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Speeches and Testimonies

NYCHANow


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 22, 2024
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322

Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, and Con Edison Announce Nine Winners of the Resident Climate Action Grant Program

The nine resident-led projects in community climate action and sustainability were selected for funding through the second round of the Resident Climate Action Grant Program with the
potential to impact over 23,000 public housing residents in all five boroughs

Powered by Con Edison, the program sought resident climate-action ideas that were ready to bring problem-solving skills to the next level by leading the way in addressing climate and
sustainability issues that matter most to NYCHA residents

NEW YORK – On Earth Day, the Public Housing Community Fund, in collaboration with the
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and Con Edison, is thrilled to announce the
Resident Climate Action Grant Program winners. Originally launched during Climate Week
2022, the Resident Climate Action Grants initiative celebrates its second cohort, underscoring a
commitment to sustainable development and community empowerment within NYCHA
communities.
Nine innovative, resident-led projects have been selected to receive grants of up to $5,000 each,
aimed at enhancing sustainability and addressing climate-related issues important to the
residents. These grants support diverse initiatives across all five boroughs, leveraging resident
knowledge and leadership to foster environmental stewardship and community resilience.
NYCHA communities awarded funding include Carey Gardens and Red Hook West in
Brooklyn, Claremont Consolidated and Morris in the Bronx, LaGuardia, Polo Ground Towers
and Wagner in Manhattan, South Jamaica in Queens, and Stapleton in Staten Island, with the
potential to impact over 23,000 public housing residents residing in these communities.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to empowering NYCHA
residents through the Resident Climate Action Grant Program. These grants are a testament to
our residents' innovative spirit and dedication, as well as their passion for sustainability and
community resilience. By putting the power directly into the hands of those who know their
communities best, we are fostering environmental stewardship and building a stronger, more
sustainable future for all New Yorkers,” said Public Housing Community Fund Executive
Director Alex Zablocki. “Congratulations to all our grantees! We can't wait to see your projects
come to life and inspire further climate action across our city."
“At NYCHA, our greatest assets are our residents,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa
Bova-Hiatt. “There is no limit to what NYCHA residents can do when it comes to innovation,
problem-solving, and thinking outside of the box. What an incredible privilege it is to be able to
reward their ingenuity in addressing climate and sustainability issues through the Resident
Climate Action Grant Program, alongside our partners at Public Housing Community Fund and
Con Edison, and to make some of their ideas a reality at developments across the five boroughs.”
Con Edison and other private donors generously support the grant program, reflecting a strong
community and corporate partnership. This initiative funds impactful projects and promotes
engagement and environmental conversation among NYCHA communities.”
“Congratulations to the winners of the Resident Climate Action Grant Program. These projects
demonstrate the creativity and care of NYCHA residents for the sustainability of their homes and
communities. I’m eager to see the results of their work as they bring thoughtful, sustainable
programs and spaces to thousands of NYCHA residents. Thank you to NYCHA, the Public
Housing Community Fund, and Con Edison for fostering this opportunity to bring residents’
ideas for green solutions to fruition,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic
Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer.
“I’m thrilled to see the second round of the Resident Climate Action Grant Program, select the
nine resident - led project winners, knowing that these grants and projects have the potential to
impact over 23,000 families in communities across New York,” said Executive Director for
Housing Leila Bozorg. “I’m especially thankful for the Public Housing Community Fund, in
collaboration with NYCHA and Con Edison, for powering this program, which will advance
residents’ climate-action ideas”
“Con Edison’s vision is for every New Yorker to share in the clean energy transition,” said Jen
Hensley, Con Edison’s senior vice president for Corporate Affairs. “In collaboration with the
Public Housing Community Fund and NYCHA, Con Edison is proud to support the Resident
Climate Action Grant Program, which underscores our commitment to the people and
communities we serve.”
Winning projects span a variety of sustainability efforts, from garden revitalizations and
recycling programs to energy efficiency campaigns and United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals and STEAM education programs. Each project is led by public housing
residents who are at the forefront of advocating for and implementing change. The projects
include:

Carey Gardens: Residents proposed a Youth Climate Action Exhibition, a series of
workshops followed by a grand exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library. At each
workshop, participants will learn how to live sustainably with presentations from city
agencies, including NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, NYCHA,
Brooklyn Public Library, and NYC Parks. Participants will also learn the seven principles
of art techniques to assist them in creating artwork that represents sustainability and
climate change, which will be displayed in a showcase at the public library. The free
program will launch this summer from July to September.

