make this transition affordable for low-income households.
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