Community Benefits Approach
We strive to be a good neighbor, and we work to support a healthy environment and vibrant communities.
The SFPUC strives to be a good neighbor in the communities that are impacted by our water, power and sewer operations, services and infrastructure. Our agency was the first utility in the nation to pass Environmental Justice and Community Benefits policies that ensure we proactively provide diverse communities with opportunities in workforce and economic development, the arts, urban agriculture and education.
Over the years, we’ve worked with government agencies around the nation to replicate our efforts in their local communities. We are proud to share our community benefits approach and resources with the goal of helping other agencies to implement policies and programs that support a healthy environment and vibrant communities.
Environmental Justice and Land Use
The SFPUC defines environmental justice as the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes. We believe that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences resulting from our operations, programs, and/or policies.
Our Agency also believes in tangible and effective integration of this policy into all of our business decisions. We aim to educate all SFPUC staff so our employees can articulate what environmental justice is and what it means for their work and the communities we serve.
As part of our mission, we also maintain and preserve more than 590,000 acres of land to protect our natural resources and critical infrastructure. Our Agency often has the opportunity to use our land for more than one purpose and when we can, we partner with local leaders to support innovative uses which benefit the environment and enhance the quality of life for our service area residents.
Equity and Inclusion
The SFPUC recognizes the long history of barriers to opportunity in San Francisco which has caused economic and social disparities based on factors like race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, zip code, and immigration status. We strive to keep neighborhoods within our service areas vibrant and to connect historically underserved communities to our education, employment and contract opportunities.
Our Agency is a dedicated member of the Government Alliance for Racial Equity (GARE), a national network of government jurisdictions working together to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Through GARE, we have participated in and hosted racial equity trainings and created equity and inclusion policies and practices that support all of our communities.
We are also proud to back San Francisco’s policies and initiatives that support our City’s vulnerable communities. As a government agency in a Sanctuary City, we treat all people seeking our services with equal dignity and respect for human rights, regardless of immigration status. The SFPUC also dedicated to supporting efforts to advance racial equity and economic opportunity across San Francisco through collaborative initiatives with other public agencies and community stakeholders.
Stakeholder Boards and Committees
The SFPUC works with boards, commissions and committees to design, implement and evaluate our policies and programs to understand the priorities of those impacted by our decisions. We seek diverse stakeholder input which allows us to be accountable to community concerns and foster a culture of transparency. In the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, we have been partnering with the community to ensure our new facilities reflect the input of local residents.
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