The Kincade Fire has forced the largest-ever evacuation of Sonoma County and threatens areas that are still recovering from the devastating fires of 2017. As the climate changes, the threats to California communities are becoming more frequent and more severe. And if we don’t plan regionally, the resilience investments we do make may not have the expected payoff.

California can address many of its issues at once by adding new jobs and housing around passenger rail stations. In September, SPUR partnered with Governor Newsom's Regions Rise Together initiative to hold a half-day workshop for California cities with rail stations. Together we asked: How can the state help cities spur compact growth and economic development near rail?

At this year's Silver SPUR Awards, Alicia John-Baptiste, SPUR’s new president and CEO, shared her approach for addressing the problems facing the Bay Area: Our challenges have divided us, she argued, but working on them collectively could bring us together.

San Jose — long known as the bedroom community for Silicon Valley — has struggled to grow its job base. But four new trends in downtown development may be about to change that. In 2014, SPUR made recommendations for how to encourage growth downtown. Five years later, we are seeing these ideas unfold — with positive indications for San Jose’s financial footing.

Oakland’s annual rent increase has slowed dramatically as the amount of new housing has skyrocketed. Some developers are even offering free rent to lure prospective tenants. This is welcome news for renters who can afford market-rate rents, but the benefits are not limited to them. New research demonstrates that construction of market-rate housing can have positive effects for those who already live in the neighborhood.