Ford GoBike has launched in five Bay Area cities. At its planned scale of 7,000 bikes, the program has potential to change how people get around — but only if there are policies in place to help guarantee its success. SPUR shares five ways Bay Area cities can get the most out of this and other bike-sharing programs.

The next generation of the Clipper transit payment system is now under development. While Clipper has removed a barrier to traveling on different transit operators, it did so only by masking a complex web of transit fares, passes and policies, making it challenging for the region to realize the promise of transit. We take a close look at the problem and recommend next steps.

Governor Jerry Brown and California’s legislative leadership are expected to unveil a package of housing bills this week in response to widespread recognition that the state faces a significant housing shortage and a resulting affordability crisis. The announcement explicitly specified a general obligation bond, a permanent funding source for affordable housing and regulatory reforms, but more proposals are supposedly under discussion.