As cities around the country continue to face damage from severe climate events and the intense demands of housing supply shortages, localities must approach meeting their needs through integrated and interconnected efforts and policies. However, few small and midsize cities today are pursuing and aligning their climate and housing needs in tandem, missing key opportunities to advance critical goals. Join us for a discussion of city-level strategies that policymakers can pursue to leverage new and existing housing policies toward climate action. 

Claudia Aiken, Director of New Research Partnerships, and Aisha Balogun, Special Projects Associate at the Housing Solutions Lab, will host the session on Wednesday, October 2, starting at 2 p.m. as part of Climate Week NYC. 

Panelists Wilson Kimball, President and CEO of the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers, NY; and Dana Sjostrom, Planning and Programs Manager for the Housing Department of Memphis and Shelby County, TN; will join us to discuss how their organizations have integrated climate concerns into their housing work.

The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers collaborates with Groundwork Hudson Valley to implement green infrastructure upgrades that mitigate the impact of climate change for affordable housing residents. The authority recently received $1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to expand this work. The Department of Housing of Memphis and Shelby County works closely with local agencies, including the local Office of Sustainability and the Department of Public Health, to establish data-driven programs and combine funds from multiple federal grants for comprehensive home repair and weatherization efforts.