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

Three State Bills Worth Watching: Urban Ag, Farm Protection and a Soda Tax

News /
Of the many food and agriculture bills California legislators have introduced this year, three stand out for their potential impact on the Bay Area’s food system: a tax incentive to promote the use of private land for urban agriculture; a change to CEQA to require agricultural land preservation for certain projects; and a statewide sugary-beverage tax. Here’s a closer look at these bills, which we…

Future-Proof Water

SPUR Report
More than two-thirds of the Bay Area’s water is imported from outside the region. Today these supplies are regularly threatened by drought, earthquakes and water quality impairments — risks that will intensify with climate change. Meanwhile, our region will add 2 million more people by 2040 — growth that will require more water. Do we have the water we need to support this projected growth?

SPUR Supports the Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program

Advocacy Letter
Currently, soft-story buildings pose a significant threat to San Francisco’s ability to recover from a disaster. The Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety estimates that at least 58,000 residents and 7,000 workers occupy buildings vulnerable to damage in an earthquake. SPUR urges the Board of Supervisors to move forward with the Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program.

The Future of Water

Urbanist Article
Monumental investments in water delivery and infrastructure — largely to move water from north to south and east to west — supported the state’s economic expansion and urban growth in the 20th century. Though the Bay Area’s water supplies are sufficient today, in the future and in times of drought, we will need more water than we currently have.

South Bay Ag Tour: Many Farms, Many Business Models

News /
The array of food grown within a couple of hours of San Francisco makes our region truly unique. Along with an astounding amount of agricultural diversity, the Bay Area's farms and ranches employ a wide range of business models. This is an asset to their economic vibrancy, but it also means there are few "one size fits all" policy recommendations to support regional agriculture. I…

Member Profile: Patrick Otellini

Urbanist Article
Not long ago, Patrick Otellini chose to ignore the unavoidable fact that San Francisco is well overdue for a major earthquake. Today, he’s the city’s director of earthquake safety.
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