Promoting Climate Resilient Public Housing

As the number and intensity of natural disasters increase, so too does the vulnerability of residents in public housing. With more than 1.7 million residents living in over 915,000 public housing units nationwide, it has never been more important for public housing authorities to implement resiliency efforts.  

This report discusses how four PHAs in New York proactively responded to challenges presented by Superstorm Sandy and took action through the State of New York Office of Resilient Homes and Communities Public Housing Resiliency Pilot Project (PHRPP) and HUD’s National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) to fortify their properties in the face of a changing climate. Eight specific steps to strategically identify resilient retrofits and engage residents are detailed. In addition, the report highlights a workforce development initiative that leveraged the construction jobs needed for implementation. 

During the course of the program, several lessons emerged. These can be applied to PHAs and affordable housing projects across the nation to create safer, more resilient homes for some of our most vulnerable communities.