Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Inwood

12

dw
Br
oa

Public housing is at a high risk

of flooding from severe storms
and increasing rains

Hud
so

Critical infrastructure
for waste, energy,
transportation, and more,
along with large housing
developments are within
the flood zone

h St

Washington
Heights

dwa

Harle

Flood Hazard Lines

179t

Broa

WE ACT Members

er

Evacuation Centers

m Riv

Storm Inundation Zones

St

Areas outside of the floodzone

are still at risk from increasing
temperatures

NYC Parks

an

n Ri

NYCHA Developments

ck

ver

Dy

Community Districts

ay

Basemap

Central
Harlem
West
Harlem

Hud

way

East Harlem is the most vulnerable district

due to its low sea level, lack of green
infrastructure, and socio-economic inequality

Broa
d

son
R

iver

11

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft

Ea

m 1500 600

st R

ive

2nd

Ave

10

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Sources: New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). Department of City Planning
(DCP). Office of Emergency Management (OEM). WE ACT for Environmental
Justice, 2016. FEMA Preliminary Work Maps for New York City 100-year flood, June
2013. Mayors Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability (OLTPS), CUNY
Institute for Sustainable Cities (CISC), New York Panel on Climate Change (NPCC).

96th

St

East
Harlem

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: Race and Ethnicity

Inwood

Majority population per block

Black African American

12

Dominican
Puerto Rican
White
Mexican

Washington
Heights

Asian
Community Districts
NYCHA Developments
NYC Parks
Flood Hazard Lines
WE ACT Members

Central
Harlem

Between 1990 and 2000 the

number of people who identify as
Black has gone down by 8% in
gentrifying neighborhoods from

West
Harlem

38% to 30%

9
10

39%

of people in Washington
Heights and Inwood
have limited English
profecciency

m 1500 600

1500

11

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Sources: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census, SF1 - Population Division - New
York City Department of City Planning; U.S. Census American Community
Survey 5-year estimates, 2014. WE ACT for Environmental Justice, 2016. NYC
Department of Parks and Recreation, 2011. New York City Housing Authority
(NYCHA). See Basemap for flood data and housing sources.

East
Harlem

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: Low-wages
$7,000 - $14,000
$14,000 - $20,000
$20,000 - $26,000
$26,000 - $30,000

Communities with high levels of

poverty are also concentrated in
areas that are vulnerable to the
environmental impacts of climate
change.

Wealthier communities have been

located on high land away from
the impacts of floods

Community Districts
NYC Parks
NYCHA Developments
Flood Hazard Lines
WE ACT Members

According to the MIT Living Wage

Calculator, an individual with no
children living in New York City
must earn $14.00 per hour, almost
$30,000 per year, to earn a living
wage. That amount increases
to $28.00 per hour, or almost
$60,000 per year for a person
with one child. This amount is far
above the federal poverty level
(FPL) of $11,880 for individuals
and $16,020 for a family of 2.

m 1500 600

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2014. WE
ACT for Environmental Justice, 2016. MIT Living Wage Calculator. Department of
City Planning (DCP). See Basemap for flood and housing sources.

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: Rent Burdened Households
Gross rent as % of median
household income where per
capita income is less than $50,000

12

Rent burdened areas should

receive more housing assistance
to cope with the increased cost
of living brought about by climate
change.

30% - 33%
33% - 34%
34% - 37%
37% - 40%
45% - 50%
45% - 50%
Community Districts
NYC Parks
NYCHA Developments
HDFCs
-12 yrs Old Developments
+18% Vacant Units
Proposed Rezonings

9
10

Flood Hazard Lines

Proposed Rezonings
WE ACT Members

11

m 1500 600

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Source: NYC Department of City Planning (DCP); U.S. Census American
Community Survey estimates, 2014; New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey
(HVS). NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (DHPD).
NYC Industrial Development Agency (IDA). WE ACT for Environmental Justice,
2016. See Basemap for flood and housing data.

dw
ay

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

an

ver

St

Hud
so

Farmers Markets

Supermarket/Wholesale

ck

Food Coops and CSAs

n Ri

Community Gardens

12
Dy

The New York region relies

on food resources that are
transported through Northern
Manhattan. Infrastructure
improvements and local
production can make our food and
transport systems more resilient.

