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

How 5 Megaprojects Could Add Up to One Easy Train Ride

News /
With so many transportation agencies in the Bay Area, different entities often end up planning and building pieces of the same project. That’s happening right now on a grand scale: There are no less than five megaprojects taking place between San Jose and Oakland. If planned right they could add up to much more than the sum of their parts.

SPUR Supports AB 164

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports AB 164, which would increase the benefit of the state's Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system and improve the food assistance safety net.

Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones: Four Years In

News /
The Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act is about to turn four years old, and the California Legislature is considering a 10-year extension to allow the program more time to develop and give other jurisdictions more time to start incentive programs.

SPUR Supports Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Ordinance

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports the the EV infrastructure ordinance going before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, which directly implements a recommendation from our recent report, Fossil-Free Bay Area.

SPUR Supports AB 465

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports AB465, the extension of the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone Act. This legislation will extend the life of the urban agriculture incentive zone program that helps urban farmers address one of the biggest obstacles they face: access to affordable land.
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