The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced on 2 June that six design proposals have been selected as winners of its Rebuild by Design competition, on which LSE Cities’ Director Ricky Burdett was a jury member.
HUD is allocating approximately $920 million to New York, New Jersey, and New York City to begin implementation of the winning projects that will make the region more environmentally and economically resilient. This funding was included in HUD’s most recent allocation of approximately $2.5 billion in Community Development Block Grants- Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) for the Sandy region.
“The winning proposals are truly transformative and serve as blueprints for how we can safeguard the region and make it more environmentally and economically resilient,” said Secretary Shaun Donovan.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “Countless New Yorkers found themselves without power, heat, or running water after Sandy hit. With a changing climate, we know it’s not a question of if, but when the next big storm will hit- and that’s why we have a comprehensive plan to adapt our city’s infrastructure and neighborhoods. The Rebuild by Design projects announced today are a part of that plan and will help ensure that we’re better prepared for the risks of the future.”