We believe: The region should be environmentally just, carbon-neutral,
and resilient to climate change and earthquakes.
Our Goals
• Decarbonize buildings.
• Make the region resilient to sea level rise and other climate-driven natural disasters.
• Improve communities’ resilience to earthquakes.
SPUR Report
Watershed Moments
Climate scientists predict that California will experience longer, more frequent droughts as the climate warms. How can the Bay Area better manage the limited water it has? SPUR, Greenbelt Alliance and Pacific Institute teamed up to highlight six Northern California leaders who are pioneering more sustainable approaches to water use.
The Bay Area is projected to add 2 million jobs and as many as 6.8 million people in the next 50 years. But can we add more jobs and build more housing without using more water? New research from SPUR and the Pacific Institute says yes.
Safety First: Improving Hazard Resilience in the Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area is both a treasured place and a hazardous environment where flooding, wildfires and earthquakes are common today. As a region exposed to multiple hazards, how can we manage for all of them at the same time?
We know that another major earthquake will strike San Francisco — we just don’t know when. Since 2008, SPUR has led a comprehensive effort to retrofit the buildings and infrastructure that sustain city life. Our Resilient City Initiative recommends steps the city should take before, during and after the next big quake.
Lessons Learned From California’s COVID-19 Water Debt Relief Program
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Legislature established the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program to provide financial relief for unpaid water bills. But water affordability struggles won’t end with the pandemic. The state will need to build upon its first experiment with water bill assistance to weather ongoing climate change and income inequality. SPUR investigates the success of the $985 million program and looks at lessons learned.
Ocean Beach, one of San Francisco’s most treasured landscapes, faces significant challenges. Since 2010, SPUR has led an extensive interagency and public process to develop the Ocean Beach Master Plan, a comprehensive vision to address sea level rise, protect infrastructure, restore coastal ecosystems and improve public access.
The Redevelopment Agency is a key component of any effort to build a sustainable San Francisco. This article summarizes the findings from a SPUR-sponsored charrette to identify sustainable strategies for redevelopment areas.
Ecological parks are different from conventional, picturesque parks. They are places nature has reclaimed, they’re part of the urban whole, and they minimize resource use and waste outputs. At their best, they inspire a connection to the land.
In San Francisco, we have not yet developed a comprehensive system of design that recognizes the natural features and processes of our peninsula--the waterfront, the hilltops, the wind and fog patterns. Now is the time.
Funding Section of the Community Parks Task Force The Funding Committee investigated sources of additional funds for San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (R&P) in both the public and private spheres. Its aim was to find promising ideas to build both the annual operating budget and the longer-term capital budget for the department. The recommendations fall into four categories: 1. Department Initiatives: Operating…