With the kickoff of hurricane season just days away on June 1, New York City is ramping up efforts to protect its flood-prone waterfronts and historic areas.
Officials announced on Tuesday that the Landmarks Preservation Commission was awarded a $500,000 multiyear hazard mitigation grant from FEMA to shield vulnerable historic sites from climate-related disasters in the future. The LPC will oversee the new program, monitor properties in the city’s designated “flood zones” and use the data for “hazard mitigation planning,” officials said. The agency plans to reach out to landlords and business owners interested in revamping their buildings.
“New York City has been leading the way on climate change, and LPC’s climate resiliency initiative represents the next step in the city’s proactive approach – an investment in the future of our historic resources to ensure they are better protected and more resilient as we look to a future,” Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Sarah Carroll said in a statement. “With funding from FEMA, this initiative will enhance our city’s response mobilization capabilities, support interagency coordination, and strengthen channels of communication with our landmark building owners.”
Natural disasters have taken a considerable toll on the city’s infrastructure in recent years, including swaths of properties that include parts of entire neighborhoods and high-rise buildings. Flash flooding from Hurricane Ida in 2021 wreaked havoc on numerous homes and other properties, and contributed to multiple deaths.
“Making our coastal communities more resilient to climate change-induced extreme weather means recognizing the cultural significance of these historic buildings to their respective neighborhoods while simultaneously seeking ways to provide flood protection along the city’s waterfront,” said Laurian Farrell, the deputy commissioner of coastal resilience with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, in a press release.
And while Mayor Eric Adams may have faced criticism in the past for the city’s response to other natural disasters, such as an earthquake earlier this year and a bout of air pollution last summer that resulted in sepia-toned skies, he has made climate change — and preparing for it — a major part of his public policy.
The city also announced potential plans to buy out flood-prone homes in Queens earlier this month. It’s unclear how many — if any residents — will participate in the voluntary buyout program.
“As we contend with the extreme weather impacts of climate change, building-level resiliency is essential for new and historic buildings alike,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson in a statement.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
