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background is photo of buildings, text says Climate Week NYC September 19-23, and an image of the Earth.
Communities Sustainability Top Story 

Residents: How You Can Celebrate Climate Week with NYCHA

LaToya

It’s Climate Week in New York City – a time when leaders across multiple industries come together to discuss climate change action and challenge each other to do more to protect the environment. 

This year’s theme is “Getting It Done,” and NYCHA’s Sustainability Team is presenting multiple ways for NYCHA residents to get involved in the efforts to make NYCHA communities more sustainable and help protect them against climate change. 

Siobhan Watson, Deputy Director of Sustainability Programs at NYCHA, said: “NYCHA’s Sustainability team is working to support resident-led sustainability programming and provide information about efforts to decrease NYCHA’s carbon emissions and improve climate resiliency. This climate week is an opportunity to celebrate climate progress and recommit to achieving more of our sustainability goals.” 

Here’s how you can get involved: 

ATTEND a virtual conversation with Daphany Rose Sanchez, NYCHA resident and executive director of Kinetic Communities Consulting, who will talk about the sustainability challenges facing New York and NYC housing on September 19 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Missed this event? Stay tuned for more events from NYCHA’s Sustainability Team coming soon.

Ms. Sanchez founded Kinetic Communities Consulting in 2017; the organization works with the energy and affordable housing industries to educate, network, and make energy-efficiency opportunities easier for underrepresented communities.  

JOIN the Climate Action Network: Launched in 2021, the Climate Action Network (CAN) enables residents to stay informed and connected on sustainability issues at NYCHA and take meaningful steps towards climate action.  

CAN was created to help inform NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda and Climate Adaptation Plan, both released in 2021. The Sustainability Department is re-engaging with the group this year, hosting a sustainability speaker series and providing a forum for sharing and exchanging information between NYCHA developments and building capacity for sustainable NYCHA communities. Through CAN, residents learn more about NYCHA’s climate risks and sustainability goals, contribute ideas, and help come up with new solutions at their developments. 

To register for the virtual conversation with Ms. Sanchez and stay updated on future Climate Action Network events, click here.  

LEARN about Resident Climate Action Grants, a newly launched grant program to fund NYCHA resident-led projects in community climate action and sustainability. NYCHA is launching a Climate Action Grant Program, in partnership with the Fund for Public Housing, to support resident-led sustainability projects. This fall, public housing residents can apply for a Resident Climate Action Grant to support resident-led sustainability projects in their communities, such as building a new community garden, hosting a beautification day at their development, and inviting experts or community organizations to lead trainings or educational programs on sustainability and climate action at their development. How will you take climate action in your community? 

“Public housing residents are acutely aware of how climate change is impacting their community,” said Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of the Fund for Public Housing. “This global problem will take local action to address, and through the Resident Climate Action Grants program, we are empowering residents to develop their own climate action and sustainability plans and will provide funds to help implement these projects. By supporting these community-based solutions, we will build strong community partnerships and fund projects that will lead to more sustainable developments.” 

An application support webinar will be held on October 12 and applications will open in mid-October. The Fund for Public Housing will award at least five resident-led projects across the city with up to $5,000 each beginning in spring 2023. Learn more at https://climateaction.fundforpublichousing.org/.