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

SF Poised to Create State's First Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone

News /
San Francisco is once again poised to be a pioneer in urban agriculture policy. In June, Supervisor David Chiu introduced an ordinance that create California's first urban agriculture incentive zone and allow property owners who contract their land into urban agricultural use for at least five years to receive a property tax reduction

El Niño Brewing: Rough Waters Ahead for Ocean Beach?

News /
Recent data suggest that an El Niño weather pattern may develop in the Pacific Ocean this year. El Niños typically generate wetter and more frequent winter storms in California, with potential implications for erosion at Ocean Beach. What will these storms mean for the future of the beach, and for the recommendations in SPUR’s Ocean Beach Master Plan?

Compost, Cows and Carbon Markets

Urbanist Article
The Marin Carbon Project has demonstrated that applying compost to rangeland has clear environmental benefits. Could this be an effective strategy in helping combat climate change?

San Francisco’s Healthy Corner Store Movement

Urbanist Article
Alarming health statistics led community groups and city agencies to work together to improve nutrition and a healthier food retail environment in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. Their model for corner store conversions shows promise as a community-driven strategy to improve access to healthy food.

Between the Farm and the Grocery Store

Urbanist Article
San Francisco’s food and beverage manufacturers and distributors provide a critical link between agricultural producers and consumers in the local food economy. They also support economic and employment diversity within the city. Recognizing the importance of the food industry cluster, city agencies and industry leaders are developing recommendations for how local government can better help these businesses start, stay and grow in the city.
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