Multi-family housing took the brunt of Hurricane Sandy. Compounding the many challenges to storm-proofing the city's housing supply: 90 percent of the housing in flood-prone areas was built before 1983, when flood-resistance standards were adopted.
"A new report from New York University’s Furman Center underscores the challenges of retrofitting New York City’s multifamily housing stock…against the threat of rising sea levels and extreme weather events," reports Peter Slavin
"The report—The Price of Resilience: Can Multifamily Housing Afford to Adapt?—describes design solutions and offers policy recommendations for municipal officials and for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aimed at removing barriers to achieving long-term resilience in the city’s limited stock of affordable housing, most of which is multifamily. It was conducted in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners and the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects."
FULL STORY: The Cost of Retrofitting Multifamily for Resilience

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.

Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.

Climate Gardening: Cultivating Resilient Landscapes in Los Angeles
TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.

Electric Surge: EV Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California
California now has 48% more electric vehicle chargers than gasoline nozzles, reflecting its rapid shift toward clean transportation and aggressive zero-emission goals despite federal pushback.
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