ASC's Intersections Newsletter — November 3, 2022
Nora's Note
Stepping up to resiliency. It’s been 10 years since Superstorm Sandy’s 48 hours of harsh winds, excessive rain, and flooding that caused over 50 deaths and damaged 69,000 residential units in NYC. A “freak” combination of multiple storms at once, Sandy showed the devastating force of warming waters and rising sea levels--a warning call for what future storms may bring. In response, resiliency projects have taken off around the city to inform and protect residents and harden the island against higher sea levels and greater storm surge. Battery Park City, in an area pummeled by the storm, has launched resiliency projects up and down the waterfront. The North/West Battery Park City Resiliency Project is advancing through its environmental review, with a Scoping Meeting November 16 in virtual and in-person formats to allow for wide participation. Creating multiple entry points for stakeholder involvement is vital in collaborating with communities to protect beloved neighborhoods against future storm surge along NYC’s coastline.
Transportation
As electric vehicles become more popular, renters face a charging dilemma. Forecasts predict that 26 million electric vehicles (EVs) will be on U.S. roads by 2030. While 90 percent of current EV owners have their own garages, ensuring renters’ access to charging infrastructure poses an urgent challenge. Cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle are exploring public pole-mounted chargers, while Portland, ME, has proposed new building codes to ensure more EV-ready spaces in new parking lots. Read more to learn how cities are planning for more equal access to EV charging. (Source: NPR)
WUNC: NC governor's order calls for a faster shift to electric trucks and buses
Canary Media: The country’s biggest electric bus grid is open for business
Spectrum News: OMNY now available to reduced fare transit riders
E&E News: Climate law prods Postal Service as EV feud continues
Next City: Using Tech To Make Transit Accessible For Those Without Smartphones
Energy/Environment
Chicago institutions awarded $25 million to study local effects of climate change. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded $66 million to projects in Chicago, Baltimore and Texas to study the effects of climate change on urban communities. Low-income residents of color have been hit the hardest by increased flooding and extreme heat events. The Argonne National Laboratory will examine these effects on environmental justice communities in the area over 5 years. Read more to learn how the study will inform resiliency plans and empower local communities. (Source: Inside Climate News)
Energy News: Commercial building owners are about to get a new tool to fight climate change in Maine
Gothamist: NYC unveils proposals for Governors Island climate hub
Smart Cities Dive: For equitable building electrification, philanthropy-backed fund puts communities in the driver’s seat
Sahan Journal: White Earth Tribal College becomes a bright spot for solar-energy job training.
Grist: How sunken basketball courts could protect New Yorkers from the next Superstorm Sandy
Economic Development
Federal government to provide additional aid to low-income renters. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently updated the Housing Choice Voucher program to increase federal housing aid for low-income renters by 10%. The program also provides families with the ability to move to neighborhoods that would otherwise have been unaffordable. Since the pandemic, many renters have been struggling financially and need more aid to meet rising rent costs. Read more about the recent aid increase and its effect on housing options for low-income renters. (Source: Route Fifty)
Smart Cities Dive: Affordable housing, zero waste efforts could benefit from San Antonio deconstruction policy
The State News: Experts break down economic impact of MSU on East Lansing
Fortune: 3 million Americans are still avoiding the workforce
Smart Cities Dive: Renter protections are up for a vote in several US cities
Bisnow: LEED-Certified Office Buildings Bring 4% Rent Premium: CBRE
About Arch Street Communications
At ASC, we help government agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations across the globe communicate issues that affect people’s lives. We’re the bold, nimble, women-owned small business (WBE) that has supported strategic communications programs to build stronger communities for 30 years.
Ready to find the “simple truth” solutions to build a better future? We want to hear from you! Get in touch to learn how our signature approach can work for you.
Subscribe to Arch Street Communications' Newsletter Intersections
