New York plans $95m flood protection project in Homecrest

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC Dep) has announced $95m funding for a Cloudburst stormwater management project in Homecrest, Brooklyn.

The project is designed to reduce flooding, protect local waterways and strengthen neighbourhood resilience as extreme weather becomes more frequent and more severe.

Neighbourhood-scale infrastructure

Cloudburst projects use a network of neighbourhood-scale infrastructure to move stormwater off streets during short, intense storms without overwhelming the sewer system. In Homecrest, Dep will install porous pavement on City streets and underground storage systems on public land, managing an estimated 30 million gallons of stormwater each year, according to Dep.

The Homecrest project will be built to handle the increasingly common, heavy downpours that can drop more than two inches of rain in a single hour.

“As climate change accelerates, investments like this are not optional. They are how we deliver a city that is resilient, equitable and prepared”

Dep reports the Homecrest project will relieve pressure on the sewer system during peak rainfall by capturing and storing stormwater before it floods streets or flows untreated into Coney Island Creek. Reducing polluted runoff is essential to protecting water quality and meeting Clean Water Act standards.

“We are building a city that protects New Yorkers in the places where flooding hits hardest,” said Zohran Kwame Mamdani, mayor of NYC. “This project turns everyday public spaces – our schoolyards, streets and parking lots – into infrastructure that keeps our communities safe. As climate change accelerates, investments like this are not optional. They are how we deliver a city that is resilient, equitable and prepared.”