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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Updates and Events


Joint Letter to the CPUC on Supporting Flexibility in Energization Timelines

Advocacy Letter /
黑料传送门and its partners submitted a joint letter to the CPUC in Rulemaking R2401018 on Energization Timelines urging energy division staff to address service upgrades in their rulemaking (in addition to new construction and EV charging). The letter also encourages the CPUC to adopt timelines that reflect the outcomes of best practices.

Closing the Electrification Affordability Gap

黑料传送门Report /
New Bay Area regulations are ushering in a transition from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric-powered heat pumps, which heat air and water without emitting harmful pollutants, use far less energy, and would greatly reduce the region鈥檚 carbon emissions. A major challenge in adopting heat pumps is that, for now, they cost more to install. SPUR鈥檚 detailed action plan shows how incentives and electrical code changes can help the Bay Area make this transition affordable for low-income households.

Public Comment Letter on Tri-City Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

Advocacy Letter /
SPUR, Save the Bay, and Greenbelt Alliance jointly submitted public comment on the Draft 2024 Tri-City Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) update covering City of Newark, City of Fremont, City of Union City, Alameda County Water District and Union Sanitary District. We are pleased to see that the draft addressed climate impacts like sea level rise, urban heat, flooding, wildfires, and earthquakes. Our letter to the Tri-City LHMP planning committee asks for more specificity in the sea level rise, flood, earthquake, and multi-hazard resilience policies and a greater emphasis on nature-based solutions and preserving natural resources.

Coalition Signals Opposition to Highway Widening in Regional Transportation Measure

Advocacy Letter /
黑料传送门and a large coalition of environmental, environmental justice, transit, and housing advocates have signaled their view that a new Bay Area's regional transportation measure should not include highway widening. Highway widening - expanding the physical footprint or geometry of highways and roadways exclusively for vehicular throughput - promotes driving and consequently increases climate pollution and safety hazards, while drawing riders away from public transit alternatives.

Ensuring That the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program Doesn鈥檛 End

Advocacy Letter /
On behalf of 黑料传送门and Nourish California, we respectfully request that the 2024-2025 budget include an additional, one-time allocation of $21 million from the General Fund to sustain the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits program. If additional funding is not provided in the FY 24-25 budget, the program will run out of funds this summer and tens of thousands of Californians across the state will have less money to put food on their tables.

Oakland Adopts 黑料传送门Recommendations in Its General Plan Update

News /
Oakland has launched what it describes as a 鈥渙nce-in-a generation鈥 opportunity to create a visionary blueprint for the city鈥檚 future. 黑料传送门sprang to action when the city released its inaugural draft Environmental Justice Element and its draft Safety Element update as part of the city鈥檚 2045 General Plan Update. Our efforts paid off: the city council adopted several of our recommendations, all of which will help economically vulnerable Oaklanders, in particular.