NYC Basement Flood Mitigation Study

• It can be tricky to figure out where the water is coming from or what solution will work best for your situation

• The concepts can be a little technical and also expensive

• Having an engineering report helps answer “what can I do?”

• And having a free one is even better…

WHAT:

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is offering free professional flood assessments from certified engineers for small property owners across NYC. It’s called the “Basement Apartment Flood Mitigation Study” and the goal is to study various properties across NYC and identify causes of basement flooding and recommend practical mitigation options.

WHO: 

Working along with HPD are engineers from Thornton Tomasetti, BJH Advisors, and Sherpa Construction Consulting.

WHEN:

Applications open now until early Jan. Limited slots so first come first served. Study runs through 2026.

WHY APPLY:

Owners receive a no-cost on-site engineering evaluation from professional engineers. That comes with a written report with customized flood-proofing recommendations—to help you determine what you can do with detailed options. From there, you can decide what you want to do (no obligations to do any of it). But this is normally kind of expensive so a good opportunity to get for free. 

WHAT’S THE CATCH:

HPD simply wants to do a study with many buildings and then rollup the data into a larger report (the study will NOT cite your specific property). That’s it. So they get a realistic view and a study, and you get a free engineers report.

WHO QUALIFIES:

☑ If you own a 1- or 2-family building (detached, semi-detached, or attached)
☑ Have a basement or cellar space that has flooded or is at risk
☑ Willing to share basic ownership, building, and flood history information
☑ Allow an on-site visit by HPD’s engineering team (takes about 60 min)
☑ Located eligible area (ONLY Green or Orange zones, NOT Red zones in map below)

DO NOT APPLY IF:

☒ Your property is in a RED zone in map above (1% annual flood plain) (Help?)
☒ You own a large multifamily or commercial building
☒ The basement is occupied/rented to a NON-family member (why? engineers cannot enter active living spaces for tenants)
☒ You are unwilling to provide property access for inspection

HOW TO APPLY:

1. Confirm you qualify (above)

2. Fill out the HPD online form which takes 10–15 minutes (~25 questions) covering property, flooding, and ownership details

3. Apply here: HPD Flood Mitigation Application
   

   Questions? Contact HPD Flood Study Team at (212) 863-8100 or [email protected].

HELP AND FAQ:

Q: Does this cost me anything?

A: No It is free to apply and free to get the assessment and report.

Q: If engineers come and see something they dont think is up to code, will they report me or issue a fine?

A: No. They are not inspectors, they are assessors for a study.

Q: I can’t tell from the map above if I am in right zone?

A: Got it. So the study wants to look at properties that are NOT in the 1% annual flood plain. How do you figure that out?

1) Go to FloodHelpNY.org

2) Scroll down until you see the map (image below)

3) Enter your address, click “homeowner” and “agree”

4) If you see…

CONTACT:

Questions? Contact HPD Flood Study Team at (212) 863-8100 or [email protected].