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

Soda Taxes Reach a Tipping Point

Urbanist Article
The year 2016 will likely be marked as the tipping point for soda taxes. Voters approved soda taxes everywhere they appeared on the ballot this November. Two local legislatures also passed soda taxes this year. Which cities or states will be next?

California Extends the Most Ambitious Climate Change Law in the United States

Urbanist Article
Governor Jerry Brown and the state legislature extended and strengthened the most ambitious climate change law in the United States. With existing national climate mandates vulnerable under the incoming federal administration, this kind of state-level leadership is more important than ever.

SPUR Supports Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone Ordinance

Advocacy Letter
SPUR supports the proposed ordinance creating an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone in San Jose. During the first year of implementation, we encourage the Council to track the impact of the ordinance and potentially explore ways to expand its reach.

SPUR Supports OUSD Good Food Purchasing Program

Advocacy Letter
SPUR enthusiastically supports OUSD's Good Food Purchasing Program, which would provide a clear framework for analyzing and improving the environmental, social and health impacts of food procured by the school district.
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