The Resilient City

Creating a new framework for disaster planning

Image by J.K. Nakata, courtesy U.S. Geological Survey

We know that another major earthquake will strike San Francisco — we just don’t know when. Since 2009, SPUR has led a comprehensive effort to retrofit the buildings and infrastructure that sustain city life. Our goal is to ensure San Francisco’s resiliency and its capacity to not only survive but thrive when a disaster strikes.

This multi-year initiative is generously underwritten by Degenkolb Engineers.

   

Lead staff: Sarah Karlinsky, Senior Policy Advisor, skarlinsky@spur.org

Featured Publications

Part I: Before the Disaster

Defining Resilience

What San Francisco needs from its seismic mitigation policies

The Dilemma of Existing Buildings

Private property, public risk

Building It Right the First Time

Improving the seismic performance of new buildings

Lifelines

Upgrading infrastructure to enhance San Francisco’s earthquake resilience

Safe Enough to Stay

What will it take for San Franciscans to live safely in their homes after an earthquake?

 

Part II: Emergency Response

The Culture of Preparedness

Disaster planning and preparedness in San Francisco neighborhoods

The Hub Concept

Infrastructure for a community disaster response

 

Part III: After the Disaster

Rebuilding Our Transportation Infrastructure

How to rebuild quickly and effectively — while increasing resiliency

On Solid Ground

How good land use planning can prepare the Bay Area for a strong disaster recovery

 

 

Updates

The HayWired Earthquake Scenario: How We Can Outsmart Disaster

News /
What would you and your family do if a serious earthquake struck the East Bay? The U.S. Geological Society has released a major study of a hypothetical magnitude-7.0 earthquake striking on the Hayward Fault. Known as the HayWired earthquake scenario, the project uses scientific modeling of realistic impacts to envision what would happen — and what we need to do to get ready.

Is Oakland Ready for the Big One?

News /
Experts agree that the Bay Area is due for a major earthquake by the year 2050. In the event of such a disaster, Oakland and other cities will need to respond to both immediate and long-term challenges. At a recent SPUR forum, panelists talked about their work addressing uncertainty and mitigating seismic hazards in Oakland.

San Francisco Passes Landmark Earthquake Retrofit Law

News /
Last Thursday, on the 107th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, SF Mayor Ed Lee signed the mandatory soft-story retrofit program into law. SPUR has long advocated for this legislation, which will help make San Francisco more resilient in a major earthquake. Soft-story buildings are those with large openings for storefront windows or garages, which cause the ground floor to be weak, leaving it vulnerable…

Putting the Bay Area on Solid Ground

Urbanist Article
There is a 63 percent chance that a large earthquake will occur in the Bay Area in the next 30 years. We need to build a culture of preparedness around land use planning now so we can rebuild our cities, and our region, after the next earthquake strikes. This article is excerpted from the SPUR report On Solid Ground.

Is San Francisco Safe Enough to Stay?

Urbanist Article
Housing is only one element in the complex web of factors that contribute to the city’s earthquake resilience, but we believe it is an especially important one. This article, based on our report Safe Enough to Stay, asks: What needs to be done to enable residents to shelter in place for days and months after a large earthquake?

San Francisco Gets Serious About Earthquakes

News /
Many of us in the Bay Area felt a series of sharp tremors on October 20 and 21 — coincidentally the same day that Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted would bring the Apocalypse. It might not be time for the Rapture just yet, but we do know the Big One is coming, and we want our buildings to be prepared. Fortunately, Mayor Ed Lee has released the first draft of San Francisco's Earthquake Safety Implementation Program.