Site Selection

Bay Area Floating Homes seeks to be a positive contributor, enhancing and benefitting the onshore community adjacent to its location. We are considering potential locations across the San Francisco Bay, seeking to meet a combination of criteria for technical feasibility and community and environmental benefit.

Our initial study suggests that the following locations could be well-suited to host a floating community. Bay Area Floating Homes will engage with community and local stakeholders prior to commencing detailed design for any site.

Treasure Island (Clipper Cove between Pier 1 and the marina)
Alameda Island (in Sea Plane Lagoon)
Mission Bay (at Pier 48)
Napa River (at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay)

These locations align with our commitment to ecological and community benefits and meet the primary technical criteria to help ensure a high-quality project with a net postive impact.

Selection Criteria

Sustainability and Ecological Impact

Bay Area Floating Homes seeks to improve a site that has been previously disturbed or ecologically degraded, avoiding sensitive habitats, such as wetlands and eelgrass. We intend for our interventions to create repair and regeneration rather than damage. Our biophilic designs enhance both biodiversity and ecosystem health, while providing the community with a direct connection to the Bay waters.

Community Integration and Social Impact

Bay Area Floating Homes aims to create an affordable, inlcusive project located in a priority area for development and densification as defined by BCDC to ensure we are contributing locally desirable housing. We hope to improve access for onshore neighbors to the Bay, expanding public open space on the water and integrating with the existing community. Our goal is to enhance quality of life for both floating and land residents.

Geographical Suitability

Bay Area Floating Homes seeks a site on the San Francisco Bay adjacent to the shore in an urban infill context to integrate with existing infrastructure (including public transportation and utilties) and communities (including commerce or cultural corridor). The site should be protected from storm surges, and have a water depth of at least six feet at low tide.

Technology and Design

Bay Area Floating Homes will leverage nature-based solutions and design for resilience, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. The innovative SAFE Foundation System allows these homes to adapt to fluctuating water levels, transforming sites that were previously degraded or made inaccessible by sea level rise into much-needed residential units and quality public space.

Potential Sites

Treasure Island

Situated between Pier 1 and the Marina, BAFH could find its home on Treasure Island. This potential site offers a unique blend of protection from wave and storm action, direct access and views to downtown SF, and a planned mixed-use residential and commercial zone on the adjacent shoreline.

Alameda Island

Nestled in the protected Sea Plane Lagoon on Alameda Island, this site is anticipated to undergo ecological restoration efforts in the coming years to reestablish historical wetlands and biodiversity. In addition, a mixed-use transit-oriented waterfront neighborhood is being planned and developed on the adjacent shoreline. BAFH will integrate into and add to the dynamic commercial and residential fabric, and the surrounding landscape and wetlands.

Mission Bay

Positioned around Pier 48 in China Basin, BAFH is strategically located in a protected and connected zone between the SF Giants’ stadium and Mission Rock, SF’s mixed-use revitalization of a former industrial port area. This adjacent new development is designed to incorporate public open spaces, stormwater parks, commerce, housing, and a variety of public amenities, making it a coveted location for urban living.

Napa River

At the convergence of the Napa River and San Francisco Bay, this location offers protection from wave and storm action, making it an attractive choice for a floating development. With existing homes along the Vallejo waterfront, the presence of deep water, the ability to avoid sensitive wetlands, and the adjacency to a priority development area, the site is promising for BAFH.