2023 Policy Platform
the challenge
New York City must urgently confront climate change. Today, 1.3 million New York City residents—a majority of whom are low-income—live in communities that are extremely vulnerable to flooding. By 2100, the NYC floodplain could house 2.2 million residents. Extreme heat endangers vulnerable New Yorkers every summer, and is responsible for 370 deaths each year. These risks do not affect all New Yorkers equally and further compound recognized stressors on lower-income populations. From Hurricanes Sandy to Ida, gross systemic racial inequities and disinvestment have exacerbated the disproportionate risks that Black, Latinx, and immigrant populations face from climate change and disasters.
the goal
Resilience PAC is dedicated to electing and educating candidates who will enact comprehensive policies that ensure all of the City’s people—especially people of color and those living in lower-income communities and neighborhoods—are able to adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
the solutions
Adapting to climate change will require collective resources on a previously unmatched scale. Investments should aim to mitigate the full range of climate related risks while also making a more equitable and just New York City for future generations. Candidates must make clear commitments to:
Establish government accountability and empower communities
ESTABLISH CLEAR LEADERSHIP: develop a comprehensive climate adaptation plan by utilizing a whole-of-government approach to address vulnerabilities to climate change, including in the inter-agency climate resilience council a representative from each of the five-boroughs charged with oversight of the City’s progress towards climate goals.
COMMUNICATE RISK: through an expanded budget and programmatic scope, pursue a proactive, comprehensive campaign to educate New Yorkers about all climate risks that is tied to an effort by every agency to reduce those risks, building from the Office of Emergency Management’s “Know Your Zone” campaign and in partnership with organizations already serving vulnerable populations.
CENTER FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES: partner with community leaders and institutions to build and implement resilience vision in every neighborhood across the City, starting with environmental justice communities and building from existing community based plans. Ensure that the Climate Strong Communities program is funded and directed to support resilience planning in all neighborhoods. This includes ensuring dedicated budget and oversight for local plans and ensuring that the community’s priorities are included in the US Army Corps of Engineers New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries project design.
FUND THE CLIMATE TRANSITION: through legislation, budget, and oversight actions, establish a long term funding and financing plan to equitably adapt to climate change through harnessing federal funding opportunities and creating local, ongoing revenue generators, prioritizing environmental justice communities. Require the City to track and publish annual investments in climate resilience spending by community district, including state Bond Act and federal awards.
Embed climate science and equity in all land use policies and capital projects
BUILD A BETTER NYC: embed strategies to combat climate hazards and environmental injustice in all land use and capital planning and budgeting. This includes oversight of local laws 41, 122, 60, and 64, which concern resilience design guidelines, a comprehensive resilience plan, and advancement of environmental justice. Lastly, through legislative action, expand the City’s climate resilience design guidelines requirement to apply to all private new construction and significant retrofits.
CREATE JOBS: invest $50 million in a pilot workforce development and retrofit program for resilience and energy efficiency of vulnerable (especially public and subsidized) housing, providing incentives such as a tax abatement and grants for low-income homeowners to make risk mitigation improvements. Increase equity in access to City contracts and jobs through policies such as set-asides for M/WBE firms and community hiring requirements.
ADAPT AND GROW OUR HOUSING EQUITABLY: develop a framework for a comprehensive housing climate transition program:
Advance zoning code reforms that grow deeply affordable new housing in areas with low flood risk while enacting policy measures to prevent displacement of existing residents. Support complete communities where all New Yorkers have opportunities to live, work and play in vibrant, healthy places, with access to public transit.
Fund overdue NYCHA and other subsidized housing capital repairs and financial assistance so that they can function efficiently and support resident needs at all times, even during extreme weather.
Legislate the development of a comprehensive housing adaptation assistance program and expand the City’s budget for existing assistance programs that support low and moderate-income homeowners and tenants through insurance counseling, securing elevation certificates, and technical advice. Provide incentives such as a tax abatement and grants
Establish an ongoing voluntary buyout and relocation program for vulnerable areas that results in restored floodplains, habitats and public open space.
Advance environmental justice and jobs
IMPROVE AIR QUALITY: implement strategies that address the inequitable pollution burden on environmental justice communities and achieve Citywide carbon reduction goals, by expanding electrification infrastructure and storage, community solar, food waste to biogas, and implementation of the Renewable Rikers Act. Oversee implementation of the City’s goals for greenhouse gas reduction, clean electricity, and last-mile trucking reforms.
CREATE JOBS:
Invest in workforce development and retrofit programs for climate and energy resilience.
Develop a citywide maintenance program to maintain green infrastructure and partner with local community organizations who will use these investments for workforce development and developing clear paths for City jobs and/or apprenticeship programs.
Increase equity in access to City contracts and jobs through policies such as set-asides for M/WBE firms and local hiring requirements.
CHOOSE NATURAL SOLUTIONS FIRST
EXPAND NATURAL BENEFITS: Implement nature based infrastructure to absorb and retain increased rainfall volumes and reduce excessive urban heat. Use the City’s parks, streets, and open spaces to store rainwater and utilize natural co-benefits such as cleaning air, improving health and mental health, and enhancing neighborhoods. Increase the Parks Department’s budget to at least 1% of the City’s budget to support green infrastructure planning and maintenance staff, especially in neighborhoods with a high heat vulnerability index score, and expand tree planting and maintenance in areas with low canopy cover.