Red Hook West Houses: Residents proposed a Tree and Edible Plant Initiative and
Stewardship Program, envisioned as an important next step as residents witness the
completion of Sandy-related resiliency construction in their community. NYCHA
residents, Red Hook West Resident Association, Red Hook Farms, and other community
partners will offer hands-on demonstrations on setting up indoor or outdoor incubators
and raised planting beds and seed germination techniques. Produce will be harvested and
shared with the community. The program will also explore farm-to-table concepts that
may reduce Red Hook’s carbon footprint, recipe sharing, and discussions on the
importance of trees for shade to limit the heat island effect, filtering of a particular
matter, and stormwater retention.

Claremont Consolidated: Residents proposed a new family day concept that will be
themed using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, STEAM, and clean
energy concepts. Residents will explore green economy workforce training opportunities
and give hands-on exposure to young adults.

Morris Houses: Residents proposed a hands-on initiative to redistribute gently used
office furniture and housewares to the residents of NYCHA Morris Houses, enhancing
their living conditions at no cost. Since August 2023, this project has successfully
furnished over 400 homes with items like furniture, TVs, and other essentials that were
destined for landfills but are in near-new condition due to their minimal use in office and
commercial settings. The initiative addresses the economic constraints many residents
face on fixed incomes, forcing them to retain broken or outdated items. Often, forgoing
the purchase in favor of medication or food. The program aims to improve physical space
and significantly boosts the residents' mental health by transforming their living
environments into more comfortable homes. This recycling, reuse, and redistribution
effort is supported by partnerships with two companies aiming to avoid waste and
support community needs through non-profits.

LaGuardia Houses: Residents proposed an inclusive, community-wide garden project to
enhance their living environment by incorporating more greenery and aesthetics into
NYCHA landscapes. Participants will experience the rewarding nature of diligent work
as they witness their efforts culminate in visually and environmentally beneficial results.
Each building within the LaGuardia Houses will have a Garden Captain responsible for
leading the design and execution of a unique garden blueprint that reflects the desires and
inputs of the tenants. These gardens will focus on sustainability and climate-friendly
practices, aligning with broader environmental goals, and use shade-tolerant and native
plants that are both sustainable and attractive, ensuring that the gardens thrive despite the
environmental constraints. The project is envisioned as a community-centric endeavor
that beautifies the space and encourages intergenerational cooperation and ecological
responsibility.

Polo Grounds Towers: Residents proposed "Big CLIMATE Small CHANGE," a
program to create a community-led ornamental garden with solar fountains and lighting,
new seating, and landscaping to help reduce Polo Ground’s carbon footprint while
beautifying open space. The intergenerational program will support climate education
and provide knowledge about the benefits of ecological resilience and how residents can
play a role in positively changing the community.

Wagner Houses: Inner City Green Team Economic & Environmental Development
(ICGT) is a resident-led initiative that proposed to expand its Right to Recycle Collection
Initiative, which has created a culture of sustainability and environmental consciousness
at the Wagner Houses in East Harlem. Since 2021, the program has diverted nearly 150
tons of recyclable materials from landfills. Their educational messaging continues to be
an incubator for cultivating an environmental mindset and indicates further scaling the
program to include food scrap collections. Residents will partner with Food Recycle
Science Corporation to supply in-home food recyclers to expand our ease-of-use concept
and use accessible technology to empower residents to take ownership of the food waste
they generate sustainably. The recycling device can convert food waste into nutrient-rich
soil amendment in hours through grinding, heating, and aeration. On average, there is a
90% reduction in the volume of food from its original form. This form of food waste
management is beneficial for engaging residents who don't participate in food waste
diversion and can be a great addition to the composting and gardening programs at
Wagner Houses.