Br
oa

Map: Food and Waste

Vacant Lots
Community Districts

179t

h St

Storm Inundation Zones

WE ACT Members
Flood Hazard Lines

dwa

The citys food and waste

system causes pollution at
the North River Sewage
Treatment Plant and
previously at the 135th
Street Marine Transfer
Station.

Broa

NYC Parks

NYCHA Developments

River

Combined Sewer Overflow

Harlem

Key Transportation Routes

4500

dwa
y

3000

6000 ft

ive

1500

11

st R

Broa

Rive
son
Hud

m 1500 600

10

East Harlem has a number of community

gardens that are at risk of flooding.
Infrastructure can protect the gardens and
allow more food to be produced locally.

Ea

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Sources: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). WE ACT
for Environmental Justice, 2016. NYC Department of Environmental Protection.
https://livinglotsnyc.org, 2016. See Basemap for flood and housing data.

96th

St

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Broadway Bridge

Henry Hudson
Bridge

Br
oa

dw

ay

Map: Emergency Preparedness

NYCHA Developments

n Ri

Waterfront Parks

Evacuation routes follow

the high ground with stops
along designated hurricane
evacuation centers and where
WE ACT members are located

Hud
so

NYC Parks

ver

La Marina
Dock

Community Districts

HDFCs
Evacuation Centers

179th

George Washington
Bridge

Public Schools

St

12
dwa

WE ACT Members
Broa

Flood Hazard Lines

Elevation Every 10ft

Harlem

River

Evacuation Routes

West Harlem
Piers Dock

y
dwa

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft

st R

m 1500 600

ive

11

2nd

Ave

Broa

Hud

son

Rive

10

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Sources: Department of City Planning (DCP). NYC Department of Information
Technology & Telecommunications (DoITT). WE ACT for Environmental
Justice, 2016. See basemap for flood and housing sources.

Ea

96th

St

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: % of Rent Stabilized Units

12

Affordable housing in flood prone

areas need immediate infrastructure
improvements and better enforcement
of regulations in order to preserve
affordability and housing quality.

0 - 22.6
22.6 - 53.6
53.6 - 76.2
76.2 - 92
92 - 100
Community Districts
NYC Parks
NYCHA Developments
WE ACT members

10

Property owners are illegally converting

rent stabilized apartments to market rate
apartments in order to profit from high
property values. Rezonings and private
investments can speed this process.

11

m 1500 600

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Sources: http://blog.johnkrauss.com/, 2016. NYS Homes and Community
Renewal (NYSHCR); NYC Department of Finance (DoF). WE ACT for
Environmental Justice, 2016. See basemap for flood and housing sources.

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: Renewable Energy
Renewable energy and green
infrastructure can reduce energy
costs and protect vulnerable areas
from blackouts that are causes by
severe storms or heatwaves

Sun

Shade
Priority Areas

Key facilities like hospitals,

universities, and senior
housing should have solar
panels and battery storage
to reduce demand on the
grid and prevent power
outages

Community Districts
NYC Parks
Energy Sources
Flood Hazard Lines
Existing Solar Installations
Historic Districts

A microgrid is an area of several blocks that connects

important residential and other buildings with renewable
energy systems to prevent them from losing power if the
larger ConEdison electrical grid loses power.
Important infrastructure for waste, transportation,
energy, and food, along with public institutions
and low-income housing, are all vulnerable to
failure without reliable electricty.
During a heatwaves in 2016 when temperatrues
were 96 degrees, over 1,000 residents of Central
Harlem lost power.

Redevelopment projects should

include solar and should avoid
shading adjacent rooftops if possible.

m 1500 600

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, November 2016.

Sources: Google Project Sunroof. See basemap for flood and other data sources.

There are
currently
26 solar
installations
in Northern
Manhattan

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: Urban Heat Island - Land Cover
Tree canopy
Grass/shrub
Bare soil
Buildings
Paved

Green infrastructure in areas with a

lot of pavement and other impervious
surfaces can help prevent flooding
while reducing temperatures.

