Civil grand jury report argues SF is unprepared for flooding risks
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Cars pass through a flood on Embarcadero Street in February. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images
San Francisco is unprepared for flooding risks associated with climate change, the city's civil grand jury said in a report this week.
Why it matters: Climate change is resulting in rising sea levels and greater storms, which further strain the city's aging sewer system and put San Francisco at risk for flooding.
- Last year's harsh winter storms forced millions of gallons of sewage into the San Francisco Bay and its associated waterways.
What they're saying: "In a city of more than 800,000 citizens who are surrounded by water on three sides and [whose] residential and business districts are in harm's way, we felt the topic worthy for examination," Michael Carboy, the jury's foreperson, told Axios via email.
- Beyond the neighborhoods "directly in harm's way," Carboy said, this is a citywide challenge since "every city taxpayer and ratepayer will bear the costs."
What they found: The report, called "Come Hell or High Water," points to several issues, including a citywide failure to communicate to residents the impacts of climate change, a lack of transparency in the city's budget for climate change resilience programs and inadequate coordination across departments.
- ClimateSF, the city's climate resiliency program, "is good for information-sharing," he added, "but now we need governance and administration to facilitate the action that's required."
The other side: The city, in a statement from Angela Yip of the city administrator's department, said it appreciates the grand jury's work and will formally respond in the coming weeks.
- In an emailed statement, Yip said that "there's still work to be done" but pointed to the recent hiring of a new program manager for ClimateSF, adding the city "will continue to work on breaking down department silos and facilitating interagency collaboration on climate initiatives."
What they recommend: The civil grand jury recommendations include improving coordination across city departments, having ClimateSF prepare an annual report for the public summarizing its ongoing efforts, and identifying areas of the city most vulnerable to flooding risks.
- "Being clear with the citizens the size of and how the climate resilience costs of dealing with sea level rise, extreme precipitation, and ground water inundation will be financed and paid for is important for all," Carboy said.
What's next: The jury requires responses from the mayor and city attorney's office within 60 days.
- Then, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the report.