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

Show Us the Money: How Will Cap and Trade Revenues Be Spent?

News /
Between 2013 and 2020, California will earn between $12 billion and $45 billion in cap-and-trade revenue. The state has already received hundreds of millions of dollars from auction revenues over the last 18 months, with that number poised to be in the billions annually within a few years. Now the state needs to decide: How will the money be spent?
Fort Mason Community Garden. Photo courtesy of Flickr user greychr

San Francisco’s New Urban Agriculture Program Up and Running

News /
After many months of planning, San Francisco’s new urban agriculture program launched in January. The program, designed to coordinate and increase the city’s support for city farmers and gardeners, recently released details about its first year priorities.

Bringing Water Consumption Down as the Drought Heats Up

News /
As California grapples with one of its worst droughts in recorded history, many in the Bay Area are wondering what should be done to ensure that we have sufficient water. Luckily, water agencies in our region are already leading the way on innovative approaches to reduce demand by fostering water conservation and efficiency. Here's what's working.

Taking Action on Sea Level Rise

Urbanist Article
Dozens of efforts are underway in the Bay Area to assess vulnerability to sea level rise, map critical infrastructure, plan to reduce emissions, restore wetlands and work across local government functions to knit together a plan of action. Here are just a few of the many of these efforts that stand out.

The Great Dithering

Urbanist Article
Climate change is not just a problem of the distant future — it's happening now. Our task, then, is contradictory: We need to fight it even as we to learn to live with it. But can we act decisively enough to avert catastrophe?

SPUR Supports SFPUC Rate Structure

Advocacy Letter
The San Francisco Public Utilties Commission has proposed a four-year rate structure that would finance three critical priorities for San Francisco and the Bay Area: the completion of the Water System Improvement Program, the beginning stages of the Sewer System Improvement Program, and maintenance and repair costs for current operations. SPUR supports the new structure, which would begin in July 2014.
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