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NYCHA Now
Solar carport
October 2023 Sustainability 

New Solar Carports at NYCHA Parking Lots

Michael Corwin

City Fleet on Path to Be Fully Electric by 2038; City Installing Solar Carports at NYCHA Parking Lots and Introducing Electric Vehicle Car-Sharing Program for NYCHA Staff

On October 23, Mayor Eric Adams signed Intro. 279-A, formally codifying the City’s goal of transitioning its automobile fleet to all zero-emissions vehicles by 2038. The legislation cements New York City’s status as a national leader in promoting sustainability across areas of City government operations and will save nearly $90 million in taxpayer funds over four years, building on the Adams administration’s work to improve sustainability across city buildings, public schools, food production and consumption, and City-licensed vehicles, as well as expand upon ongoing work to provide a greener City fleet.

Additionally, Mayor Adams and NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock announced an agreement that will bring four solar carports to NYCHA public housing parking lots throughout the city. The carports — canopies with solar panels to generate renewable energy — feature a storm-resilient design and are the first of their kind on NYCHA properties. Further, the agreement includes the introduction of electric vehicle car-sharing for NYCHA staff through an online reservation system. Together, the solar carports and car-sharing program will yield lower emissions and provide clean, renewable energy for NYCHA vehicles.

“When it comes to delivering greener city vehicles, New York City is leading the charge,” said Mayor Adams. “Electric vehicles reduce emissions and make our air cleaner, helping us meet our sustainability goals and improving quality of life for countless New Yorkers. We are already ahead of schedule in meeting our electric fleet transition goals, and this legislation will help build on that progress even faster. And we know a just transition will require the support of our partners in labor, which is why I’m pleased to see robust protections in this bill for the men and women who power our city’s fleet. This is how we ‘Get Sustainability Done.’”

“From wildfire smoke to record rainfall events, we know that climate change is here, and it’s affecting New Yorkers right now. We also know that the people who will feel it most are predominantly low-income Black and Brown communities: Those living in basement apartments, flood-prone areas, and public housing,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “If we want a cleaner, greener future for all New Yorkers, we must prioritize those who are bearing the brunt of these extreme weather events — and our city must lead by example. Today we are doing just that by signing Intro 279-A into law, and broadening our efforts to make sure public housing workers and residents can be part of a just transition.”

“NYCHA housing complexes are often located in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by climate change, so this newly revamped partnership affords us an opportunity to improve the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers,” said DCAS Commissioner Pinnock. “As the City’s service provider, we are committed to supporting our sister agencies and ensuring they have the resources necessary to perform their critical work and minimize any harmful environmental impacts. Through this partnership with NYCHA, we can offer renewable energy sources to help reduce emissions, grow our electric vehicle charging network, and offer car-sharing to alleviate stress on NYCHA’s fleet.”

“NYCHA remains steadfast in our commitment to combating the climate crisis while improving the quality of life for residents,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “With today’s announcement, as the nation’s largest housing authority, we take a considerable step toward reducing emissions on and around NYCHA campuses across the five boroughs. We thank Mayor Adams and his administration for their ongoing dedication to public housing residents and look forward to NYCHA contributing to a greener, healthier, and more energy-efficient city for all New Yorkers.”                     

“DCAS is leading one of the nation’s largest fleet electrification initiatives with over 4,800 plug-in vehicles and 1,805 charging ports,” said DCAS Deputy Commissioner and Chief Fleet Officer Keith Kerman. “Today, in partnership with the City Council, we take the next step and codify the electrification of the fleet by 2038 into law. We are proud to make this announcement at a NYCHA facility where DCAS will also help make the transition to zero emissions with new shared electric vehicles and solar carports. Shared zero-emission vehicles powered by the sun: It’s a reality today and a vision for tomorrow.”

Intro 279-A — sponsored by New York City Council Majority Leader Keith Powers — requires all light- and medium-duty vehicles procured by the City after July 1, 2025, to be zero-emission vehicles, and it requires all light- and medium-duty vehicles in the City’s fleet to be zero-emission vehicles by July 1, 2035, with certain exceptions. It also requires all heavy-duty vehicles procured by the City after July 1, 2028, to be zero-emission vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles in the City’s fleet to be zero-emission vehicles by July 1, 2035, with certain exceptions. Further, it requires that all motorcycles in the City’s fleet be zero-emission vehicles by July 1, 2035.

Mayor Adams has taken bold steps to align the City’s fleet management policies with his administration’s sustainability goals. As of September 2022, DCAS had already reached its 2025 goal of transitioning 4,000 vehicles in the City fleet to electric vehicles — three years ahead of schedule. The City currently operates over 4,800 electric vehicles in its fleet and 1,805 charging stations throughout the five boroughs. Additionally, last year, Mayor Adams announced a reduction of the City’s vehicle fleet by at least 855 vehicles in an effort to save taxpayer dollars and reduce carbon emissions. DCAS has reduced total fleet fuel use by 16 percent over the last five years.

The newly installed solar carports will charge vehicles with renewable solar energy and provide a resilient charging design with the battery elevated above the ground to protect against flooding. The addition of green energy infrastructure reflects the City’s commitment to resiliency and preparation for the full electrification of the City fleet by 2035. The new solar carports were installed this summer at:

  • Bronx: Sotomayor Houses
  • Brooklyn: Cypress Hills Houses
  • Manhattan: Lexington Houses
  • Queens: Ravenswood Houses

In total, NYCHA will have five DCAS solar carports at  public housing campuses, including an earlier model placed at Smith Houses in Manhattan in 2017. With the expansion of DCAS’ agreement with NYCHA, the agency continues to rapidly grow its network of solar carports. In February 2023, DCAS announced the addition of 71 solar carports to its charging network. DCAS and NYCHA will add additional sites as the solar carport network continues to grow.

In addition to the solar carport installations, this expanded agreement introduces an all-electric car-sharing option for NYCHA staff. Since 2016, DCAS has been offering a citywide pool fleet of all-electric vehicles to be made available for shared interagency use through online reservations. Now, NYCHA staff will be able to utilize these shared units with the intention of reducing the agency’s emissions and the strain on its own fleet resources. To start, four DCAS shared electric units have been deployed at NYCHA facilities for use.

Photo credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office