SPUR Planning Policy Area

Planning

We Believe: Growth can be good and should be directed to areas
that will support equitable development and sustainability.

Our Goals

• Leverage growth to create great neighborhoods and public spaces.

• Protect and expand open space.

• Concentrate new jobs and housing in downtowns and near major transit hubs.

• Grow up, not out.

Photo of a locally owned bakery storefront in downtown San Francisco

Policy Brief

Small and Mighty

San Francisco’s small businesses face complex regulations, rising costs, and slow economic recovery after the pandemic. SPUR identifies seven interventions to support the city's small business sector.
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Photo of high rise buildings in downtown San Francisco

SPUR Report

From Workspace to Homebase

Converting empty offices into apartments could both reanimate downtown San Francisco and provide housing for more people near transit, jobs, and culture. SPUR explores the suitability of converting office buildings to housing and tests the financial feasibility.
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illustration of a mixed-used downtown with offices, restaurants, childcare, retail, greenspace and transit

Urbanist Article

What If We Get Downtown Right?

SPUR asked community leaders: “What would it look like if cities were to get downtown right?” We invited them to picture a future in which today’s ideas and policy proposals for downtown revitalization are put into place ... and they work.
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Updates and Events

SPUR Recommends Prioritization of User Experience at Diridon Station

Advocacy Letter
SPUR recommend that local boards and partner agencies at Diridon Station use the lens of user experience to evaluate the proposed elements and scenarios for the spatial configuration of this multimodal hub. User experience is critical to whether people will embrace the station — be it to take a transit trip, meet with friends in the station area, or live or work in San Jose.

SPUR Comments on Caltrain Service Delivery and Governance

Advocacy Letter
SPUR commend Caltrain for taking on questions about how it should be organized to deliver services effectively as part of the business plan. In this letter SPUR outlines four goals for Caltrain's future service delivery and governance models and provides best practices about how rail networks are delivered and managed in other countries.

SPUR Supports Rail Corridor Plan for San Jose and Inter-Agency Agreement

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports a Rail Corridor Plan for San José and Inter-Agency Agreement and provides recommendations to help develop the Rail Corridor Plan's scope of work and the Inter-Agency Agreement. This effort can further promote collaboration in developing a seamless and integrated rail network across the Bay Area and Northern California Megaregion.

SPUR Comments on MTC's Futures Round 2 Analysis

Advocacy Letter
MTC and ABAG, as part of the Horizons effort, sought input on the strategies that will assess projects for inclusion in Plan Bay Area 2050. SPUR believes the Futures Round 2 analysis can be bolder and more strategic. Our letter included several overarching comments about the analysis, as well as specific comments related to several of the proposed strategies.
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