As climate change intensifies, severe flood events have become more commonplace across the entire U.S. Extreme flooding disproportionately impacts low-income communities and people of color because they often live in areas that are more prone to flooding, in housing stock not well suited to weather such events, and lack adequate disaster plans as well as the financial means to evacuate and/or temporarily relocate.

Brianna McClure, program officer at Enterprise, speaks with Ben Metsch, chief strategy officer at the Fortune Society about the H2J National Toolkit and actionable pathways to help affordable housing providers identify opportunities to improve equity for justice-involved individuals.

Homeward Central Harlem, which opened its doors in late 2023, is the nonprofit Homeward NYC’s third supportive housing development tailored to LGBTQ+ young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. The compact and modern nine-story building, sandwiched between two larger apartment buildings on a quiet street, includes 50 studio apartments as well as common gathering spaces with brightly colored furniture and accent walls. Staff provide services ranging from mental health counseling to job search training. Homeward Central Harlem also offers something less tangible: A place to recover, breathe, and chart a fresh start.