transect diagram of a shoreline community with groundwater underneath the soil

Look Out Below

Reducing the risk of groundwater rise in Bay shore cities

Illustration of houses plugging into electricity

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

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

illustration of yellow houses on a dark blue background

Structured for Success

Reforming housing governance in California and the Bay Area

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

sf cityscape

Office-to-Residential Conversion in Downtown SF

Can converting office space to housing help revitalize downtown?

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

Undue Burden

SPUR Report
Sales taxes are a common revenue-raising tool, but they also play a role in reinforcing structural inequality. Every consumer pays the same tax rate at the register, but low-income households pay a higher percentage of their income. In a new report, SPUR explores three options for instituting a low-income sales tax credit or supplement to help create a more equitable tax code.

Time to Reform Bay Area Sales Taxes

News /
Taxes are more than revenue-raising tools: They reflect our collective sense of fairness and shared values. But most sales taxes are regressive, which means they hit low-income households hardest. A new SPUR report argues that a sales tax credit or similar cash benefit could address these impacts and advance a more just tax code and a more equitable region.

November 2020 Voter Guide

Voter Guide /
SPUR analyzed all local and state measures on the San Francisco, San José and Oakland ballots for the November 2020 election. Our analysis includes the background behind the measures, pros and cons, and a recommendation on how to vote.

Value Driven

SPUR Report
Roads and parking are expensive to build, but they’re mostly free for drivers to use as much as they’d like. This kind of free access imposes serious costs on others: traffic, climate change, air pollution, and heart and lung disease. SPUR’s new report Value Driven shines a light on the invisible costs of driving and offers five pioneering strategies to address them.

Shining a Light on the Invisible Costs of Driving

News /
For most people in the Bay Area, getting somewhere means driving. It's the default option because it is most often easier and cheaper than any other option. But driving imposes serious costs on others: traffic, climate change, air pollution, and heart and lung disease. A new SPUR report shines a light on the invisible costs of driving and offers five strategies to address them.