Governance
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 Report
Designed to Serve
San Francisco’s governance structure has evolved to distribute authority and maximize oversight. As a result, policies don’t always meet the needs of the people they intend to serve. SPUR outlines how San Francisco can choose to design a better system.
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 Report
Making Government Work
Many of the challenges Oakland faces are worsened by its unusual government structure, which makes it harder for the mayor and other officials to do their jobs well. SPUR explores how the city can adapt its governance structure to better serve Oaklanders.
Updates and Events
2015 Good Government Awards: The Family Violence Prevention Team's Safe Communication Strategies
News /
The Family Violence Prevention Team implements new strategies to promote safe communication between parties in child-support cases. Through their work with the Family Violence Initiative, they have facilitated a 16 percent increase in the number of child support cases that are receiving payments.
Momentum for Local Minimum Wage
Urbanist Article
An overwhelming majority of voters in San Francisco and Oakland voted to raise the local minimum wage in November. Meanwhile San Jose and a number of other Bay Area cities have already increased their minimum wage or are planning to establish one. Public opinion has shifted, and higher minimum wages have become a win-win mainstream issue. A regional minimum wage could be next.
SPUR Supports Simplification of SF Planning Code Article 2
Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports the Planning Commission's monumental effort to simplify Article 2, in a great step toward making it easier for citizens and practitioners to engage with the planning and development process.
Urbanism Wins in the Bay Area
News /
Regardless of what happened at the national level, our local elections were full of good news for urbanism. Ballot measures that passed in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland marked major victories for transit, open space and higher minimum wages across the region.
SPUR Hosts San Jose Mayoral Candidates Debate
News /
San Jose is about to choose a new mayor — a decision that will affect the city for decades to come. To help voters get to know the candidates and their positions on our issues, SPUR held a debate between the two contenders vying for the seat, Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese and San Jose City Councilmember Sam Liccardo.
Quick Guide to SPUR's SF Ballot Recommendations
News /
It's election season and time for SPUR's in-depth analysis of local San Francisco ballot measures. Don't want to wade through our 30-page voter guide? Check out this quick summary of all our recommendations. For those who do want to nerd out, don't worry — we've included links to our complete analysis.