1390 Market St., Suite 210
San Francisco, CA 94102
8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday
(415) 252-3800
FAX: 252-3875

Our Mission

The San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Section strives to promote health and quality of life in San Francisco by ensuring healthy living and working conditions in the City and County of San Francisco.

What's New:

Program on Health, Equity and Stustainability's 2008 Annual Report

See what the Program on Health, Equity, and Sustainability (PHES) has been up to over 2008! Click here to read the Annual Report

Treasure Island Community Transportation Plan Published

The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) are proud to present a Community Based Transportation Plan for a Walkable and Bikeable Treasure Island.

Enforcement of San Francisco Tobacco Control Laws Dramatically Cuts Illegal Sales to Minors

To prevent the sales of tobacco to minors, San Francisco began conducting police decoy operations and began tracking the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors in 1999. In 2005, DPH began using the City's new retail tobacco facility permit law to enforce such illegal sales by suspending permits to shops who were found selling tobacco to minors.  Between 2004 and 2005, there began a dramatic decrease in observed tobacco sales to minors.  Based on the undercover operations, the percent of minors that were able to buy tobacco fell from 22.3% in 2004 to 17% in 2005 to 11% in 2008 (Tobacco Sales to Minors 1999 - 2008 Chart (pdf)).  These incredible results are testimony to the strength of environmental health laws to change health risk behaviors and the commitment of the San Francisco City agencies to enforce accountability to these laws.

SFDPH Integrates Environmental Health Impact Assessment into Work

SFDPH supports the San Francisco Planning Department in reviewing project analysis of adverse environmental health impacts. SFDPH has developed and implemented new methods for analysis of health impacts and has identified feasible mitigation strategies to prevent adverse health impacts. Click here for more information.

San Francisco’s Noise Ordinance Amemdment Passes

The Noise Ordinance requires SFDPH to: 1) designate a Noise Prevention and Control Officer to coordinate DPH responsibilities; 2) monitor the noise complaint response by all City agencies charged with regulating noise under this Article; and 3) make periodic recommendations to the Planning Commission for noise assessment and prevention in land use planning on environmental review.

Check out the Noise Ordinance FAQs (pdf) and Presentation (pdf)

Board of Supervisors Passes San Francisco’s Air Quality Ordinance Amemdment

In November 2008, the Board of Supervisors adopted a new law imposing regulations to prevent health impacts from air pollution hotspots created by busy roadways. San Francisco is the first city in the country to take such action to protect residential development from the harmful effects of air pollution from traffic. Click here for more information.

SFDPH to Develop Climate Action Plan as Part of City Climate Working Group

Climate Action Plan will identify and make recommendation on departmental greenhouse gas emission reduction measures applicable to (i) operations of the department and other City greenhouse gas emission sources within its jurisdiction, and (ii) private sector greenhouse gas emission sources regulated by the department. Find out more

Board of Supervisors Pass San Francisco Healthy Housing Ordinance

As of January 2009, with the implementation of Ordinance 159-08, Environmental Health will be doing both new routine inspections and ongoing complaint based enforcement of apartment conditions related to substandard housing conditions and vector control. Read Healthy Housing Ordinance (pdf)

The City and County of San Francisco established 311 to provide an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects residents, businesses, and visitors to highly-trained Customer Service Representatives ready to help with general government information and services.

Healthy Development Measurement Tool (HDMT)

The Healthy Development Measurement Tool is a comprehensive evaluation metric to consider health needs in urban development plans and projects. See your Neighborhood's Health Profile and compare to other SF neighborhoods!