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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More

Updates and Events

The Risky Business Project Takes on Economic Impacts of Climate Change

News /
How can we get past stagnant partisan arguments about climate change and begin looking at its impact on economic planning and investment? Kate Gordon of Next Generation presented this question at a SPUR lunchtime forum on the Risky Business Project, a nonpartisan effort to quantify and publicize the economic risks from climate change impacts.

SPUR Comments on Bay-Delta Conservation Plan

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports the implementation of the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan, which would provide a regulatory framework and create a habitat conservation plan to contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species in the Delta.

SPUR Endorses Santa Clara County Open Space Measure

News /
This November, Santa Clara County residents will vote on a tax measure that would significantly expand efforts to preserve and protect open space areas. This measure aligns with a number of SPUR’s goals. For Santa Clara County voters, we recommend a “yes” vote on the open space funding measure.

SF Approves California’s First Tax Incentive for Urban Ag

News /
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors has passed California’s first urban agriculture incentive zone. The new law allows a tax break for SF property owners who dedicate their land to agricultural use for at least five years. The final legislation included a few important amendments.

Sizing Up Climate Resilience in the Bay Area

Research
We measure greenhouse gas emissions to determine our impacts on the climate, but we know much less about how to measure our ability to respond to the climate’s impacts on us. SPUR and the Bay Area Joint Policy Committee brought regional leaders together to discuss best practices in developing and monitoring resilience through ongoing measurement of key indicators.

SPUR Supports Creation of Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone in SF

Advocacy Letter
Access to land is one of the most significant obstacles to the expansion of urban agriculture in the city. This ordinance will address this obstacle by allowing property owners to receive a property tax reduction in exchange for committing their land to urban agricultural use for at least five years.
Get Our Newsletters