Good Government
We believe: The public sector can and should serve the collective good.
• Improve government’s capacity to provide services and address challenges effectively.
• Support voter engagement.
Our Goals
SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide helps voters understand the issues they will face in the voting booth. We focus on outcomes, not ideology, providing objective analysis on which measures will deliver real solutions.
SPUR Event
Good Government Awards
The Good Government Awards honor outstanding managers working for the City and County of San Francisco, recognizing them for their leadership, vision and ability to make a difference in city government and in the community.
SPUR Report
Back in the Black
San José has the highest median household income of any major city in the country, but years of budget cuts and staffing reductions have left the city in a precarious position. SPUR and Working Partnerships USA explore how San Jose can bolster its resources and deliver high-quality public services.
SPUR Event
SPUR Impact Awards
The Impact Awards Luncheon, honors the outstanding contributions by employees of city and county governments, public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Santa Clara County. The awards celebrate significant accomplishments in the areas of housing, transportation, placemaking and urban design, community advocacy, and sustainability and resilience.
Updates and Events
Should Oakland Tax Vacant Properties?
News /
According to a recent analysis of data from the Alameda County Assessor’s Office and the City of Oakland, there are approximately 4,000 vacant parcels in Oakland. In a move that could prompt owners of these properties to build on them — and in the process generate revenue for purposes including homeless services — Oakland is considering imposing a tax on vacant properties.
San Francisco's Next Mayor
Policy Brief
By any measure, the previous decade has been a period of dramatic change and growth for San Francisco. But for many, this unprecedented prosperity has failed to address — and has even contributed to — the many challenges the city still faces. SPUR offer a platform of specific policy goals and practical solutions for the next mayor and the city for the years ahead.
Good Government Awards 2018: How the Encampment Resolution Team Pioneered SF's Navigation Centers
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The 2018 Good Government Awards, held on March 21, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving the City and County of San Francisco. The ceremony honored the Encampment Resolution Team, which designed and built the Waterfront Navigation Center in the Dogpatch neighborhood, creating a model for cities such as Seattle and Berkeley.
Good Government Awards 2018: How Jesus Mora Improves SF's Emergency Response Systems
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The 2018 Good Government Awards, held on March 21, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving the City and County of San Francisco. The ceremony honored Jesus Mora, whose leadership improved the delivery of the city’s emergency response systems.
Good Government Awards 2018: How Kelly Cornell Helped Create a Long-Term Plan for SF's Urban Forests
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The 2018 Good Government Awards, held on March 21, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving the City and County of San Francisco. The ceremony honored Kelly Cornell, the Chief Urban Forester of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, who set San Francisco on course for a long-term tree-management plan unachieved by any other major city.
Good Government Awards 2018: Sonali Bose Oversees Billions to Help SFMTA Innovate
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The 2018 Good Government Awards, held on March 21, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving the City and County of San Francisco. The ceremony honored Sonoli Bose for her deep knowledge of city government, her strategic vision and her ability to forge successful interagency partnerships as SFMTA's revenues grew significantly.