Located on the San Francisco Peninsula between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, San Bruno is a stable, family-oriented community of approximately 44,000.  

 

Diverse in many ways – racially, ethnically, culturally, and socioeconomically – San Bruno is known for its attractive neighborhoods, growing economy, and proximity to major regional transportation hubs, including the San Francisco International Airport.  San Bruno is a city of abundant parks and open spaces, hiking and biking trails, and many regional amenities that make it a vibrant community that continues to evolve.  

 

On September 9, 2010, tragedy struck San Bruno when a high-pressure natural gas pipeline owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) exploded in the city’s Crestmoor neighborhood, hurling a 3,000 pound segment of pipeline 100 feet through the air.  The ensuing fire engulfed the neighborhood.  Ultimately, the explosion and fire destroyed 38 homes, damaged 70 others, killed eight people, injured 66 more, and devastated a previously peaceful suburban community.

 

Since the 2010 tragedy, San Bruno has become widely recognized for its proactive response to community recovery.  In the initial aftermath of the disaster, the City of San Bruno pursued a settlement with PG&E to establish a $50 million trust fund, administered by the City, to cover the costs associated with response, restoration, and recovery from the explosion and fire.    

 

The City also successfully secured a restitution settlement from PG&E.  In April 2012, the City reached a settlement agreement with PG&E for $68.75 million in cash and five vacant property lots then-valued at $1.25 million.  Three of the five lots have since been sold for nearly $1.25 million.  The City plans to convert the remaining two lots into a small park in the neighborhood.  

 

The terms of the agreement called for the City to establish a not-for-profit organization charged with determining the use of the funds and administering them for the long-term benefit of the San Bruno community as a whole.  As a result, in 2013 the City Council founded the San Bruno Community Foundation and appointed seven community members as its first Board of Directors.  With the hiring of the Foundation’s first executive director in early 2015, the Foundation is now a fully functioning nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the San Bruno community.