What should the Mayor and City Council know about climate solutions?
There is debate, but where is there any alignment?
How can we get some quick wins in the next 4 years?
A free monthly discussion series with experts and local leaders from across NYC neighborhoods.
» Series: lots of sub-topics » Style: conversational » Public: What’s the debate?
1 hour. Virtual. 12-1pm: grab your lunch and join the discussion.
Topics:
1: How Do We Build Climate Strong Communities? (Feb, see summary)
2: NYC Is Expensive: Will Climate Risks Exacerbate Costs? (March 24)
Topic 1: How Do We Build Climate Strong Communities?
Featuring:
Saul Porter, Northfield Community LDC (Staten Island)
Lisa Goren, LIC Coalition / Hunters Point Community Coalition (Queens)
Chauncy Young, New Settlement (Bronx)
Samantha Maldonado, The City (Moderator)
SUMMARY OF TOPIC 1 DISCUSSION
"WHAT WE HEARD"
Top 3 Signals:
Speed matters more than perfection - Repeated urgency about 10-year timelines being too slow
Don't reinvent the wheel - Community knowledge exists; tap it rather than start from scratch
Equity concerns about resilience itself - Fear that flood protection could displace vulnerable communities
Emerging Themes:
Theme 1: Tap Into Existing Community Knowledge
What we heard: Communities are already doing resilience work—the city needs to recognize and support this rather than starting from scratch. As one attendee put it: "communities are engaged and already doing the work - take advantage of this vast wealth of knowledge."
Notable examples shared:
LA's 99 Neighborhood Councils with active Sustainability Committees
Sydney's community reference groups for neighborhood planning
Philadelphia's stormwater bumpouts and tree planting in row house neighborhoods
Theme 2: Stop Building in Flood Zones And Retrofit Those At Risk
What we heard: Clear, repeated message—new housing shouldn't be built in flood-prone areas. Questions raised about Red Hook's Brooklyn Marine Terminal and concerns about the Jewel Streets where "the Jamaica Bay runs under this neighborhood."
Key concern: Are we "prolonging the risk to housing tenants or other low income communities by going on with this project?"
Theme 3: Speed Up Implementation
What we heard: 10-year timelines for infrastructure (like sewers in Jewel Streets) don't match the urgency of the climate crisis. We need to expedite capital projects.
Attendee: "We do not have time to start from scratch!"
Theme 4: Resilience WITH Equity, Not Against It
What we heard: Concern that resilience projects like floodwalls could push flooding to lower-income communities. The city must address both climate risk AND displacement risk simultaneously.
Powerful quote: "How do we build climate resilience without displacing communities?"
Theme 5: Better Cross-Agency Coordination on Solutions
What we heard: At a city level, make DEP, Sanitation, NYCEM work together vs asking citizens to piece it all together. Multiple city agencies needed to provide climate adaptation solutions. Yearly inspection and maintenance is critical (Green infrastructure, and NYCHA complexes have "missing parts").
Theme 6: Compensate & Resource Communities Properly
What we heard: It takes too long for non-profits to get paid for work city asked us to do. Request to "pay community members to participate, to compensate for their time, just as consultants and experts are paid." Communities need resources, not just requests for input.
Sites and Resources Mentioned:
