SPUR

Nicole Neditch, SPUR's Governance and Economy Policy Director, on the new structure of Mayor Daniel Lurie 丹尼爾·羅偉's reformed mayor's office

SPUR Members: Join us for a guided tour of Northeastern University Oakland—formerly Mills College! ?? Explore historic Julia Morgan architecture & learn how this iconic campus is evolving. ?? March 27 | ?? 12–1 PM | ?? Free for SPUR Members

How can San Francisco’s Housing Element help ease the city's housing crisis? We have answers, starting with what the Housing Element is, how it influences the city’s development, why San Francisco needs so much housing, and why significant changes are proposed for the city’s northern and western neighborhoods. https://lnkd.in/gtDaPykp SPUR, Erika McLitus

What does tourism have to do with downtown San Francisco's recovery? Join me on 4/29/25 along with Anna Marie Presutti of SF Travel, Mike Nakornkhet, IAP of San Francisco International Airport, and Zaileen Janmohamed of the Bay Area Host Committee for an upcoming panel discussion about tourism in the city's economy, how the industry is positioning itself for transformation and recovery, and the opportunities that lie ahead with the World Cup and Super Bowl in 2026. This program is open to SPUR business members.

We’re announcing new legislation (SB 63) to provide long-term stable funding to Bay Area transit systems, authorizing a multi-county revenue measure for 2026. If we do nothing, major systems (BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain) will be forced into massive service cuts. That would be horrific for San Francisco & the Bay Area as a whole. The counties in this proposed ballot measure are Contra Costa, Alameda & San Francisco Counties. We’re working with San Mateo County with the goal of the county opting in to the measure in the coming months. The measure will propose a sales tax to support transit operations & avoid service cuts. It’ll essentially solve BART & AC Transit’s funding shortfall & contribute significantly to Muni’s shortfall. If San Mateo County participates, the measure will contribute significantly to Caltrain’s shortfall. SB 63 also requires reforms at these transit systems. Service has gotten better — with more frequent service, more cleaning, protections against fare evasion & more safety focus — but work remains. SB 63 requires a financial efficiency analysis & enhanced coordination/integration among the systems. Transit in the Bay Area isn’t optional. It’s part of our region’s lifeblood. It’s essential to our economy. Without it, a huge number of people won’t be able to get to work or school & traffic congestion will get much worse. We know what it’ll take to stop these service cuts & we’re working to get that done.

The Urbanist, Issue 576, "What If We Get This Right?" | SPUR's print magazine for members explores visions for downtown revival, the fight to save transit, housing reform & more. Read the digital articles. https://lnkd.in/gGC9R3nc #TheUrbanist

Detroit's downtown renaissance offers lessons for struggling Bay Area's cities: the health of cities is intrinsically tied to the prosperity of the state, and the revitalization of downtowns is critical to the recovery of neighborhoods. Thanks to community advocacy, City of Detroit's leaders and philanthropic organizations are now funding new initiatives to ensure that future revitalization efforts promote affordable housing and homeownership, workforce development, and entrepreneurship. https://lnkd.in/gJJ3Uyjb

Michael Lane, SPUR State Policy Director: Time to reimagine fire insurance coverage in California

San Francisco has adopted a new law that will waive inclusionary affordable housing and other impact fee requirements on commercial-to-residential conversion projects in the downtown area (C-2 and C-3 zoning districts), which is projected to reduce project costs by $70,000 to $90,000 per unit. The ordinance will come into effect on April 6 and will apply to the first 7 million square feet of commercial space converted to residential use, whether by adaptive reuse within an existing building or via demolition and new construction. The ordinance also indefinitely extends the City's Adaptive Reuse Program that had been set to expire in 2028. This is the City's latest step to implement SPUR’s recommendations from its "From Workspace to Homebase" report. https://lnkd.in/d3MGMWbH

Why is the State of California directing San Francisco to change its zoning to allow 82,069 new homes by 2031, and what does this mean for the city's northern and western neighborhoods? SPUR explains the relationship between neighborhood zoning, the housing shortage, and patterns of racial segregation — plus the consequences if the city fails to comply.