Mayor's Office of Resiliency

Mayor's Office of Resiliency
Name	Mayor's Office of Resiliency
Type	Municipal agency
Formed	2014
Jurisdiction	Citywide
Headquarters	City Hall
Parent agency	Mayor's Office

Mayor's Office of Resiliency The Mayor's Office of Resiliency is a municipal agency charged with preparing urban jurisdictions for shocks and stresses, coordinating policy across executive offices, planning departments, emergency management agencies, and utilities. Founded amid conversations involving leaders such as Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams, the office interacts with agencies including Federal Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Housing and Urban Development, New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Housing Authority, Con Edison, and New York City Police Department. It engages with research institutions such as Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University to translate science into policy.

History

The office emerged after high-profile events like Hurricane Sandy, the 2012 Superstorm Sandy, and other climate-related disasters prompted mayors such as Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio to prioritize adaptation, drawing on reports from bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Regional Plan Association, and the New York City Panel on Climate Change. Early milestones included coordination with PlaNYC, the release of resiliency frameworks similar to OneNYC, and partnerships with foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Kresge Foundation. The office expanded under successive administrations, aligning with initiatives by leaders like Gavin Newsom in California and cities in networks including C40 Cities, 100 Resilient Cities, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy.

Mission and Responsibilities

The office's mission aligns with strategic plans referenced by Sandy Recovery Office, Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, and regional authorities like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Responsibilities include crafting climate adaptation strategies informed by the National Climate Assessment, coordinating with agencies such as New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York City Economic Development Corporation, Department of City Planning, and New York Police Department Counterterrorism Bureau for hazard mitigation, and integrating standards from bodies like American Society of Civil Engineers and Urban Land Institute. It also liaises with multilateral organizations such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and World Bank on resilience financing.

Organizational Structure

The office is typically organized into divisions coordinating policy, infrastructure, community engagement, data and analytics, and emergency preparedness, interacting with offices like Office of Emergency Management, Department of Buildings, Parks and Recreation, Department of Sanitation, and Human Resources Administration. Leadership often reports to the Mayor of New York City or equivalent mayoral office, and works with chief executives and commissioners from agencies such as Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Housing and Urban Development, Office of Management and Budget, and Comptroller of the City of New York. Professional staff include planners, engineers, epidemiologists, and social scientists recruited from institutions such as Brooklyn College, City College of New York, and CUNY Graduate Center.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs span coastal protection, stormwater management, heat mitigation, housing resilience, and community preparedness, often coordinated with projects like Big U, East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency, and the Governor’s Island adaptations. Initiatives include public outreach models similar to Community Emergency Response Team, workforce training programs akin to AmeriCorps, and pilot projects using tools from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration for sea level monitoring. The office frequently publishes resilience plans referencing standards from American Planning Association, climate scenarios from IPCC AR5, and infrastructure guidance by American Public Works Association.

Partnerships and Collaboration

The office maintains partnerships with municipal agencies including Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection, Emergency Management, and quasi-public entities like the Metropolitan Transit Authority and Port Authority. It collaborates with nonprofit organizations such as American Red Cross, Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, New Yorkers for Parks, and Urban Green Council, and with philanthropic partners like the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. International collaboration includes networks such as C40 Cities, ICLEI, United Cities and Local Governments, and funders like the Green Climate Fund.

Funding and Budgeting

Funding sources combine municipal budgets approved by the New York City Council, state allocations from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, federal grants from FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance, Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant, and philanthropic grants from foundations like Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation. Budgeting requires coordination with fiscal offices including the New York City Office of Management and Budget and oversight by the New York City Comptroller, and often leverages financing instruments used by Municipal Bond, Green Bond initiatives, and public–private partnerships with entities like Con Edison and New York Power Authority.

Impact and Evaluation

Impact assessments rely on metrics aligned with international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and reporting to networks like C40 Cities and 100 Resilient Cities. Evaluations draw on case studies involving Hurricane Sandy recovery, performance audits by the New York City Independent Budget Office, and academic assessments from Columbia University Earth Institute and Urban Institute. The office measures outcomes in reduced hazard exposure, improved infrastructure performance, community resilience building with nonprofits like Community Boards and NYC Service, and economic analyses referencing reports from Brookings Institution and RAND Corporation.

Category:Municipal agencies