Following an 8-year career with the San Jose Police Department, Councilmember Raul Peralez was elected to represent San Jose City Council's District 3. Peralez is committed to restoring the police department and improving public safety. Peralez has jumped right in, prioritizing the economic vitality of downtown, addressing homelessness, planning for Diridon Station's future as a transit mecca, and working to rebuild the strained relationships between…

A keen understanding of the factors driving income inequality and institutional distrust are essential to leadership in a divided world. Join Ravi Moorthy, Managing Director of Edelman’s Bay Area Corporate & Public Affairs team as he presents the results of Edelman’s 2016 Trust Barometer and explores the widening trust gap between the elite and mass populations, and what it means for those who work, innovate and…

In response to growing concerns about housing affordability, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has unveiled a plan to protect 17,000 existing affordable homes and apartments and build at least 17,000 new ones over the next eight years. Join Assistant City Administrator, Claudia Cappio for a discussion of the proactive solutions Oakland is proposing to meet its housing challenges head on.

In Silicon Valley, traffic has never been worse, transit never more crowded. Join us as Nuria Fernandez, head of the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority, speaks to the challenges and opportunities of moving people in, around and through the valley—and shares VTA’s visions for tackling those changes.

Phil Matier and Andy Ross join us for their annual update on all things political in San Francisco and beyond. How are the results of the recent elections playing out across the Bay Area? What big political forces will shape 2016? Join us for a great conversation, but don't come empty handed--Matier and Ross will talk until our questions run out.

In the wake of the dissolution of redevelopment agencies around California, developers and others have searched for creative ways to finance affordable housing and other economic development investments. Join SPUR for a deeper look at Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts (EIFDs) and learn how this tool could shape private and public investments in Oakland and elsewhere. We will hear from Joshua Simon, Executive Director of the…

The Mayor’s First Year: San Jose is on the move with explosive growth at levels not seen in over a decade. Looking forward, it is projecting to add nearly half a million people and jobs in the next 30 years. What lies ahead for California's 3rd largest city? Join Mayor Sam Liccardo as he reflects on his first year in office and provides our audience with an exclusive look…

Downtown Oakland is experiencing a renaissance and is poised to take on a larger role in the region. The future is not guaranteed, however, and downtown still faces a number of key challenges. We believe that the best path forward is to plan for growth — and to shape that growth to make downtown Oakland a great place that provides benefits to all. Join us…

Mike Kim of Simeon Properties, Mark Ritchie of Ritchie Commercial and Lydia Tan of Bentall Kennedy will bring their residential, broker and investor perspectives to the table for this provocative discussion on the future of downtown. What's the state of the market in downtown San Jose today? What will it take to spark a new commercial building here? How long until major planned projects —…

Are billion-dollar tech start-ups driving our current commercial real estate boom? Has the success of these " unicorns" changed the fundamentals of San Francisco’s real estate market forever? Join SPUR in conversation with Dan Cressman, executive managing director with NGKF Capital Markets in San Francisco, to find out. Specializing in the sale of more than $3.5 billion of commercial properties in downtown San Francisco…