Ida Programs

Resiliency Planning

Program Partners

• NYC Department of City Planning (DCP)
• NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
• Mayor’s Office of Operations (MOO)
• Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ)
• New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM)

Program Descriptions

3DUnderground Platform

The Office of Operations will use CDBG-DR funds to create a highly secure, 3D data sharing platform for the underground built and natural environment. The study will involve standardizing and centralizing infrastructure asset data and digitizing soil boring records. Upon completion of the project, the City would have critical data necessary to:

• Conduct proactive analysis of critical infrastructure systems and stormwater modeling to predict where a flooding event is most likely to damage critical infrastructure;
• Improve its reactive emergency response capacities; and
• Better manage the City’s assets and improve capital project scoping and delivery by knowing in advance where projects have the potential to disrupt underground utilities.

Basement Apartment Resiliency Study

The Basement Apartment Flood Mitigation Study will be an 18- to 24-month project to ensure future mitigation and conversion investments related to basement apartments are data-driven and efficient based on current climate risks. The study will, among other tasks, examine the factors that contribute to subterranean flooding in 1-4 family homes (e.g., extreme rainfall, topography, impermeable surfaces, insufficient drainage networks).

CDBG-DR funds will be used to conduct surveys, collect data, and analyze stormwater flood maps to identify areas suitable for a future basement legalization program. Additionally, the initiative will develop recommendations and, where applicable, provide preliminary designs for a range of flood hazard mitigation solutions that include, for example, short- and long-term design solutions for homes and safety scope items to mitigate risk to life and safety.

Importantly, this study will also aim to provide cost estimates for recommended flood hazard mitigation methods and identify potential resources for homeowners to help them finance resiliency measures including both public and private incentives, grants, or loan products.

Canvassing Operations Study

There is no substitute for local, community-based outreach when preparing for and recovering from disasters. Following storms such as PTC Ida, the City canvasses areas to assess the needs of affected communities and connect them with recovery resources. These are critical operations to make sure that the most underserved communities receive services and are able to begin recovery efforts immediately, leading to a quicker recovery overall. The City will use CDBG-DR funds to

• Review existing canvassing plans and capabilities;
• Create a citywide operational canvassing plan that leverages agency knowledge and capabilities to unify existing resources within known City, state, and federal agencies;
• Evaluate existing and develop new data collection and management tools that streamline information coordination and create universal metrics and key indicators; and
• Develop and present training and conduct exercises in support of this new plan.

Disaster Recovery IT System

This project will create and implement a Disaster Recovery Information Technology (IT) System to be used citywide by multiple agencies. The goal of this project is to use lessons learned from past disasters to upgrade City IT systems to track information such as post-disaster assistance and benefits, disaster response, construction management, and disaster grant management.

CDBG-DR funds will pay for City staff and/or contractors to develop a system that integrates data between City agencies and houses all necessary documentation required for an audit, federal monitoring, etc.  This system would be rapidly deployable in small disasters but also be scalable after a larger disaster such as Ida.

Evacuation Modeling

One of the main lessons learned from PTC Ida is that, in the lead up to extreme storms, the City must be able to quickly implement evacuation strategies, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations such as those residing in basement apartments and people with limited proficiency in English. To address this need, NYCEM will conduct an evacuation modeling study to improve the City's ability to plan for and carry out emergency operations for vulnerable New Yorkers. This effort would include an evaluation of existing planning assumptions, current emergency plans, and lessons learned from relevant events. Deliverables will focus on a behavioral analysis of populations with access and functional needs, including those living in basement apartments, and modes of evacuation during flood events. Modeling different scenarios will inform modifications to planning assumptions for the City’s operational emergency plans.  

Future and Real Time Impact Assessments

This project will develop a customized, NYC-specific forecast tool and dataset that incorporates publicly available and private weather station/sensor data. The intent of this project is to better track predicted and real-time flood events including both the extent of flooding throughout the City and depth of flooding in individual locations. Data would be monitored leading up to, during, and after severe weather events. This would include live-updating maps that can overlay with critical infrastructure and impacted areas. Once the tool is developed and validated, the City would use this information during flood events to better direct emergency response such as deploying emergency resources and messaging. Post-cast data would also be available to immediately determine where flooding has occurred to better prioritize recovery operations including, but not limited to, debris removal, distribution of water pumps, towing damaged vehicles, building inspectors, canvassers, etc.

Geothermal Feasibility Study

The Geothermal Feasibility Study will address an unmet need for mitigation at eight NYCHA developments. NYCHA is evaluating locations for a demonstration project that would connect multiple buildings to a single geothermal heat pump system, creating a “district” that relies on shared heat pump infrastructure to maximize environmental benefits. The study would evaluate innovative technology that could reduce strain on existing infrastructure, making NYCHA properties less susceptible to failure of critical utilities.

This project will target eight NYCHA Developments, five of which are in Most Impacted and Distressed Areas:

• Bronx: East 173rd Street-Vyse Avenue, Stebbins Avenue-Hewitt Place, and Union Avenue-East 166th Street
• Brooklyn: Howard Avenue-Park Place
• Manhattan: King Towers, Lower East Side II, and Wagner
• Staten Island: Stapleton

Housing Recovery Study

NYCEM will use CDBG-DR funds to evaluate post-disaster housing operations and funding following a range of different disaster events at different scales. The study will conduct research on disaster recovery programs implemented for housing repair (for 1-4 family units and multi-family), including temporary and permanent housing solutions following different disasters and outcomes/solutions implemented. Part of this analysis would include working with stakeholders from City agencies and non-profit organizations on current housing recovery capabilities. Finally, the initiative will result in a housing recovery playbook (standard operating procedure) to operationalize the accepted recommendations from the summary report to be integrated into the City's larger Coastal Storm Plan.

Neighborhood Studies

The City will conduct area-wide planning studies that will focus on identifying resiliency opportunities for stormwater collection, mobility, and other public improvements, in addition to examining underlying vulnerabilities at the neighborhood level.

Studies will analyze existing conditions and yield holistic plans for capital investments, the adoption of climate adaptation plans, and land use changes in target areas. Land use changes may include plans to retrofit buildings, facilitate new resilient development, and/or create accessible open space, community facilities, and transportation improvements, as examples.

Studies will target areas where stormwater or other storm-related conditions are expected to worsen due to climate change if preventative measures are not identified and put into place. Many of these areas have high population densities and see regular flooding from storms, which impact streets, businesses, community facilities, religious facilities, and homes. The project sets out to holistically address ongoing issues faced by these communities, such as poor-quality housing, recurrent flooding, and limited access to retail, services, and jobs.