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

鈥 Decarbonize buildings.

鈥 Make the region resilient to sea level rise and other climate-driven natural disasters.

鈥 Improve communities鈥 resilience to earthquakes.

transect of a bayshore neighborhood with ground water beneath the soil

黑料传送门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.
Read More
transect of a bayshore neighborhood with ground water beneath the soil

黑料传送门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.
Read More
illustration of houses plugging into the electricity grid

黑料传送门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鈥檚 action plan shows how to make this transition affordable for low-income households.
Read More
illustration of houses plugging into the electricity grid

黑料传送门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鈥檚 action plan shows how to make this transition affordable for low-income households.
Read More
photo of Ocean Beach in San Francisco

Initiative

Ocean Beach Master Plan

San Francisco's Ocean Beach faces significant challenges. 黑料传送门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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photo of Ocean Beach in San Francisco

Initiative

Ocean Beach Master Plan

San Francisco's Ocean Beach faces significant challenges. 黑料传送门led a public process to develop a comprehensive vision to address sea level rise, protect infrastructure, restore coastal ecosystems, and improve public access.
Read More
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 鈥 we just don鈥檛 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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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 鈥 we just don鈥檛 know when. SPUR's Resilient City Initiative recommends steps the city should take before, during, and after the next big quake.
Read More

Updates and Events

Electricity poles and wires connecting to an apartment building

Bay Area Cities Amend Their Building Codes to Advance Sustainability and Resilience

News /
An October deadline for amending local energy codes has inspired many California cities to accelerate adoption of energy efficiency and sustainability 鈥渞each鈥 codes, which 黑料传送门helped develop. Because the deadline makes some exceptions for home hardening and emergency standards, Bay Area cities are reassessing their options to exceed the state minimum requirements for resilient building design. Doing so offers big savings but requires incentives to offset upfront costs.
Portrait of Osvaldo Macias hiking

Playing to Strengths: Nuestra Casa鈥檚 Osvaldo Macias on the Impact of Partnership with SPUR

News /
黑料传送门collaborates with Nuestra Casa to address critical environmental and public health issues, such as groundwater rise and drinking water safety, in East Palo Alto. We asked Nuestra Casa Environmental Justice Fellow Osvaldo Macias about the fruits of this partnership. He explains how our work together has advanced impactful research while extending his organization鈥檚 reach and influence in advocating for policy changes.
city skyline

2025 Fellows and Interns Fuel SPUR鈥檚 Research

News /
This summer, 黑料传送门hosted a talented group of policy researchers through partnerships with fellowship and practicum programs at high schools, colleges, and graduate programs. Learn more about the work they did with 黑料传送门and where they headed after collaborating with us.
San Francisco skyline with fog and smog obscuring buildings

The Bay Area鈥檚 Path to Clean Air: Zero-Emission Appliance Rules Are Primed for Success

News /
Bay Area Air District rules phasing out the sale of gas-fired space and water heating equipment will lead to the steady transition to heat pumps in homes and the realization of enormous health and environmental benefits. A thoughtful implementation process will ensure the rules are on track for success. 黑料传送门recommends four actions to strengthen that process.

SPUR's Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization Priorities for Public Transit and Affordable Housing

Advocacy Letter /
The state Legislature and Governor are actively discussing proposals to reauthorize the Cap-and-Trade program and reform the market and expenditure program. 黑料传送门believes that Cap-and-Trade is one of California鈥檚 most effective tools for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and providing critical funding for sustainable transportation and transit-oriented affordable housing. This letter expresses support for reauthorizing the program and recommends reforms to the public transit funding programs under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) umbrella. We urge the state to add flexibility so that there is more funding to meet the diversity of transit funding needs across the state, and greater predictability in operating funding from year to year, as well as specific ways to achieve those goals.
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