South Jamaica Houses: Residents proposed a dual-faceted project for the South Jamaica
development, aimed at leveraging its smaller size and lush greenery to foster community
engagement and beautification. This initiative is focused on intergenerational
programming and learning, encouraging each resident to share ideas and forge solid and
lasting relationships that enhance community sustainability and resilience. Through both
physical and virtual interactions, participants can learn from each other, projects aimed at
combating the adverse effects of climate change, such as the South Jamaica Houses
Cloudburst program, and collectively envision improvements for their surroundings. The
program will transform the South Jamaica Houses campus with appealing, vibrant open
spaces using native and heat-tolerant plants.

Stapleton Houses: Residents proposed an expansion of their community garden at
Stapleton Houses from three to 20 gardening beds, aiming to involve a broader segment
of the community, including seniors, youth, and students. This expansion is envisioned as
a physically engaging project that requires building additional garden beds and managing
the cultivation of produce, which has already proven effective in feeding more NYCHA
residents. The expanded garden would increase the production of fresh, healthy food and
serve as a platform for various community-enriching activities. Planned activities include
cooking demonstrations to showcase how to prepare nutritious meals, community
programs to promote engagement and collaboration, and outreach initiatives to foster a
culture of healthy living among residents. Additionally, the program plans to host a
Health Fair to address the community's environmental justice issues, further supporting
the community's well-being and health education and enhancing the quality of life
through sustainable gardening and health-focused activities.
The Public Housing Community Fund is partnering with Kinetic Communities to provide
technical assistance to grantees throughout project implementation.
“At Kinetic Communities Consulting, we believe promoting climate resilience means meeting
disinvested communities where they are to create a just, community-driven, clean energy future.
We’re thrilled to be a part of the Resident Climate Action Grant Program that does just that,
where NYCHA residents themselves are able to identify and implement community projects
addressing their communities' needs” said Kinetic Communities Consulting, Sustainability
Consultant Yangchen Dolma. “We want to congratulate all the grantees and will continue to
provide support through project completion!”
In September 2021, NYCHA's Energy & Sustainability Programs Department released an
updated Sustainability Agenda. The document outlined NYCHA's commitment to healthy and
comfortable homes that showcase environmental stewardship and sustainable design. In 2021
NYCHA launched the Climate Action Network workshop series to elevate awareness about
energy and sustainability projects and initiatives and build a community around sustainabilityrelated activism. The feedback from the workshop series helped showcase the need for Climate
Action Grant funding for residents. This grant program builds meaningful partnerships, fund
residents' ideas and will help make their developments more sustainable.
The Public Housing Community Fund and NYCHA, in partnership with Kinetic Communities,
will continue to work with applicants as they implement their plans through this fall. The Public
Housing Community Fund anticipates raising additional funds to help support and scale up the
program to positively impact even more public housing residents through the programs. Learn
more about the Resident Climate Action Grant Program at
https://www.communityfund.nyc/climate-action.

# # #

About The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North
America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderateincome New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to
528,105 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment
Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in
2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition,
NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners,
with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock
that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.

About the Public Housing Community Fund
Public Housing Community Fund is a nonprofit that forges partnerships to power transformative
programs that enhance the lives of over 500,000 residents across NYCHA communities. Our
goal is to engage people and partners to build a stronger, more equitable New York City by
investing in public housing communities. We invest in programs focused on leadership
development, financial empowerment, community health, and workforce training for residents of
the NYCHA community. Visit www.communityfund.nyc
About Con Edison
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest
investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $15 billion in annual revenues and $66
billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.6 million
customers in New York City and Westchester County. For financial, operations and customer
service information, visit conEd.com. For energy efficiency information, visit coned.com/energyefficiency.