Resident Groups Awarded Climate Action Grants for Community Sustainability Projects  

Rejuvenating local gardens with new crops and green features, promoting energy efficiency in the community with sustainable lighting, and developing a “one-stop-drop” site for recyclables.  

Such resident-led efforts at NYCHA are among the sustainability-focused projects that have been selected to receive funding under the Resident Climate Action Grants Program, an initiative of NYCHA and the nonprofit Fund for Public Housing. Funded in part by Con Edison and Kinetic Communities Consulting Executive Director Daphany Rose Sanchez, the program provides up to $5,000 for each grant to support sustainability projects by residents in their communities.  

The first four winners of the Resident Climate Action Grant were recognized during a January 20 ceremony at NYCHA’s central office in Manhattan. The resident groups receiving the funding include the Resident Green Committee at Woodside Houses in Queens; residents and NeighborhoodStat leaders at Brooklyn’s Red Hook West Houses; the Inner City Green Team at Wagner Houses in East Harlem; and community leaders at Mill Brook Houses in the South Bronx.  

“Residents of public housing are focused on making their communities more sustainable by taking climate action,” Fund for Public Housing Executive Director Alex Zablocki said. “Thanks to the support of NYCHA and funding from Con Edison and private donors, four powerful and impactful resident-led sustainability projects will be implemented in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens by public housing leaders bringing about positive change, community engagement, and environmental conversation around issues facing the public housing community.”    

At Woodside Houses, the Resident Green Committee is planning to revitalize the development’s garden with fruit trees as part of an effort that was started by the MillionTreesNYC campaign. In addition, the residents hope to take children on a field trip to the New York Botanical Garden to learn about sustainability and nature concepts.  

With their project at Red Hook West, residents and members of NeighborhoodStat, a program of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, will host an energy-efficiency event and campaign with Con Edison focused on improving energy efficiency at the development. The proposal includes donating free LED light bulbs to residents.  

The Inner City Green Team at Wagner Houses was awarded funds for its project to create a “one-stop-drop” recycling center by converting shipping containers for the collection of recyclables such as electronics and clothes, as well as compost and other sustainable materials.  

Through their project at Mill Brook Houses, residents aim to revitalize their community garden and educate local youth on the benefits of sustainability by implementing compost collection, installing solar energy equipment, planting new vegetables, and painting science-themed murals at the garden.     

“The host of innovative ideas around environmental stewardship and climate action developed by NYCHA residents is truly impressive,” NYCHA’s Interim CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt said. “We applaud the first cohort of Resident Climate Action Grant awardees and look forward to the role their projects will play in furthering sustainability-led projects across NYCHA campuses throughout New York City.” 

NYCHA’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability Vlada Kenniff said the Authority’s Sustainability Agenda – released in 2021 – outlined a vision for a grant program that would “jump-start resident-led community projects.” Also in 2021, the Authority launched the Climate Action Network workshop series to elevate awareness about energy and sustainability initiatives. Feedback from the workshop series helped highlight the need for the Climate Action Grant funding.  

“We identified this as a key strategy in helping NYCHA meet the moment around climate change, because providing residents with opportunities to drive the future of their communities fosters deeper engagement around sustainability topics,” Ms. Kenniff said of the grant program.