The Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Sept. 23 hosted the NYCHA Resident Climate Action Grants Showcase, bringing together residents, community partners and sustainability advocates for a celebration of climate leadership in public housing.
The event, part of Climate Week, highlighted resident-led projects that are reshaping green spaces, promoting environmental education and strengthening climate resilience across Brooklyn communities.
Now in its third year, the Climate Action Grant program provides NYCHA residents with up to $5,000 in funding and technical support to design and lead sustainability projects in their own neighborhoods.
“The Climate Action Grant program has been an incredible success, empowering NYCHA residents to make a meaningful difference in both their communities and the environment,” said Alex Zablocki, executive director of the Public Housing Community Fund. “Through projects such as community gardens, education initiatives, storytelling, and pollution reduction, residents delivered tangible results."
This year’s cohort featured 17 initiatives citywide, including four in Brooklyn. Collectively, the projects reached more than 40,000 residents and advanced goals outlined in NYCHA’s 2021 Sustainability Agenda.
Brooklyn’s contributions to this year’s program reflect both creativity and collaboration:
- Breukelen Houses in Canarsie launched a community-wide garden project that celebrates the development’s expansive green space while strengthening food sovereignty and environmental education.
- Warren Street Houses in Gowanus created an intergenerational arts and education initiative with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, connecting residents to local environmental issues through workshops and collaborative art.
- Gowanus Houses introduced “Scoop the Dog Poop,” a community effort to improve outdoor spaces and promote responsible pet ownership, enhancing quality of life for residents.
- Red Hook West Houses expanded the Red Hook Griot Storytelling Project with climate-focused workshops, blending cultural preservation with environmental education in shared gardens and outdoor spaces.
Each of these Brooklyn-based projects illustrates the power of resident-driven solutions, whether through gardening, storytelling, education or improving shared spaces to make public housing communities healthier, greener and more resilient.
The showcase also featured performances, networking and tours of the Botanic Garden, underscoring the importance of community partnerships in building climate resilience.
