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| Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency | |
|---|---|
| Name | Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency |
| Formation | 2013 |
| Type | Agency |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Leader title | Director |
| Leader name | Michael Bloomberg |
| Parent organization | City of New York |
Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency The Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency was an initiative launched in 2013 to coordinate post-disaster recovery planning and long-term resilience strategies following Hurricane Sandy, engaging municipal and state actors, private foundations, and academic partners. It operated at the intersection of urban planning, infrastructure policy, and climate adaptation, drawing on expertise from philanthropic organizations, municipal commissions, and federal agencies. The Initiative sought to translate technical studies into actionable projects across boroughs and neighborhoods affected by coastal flooding and storm surge.
The Initiative emerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and was announced amid recovery efforts involving Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and officials from New York State. It built on prior collaborations between the Bloomberg Philanthropies and municipal offices, and coordinated with federal actors such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state entities like the New York State Governor's Office. Academic partners included researchers from Columbia University, New York University, and the City University of New York, while design and planning inputs came from firms associated with the Regional Plan Association and the Rockefeller Foundation. The Initiative convened stakeholders from affected communities including coalitions related to Coney Island, Staten Island, and Red Hook.
The Initiative articulated objectives that encompassed risk reduction for neighborhoods exposed to storm surge, integration of sea-level rise projections from research institutions such as NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and alignment with state-level recovery programs like the NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program. Scope included resilience measures for transportation corridors such as the New York City Subway, utilities serving Con Edison, and housing in neighborhoods like Far Rockaway and Breezy Point. It prioritized strategies compatible with planning frameworks from the New York City Department of City Planning, zoning adjustments referenced in work by the American Planning Association, and resilient design exemplars promoted by the Urban Land Institute.
Governance combined municipal oversight with philanthropic management: leadership roles involved figures from Bloomberg Philanthropies and municipal offices appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and successive administrations including Mayor Bill de Blasio. The Initiative operated through advisory committees that included representatives from the New York City Housing Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and community boards across the five boroughs. Technical committees drew on specialists from institutions such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and academic centers like the Earth Institute. Coordination mechanisms mirrored interagency frameworks used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and drew on convening models from the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities program.
Funding combined philanthropic grants, municipal appropriations, and leveraged federal aid. Major contributions came from Bloomberg Philanthropies and private foundations that had previously funded projects with The Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation. The Initiative aligned expenditures with federal programs such as funds administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and with state recovery allocations from the New York State Office of Storm Recovery. Financial management practices referenced procurement systems used by the City of New York and audit frameworks similar to those of the New York State Comptroller to ensure compliance with grant conditions and reporting requirements.
Programs included neighborhood-scale planning, resilient infrastructure pilot projects, and design competitions partnering with institutions like Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and Pratt Institute. Notable projects targeted shoreline protection in areas including Coney Island, floodproofing initiatives in Red Hook, and evacuation route improvements near JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. Pilot infrastructure work drew on engineering practices from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and landscape design concepts promoted by firms associated with the High Line project and the Danish Architecture Center. Community outreach employed methods from the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and engaged neighborhood associations and faith-based groups.
Evaluation combined quantitative indicators—such as reduced flood risk metrics developed with partners at NOAA and NASA—and qualitative assessments conducted by academic evaluators from Columbia University and New York University. Outcomes included revised zoning recommendations submitted to the New York City Council, pilot installations that informed larger programs by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and knowledge products disseminated through conferences convened by the American Planning Association and the Urban Land Institute. Long-term resilience gains were assessed relative to benchmarks used by international frameworks like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Critiques addressed concerns raised by community groups, local elected officials, and policy analysts associated with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Center for an Urban Future. Controversies included debates over prioritization of neighborhoods, perceived reliance on private funding from entities like Bloomberg Philanthropies, and disputes about transparency in procurement influenced by municipal procedures overseen by the New York State Comptroller. Additional criticism referenced tensions between large-scale engineering proposals advocated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and community-preferred nature-based solutions promoted by environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Category:Disaster recovery Category:Climate change adaptation Category:Nonprofit organizations based in New York City