Rainy season is here, and thanks to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) Green Infrastructure Grants for Homes pilot program, several homeowners are ready with a new stormwater management plan in place. By installing rain gardens, cisterns, and other solutions, these residents are doing their part to help reduce the runoff entering the sewer system, while also lowering their bills.
It’s a win for the neighborhood and climate resilience, and the SFPUC's Green Infrastructure team is deeming this first round of completed projects a success. Since the pilot program launch in 2024, the SFPUC has completed six projects in San Francisco. In total, the grant program has awarded $150,000, funding four permeable paver installations, three rainwater harvesting cisterns, one rain garden, and one infiltration trench — all at no cost to residents.
The goals of the pilot grant program are to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff entering the sewer system and to lower the stormwater portion of customers’ sewer service charge. The SFPUC provided funding to residential properties in four San Francisco zip codes: 94112, 94116, 94124, and 94134.
One participant, Julia, had two rainwater harvesting cisterns installed on the side of her home to collect runoff from her roof. During heavy rains, this system will collect stormwater that Julia can reuse for irrigation. Once the cisterns are full, they will slowly let extra stormwater trickle onto her newly installed permeable pavers in the back patio. This will help water infiltrate into soils as nature intended and reduce the burden on the sewer system during large storm events. “I really liked that there were experts who were there guiding the project, so I didn't have to know as much. I felt I could really trust the City's viewpoint of what needed to be done," Julia said.
Scaling Up with New Projects
The SFPUC's Green Infrastructure Grants for Homes team is building on its success and continuing to grow the program. This year, SFPUC staff conducted targeted outreach at farmers’ markets, local libraries, and other community events in the Sunset, Parkside, Bayview, Sunnydale, and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods, which were identified as areas with varying soil conditions and housing types that could benefit from green infrastructure. Bayview and Visitacion Valley also experience significant environmental justice burdens and would benefit from public investment in their communities.
In April 2025, the program received 56 new applications. Given the increased level of interest and based on the lessons learned from the first round, the grant team is scaling up with a goal of completing 12 new residential projects!
Green Infrastructure’s Benefits and Cost Savings
In addition to cleaning and slowing down stormwater, green infrastructure also brings many added benefits to communities. Native plants used in rain gardens, for example, support biodiversity by creating habitats for native pollinators, and the increased greenery helps reduce urban heat.
Through the Stormwater Credit Program, residents who participate in the Green Infrastructure Grants for Homes program are also eligible for reductions in the stormwater portion of their sewer service charge, bringing savings for slowing down and reducing runoff from their properties to the sewer system. “We very much appreciate the enhancement to our home as well as assisting the SFPUC in creating a program to help reduce stormwater in the City's sewer system," said Michael, a 2024 Green Infrastructure Grants for Homes Participant.
The SFPUC is planning another round of projects in 2026 and will continue to bring green infrastructure’s multiple benefits and savings to more ratepayers throughout the City.