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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Is San Francisco Finally Ready to Make In-Law Units Legal?

News /
San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin recently introduced an ordinance to allow new “in law” housing units across San Francisco. Soon afterward, supervisors Mark Farrell and Scott Wiener introduced a proposal that’s similar but slightly less restrictive. We’re thrilled to see proposals to increase the city’s housing supply moving forward. Now it’s going to be important to get the details right.

A New Pro-Housing Generation Says “Yes In My Back Yard”

News /
A growing collection of like-minded urbanists from around the country have jauntily adopted the label YIMBY or “Yes In My Back Yard.” YIMBYs tend to live in cities. And the thing they most want in their backyards is housing. Last week they met at YIMBY 2016, their first-ever international conference.

Future-Proof Water for Silicon Valley

Research
Silicon Valley’s historically reliable water supply has been essential to its growth. But the last four years of severe drought have revealed the region’s dependence on statewide water availability. Local leaders see sustained conservation and water recycling as the best solution. To assist these efforts, this paper updates the South Bay data in our 2013 report Future-Proof Water and highlights areas for research and partnerships.

What Is Your Radical Idea for San Jose?

News /
If money were no object, what "moonshot" idea do you believe would make the biggest positive impact on San Jose? SPUR is entering its fifth year in San Jose, and we’ve accomplished a lot. As we look toward our next five years, we’re looking for new thinking that could transform the future of the city. We’d love to hear about your vision for San Jose.

What Do Three Mega Projects Tell Us About Silicon Valley’s Future?

News /
Santa Clara's City Place development, San Jose’s Diridon Station Area Plan and Mountain View’s North Bayshore Precise Plan seek to reshape growth in Silicon Valley. What do they tell us about the future of Silicon Valley and what do they mean for the region? Can we expect something different than auto-oriented suburbs? Are we “thinking different” — or repeating the mistakes of the past?
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