Historically there has been an

underinvestment in trees and green
infrastructure in low-income communities.
New investments need to be connected to
climate change and affordable housing policy.

m 1500 600

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad and Mateo Fernandez-Muro, with contributions

from Zoe Hamstead, University of Buffalo, April 2016.
Sources: NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, 2011. NYC Department of
City Planning, 2011.

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Map: Urban Heat Island - Temperature (Fahrenheit)
Industrial areas create high
temperatures that threaten
surrounding communities

69.4
79.5
89.6

Heat zones pose a health risk to

people without air conditioning.

99.6
109.9
WE ACT Members
Existing Cool Roofs
Hot zones
Cool zones

Temperatures are expected to increase by 4 - 6F

by 2050 and 5 to 8F by 2080s.
Heat waves are expected to triple by the 2080s.

The cool zones that do exist can be in exclusive

communities. Democratizing green areas is key to
avoiding the heat related injuries.

Cool roofs are painted white to reflect

heat. There are currently 23 cool roofs in
Northern Manhattan.

m 1500 600

1500

3000

4500

6000 ft
N

Map courtesy of Zoe Hamstead, University of Buffalo, April 2016.

Sources: NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, 2011. NYC
Department of City Planning, LANDSAT 7 ETM+, July 2011.

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

New York City Council Districts
10 - Ydanis Rodriguez
Term: 2014 - 2018

10

9 - Inez Dickens
Term: 2012: 2016
8 - Melissa Mark-Viverito
Term: 2014 - 2018
7 - Mark Levine
Term: 2014 - 2018
Mayor - Bill de Blasio
Term: 2014 - 2018
Comptroller - Scott Stringer
Term: 2014 - 2018
Public Advocate - Letitia James
Term: 2014 - 2018
Community Districts
WE ACT Members

Lawmaking body of NYC

Approves City Budget

51 members from 51 districts

Members limited to 2 consecutive terms.

Can run again after 4 years away.

Speker is head of City Council,

currently Melissa Mark-Viverito

Proposed legislation submitted through

the Speakers Office

47 Democratic council members

Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer.

3 Republican council members

35 committees

Each member sits on at least 3

committees

Members elected every four years

8
7

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad, Mateo Fernandez-Muro and

Zlatko Simonovski, November 2016.
Source: Charter of the City of New York, Chapter 2 25(a)

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

Congressional Districts
13 - Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D)
Term: 2017 - 2019
Senator Charles Schumer (D)
Term: 2017 - 2023
Senator Kristin Gillibrand (D)
Term: 2015 - 2021
Community Districts
WE ACT Members

Members of the United States

Senate may serve an unlimited
number of six-year terms

Members of the House of

Representatives may serve an
unlimited number of two-year
terms

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad, Mateo Fernandez-Muro and

Zlatko Simonovski, November 2016.

13

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

New York State Senate Districts
31
31 - Marisol Alcantara (D)
Term: 2017 - 2019
30 - Bill Perkins (D)
Term: 2017 - 2019
29 - Jose M. Serrano (D)
Term: 2017 - 2019
Community Districts
WE ACT Members

Upper House of the New York

State Legislature

150 members

Each district has an average

population of 128,652 people

Members may serve an unlimited

amount of two-year terms

30
29

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad, Mateo Fernandez-Muro and

Zlatko Simonovski, November 2016.

Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan (NMCA)

New York State Assembly Districts

72

72 - Carmen De La Rosa (D)

Term: 2016 - 2018
71 - Herman D. Farrell (D)
Term: 2016 - 2018
70 - Inez Dickens (D)
Term: 2016 - 2018
68 - Robert J. Rodriguez
Term: 2016 - 2018

71

Community Districts
WE ACT Members

Lower House of the New York State Legislature

Members serve an unlimited number of two-year terms

63 Assembly members

70

68

Map by: Aurash Khawarzad, Mateo Fernandez-Muro and

Zlatko Simonovski, November 2016.