photo of estuary at Crissy Field at sunset

Sustainability and Resilience

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.

transect of a bayshore neighborhood with ground water beneath the soil

SPUR Report

Look Out Below

Bay Area cities planning for sea level rise need to address another emerging hazard: groundwater rise. Our case study on East Palo Alto offers recommendations applicable to other vulnerable communities along the San Francisco Bay shore.
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illustration of houses plugging into the electricity grid

SPUR Report

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

New Bay Area regulations are ushering in a transition from polluting gas furnaces and water heaters to zero-emissions electric heat pumps. SPUR’s action plan shows how to make this transition affordable for low-income households.
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photo of Ocean Beach in San Francisco

Initiative

Ocean Beach Master Plan

San Francisco's Ocean Beach faces significant challenges. SPUR led a public process to develop a comprehensive vision to address sea level rise, protect infrastructure, restore coastal ecosystems, and improve public access.
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historic photo of houses damaged in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

Initiative

The Resilient City

We know that another major earthquake will strike San Francisco — we just don’t know when. SPUR's Resilient City Initiative recommends steps the city should take before, during, and after the next big quake.
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Updates and Events

SPUR Supports Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone Ordinance

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports the proposed ordinance creating an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone in San Jose. During the first year of implementation, we encourage the Council to track the impact of the ordinance and potentially explore ways to expand its reach.

SPUR Supports OUSD Good Food Purchasing Program

Advocacy Letter
SPUR enthusiastically supports OUSD's Good Food Purchasing Program, which would provide a clear framework for analyzing and improving the environmental, social and health impacts of food procured by the school district.

Mission Creek Sea Level Rise Adaptation Study

Research
Located on San Francisco’s eastern waterfront, Mission Creek is one of the city’s lowest lying areas. That means it's potentially vulnerable to storm surges, flooding and future sea level rise. This study considers different design concepts for how to “hold the line” on sea level rise at Mission Creek and weighs the pros and cons of each.
Fossil-Free Bay Area Report Cover

Fossil-Free Bay Area

SPUR Report
Fossil fuel use is causing runaway global climate change, but we still have time to reverse course if the world can transition to renewable sources for almost all energy uses. The Bay Area is uniquely positioned to prototype ways to become fossil-free and model them for urban areas around the world. We propose three big ideas for how to end our dependence on fossil fuels.
Produce shelves. Photo by Lance Cheung, courtesy of USDA via Flickr.

Increasing Economic Access to Healthy Foods

News /
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, is key to health and a high quality of life. But many Bay Area residents struggle to afford these healthy ingredients. SPUR recently hosted a conversation about how to expand access to healthy food by increasing low-income families’ purchasing power in grocery stores and at farmers’ markets.
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