SPUR: The Bay Area Has A Sprawl Problem

An article by Nancy Scola provides analysis of the claims a new report by SPUR called “SPUR’s Agenda for Change.” The idea at the center of the report: that the Bay Area’s sprawling single-use subdivisions and office parks manifest the worst possible outcomes of sprawl, and the region's urban centers must develop density to meet the demands of future population growth. “There’s a lack of vibrant urban cores in which people can live and work, SPUR argues, and with the population of the Bay Area expected to go from 7 million to 9 million in the next 30 years, the question becomes, where will those people go?” writes Scola.

As stated by Scola: “SPUR wants the Bay Area to think regionally, reject sprawl and build up its existing cities (San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose come in for particular attention).”

Other recommendations include “nurturing a culture of good design” and “make housing cost less for most people.” On the latter point, the report mentions the regional Plan Bay Area,  San Jose’s Envision 2040 Plan, and San Francisco’s Better Neighborhoods Plans as “solid examples of planning that adds housing in appropriate places while leaving most single-family neighborhoods alone.”