The New York City Economic Development Corporation, on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, is managing the Raise Shorelines Citywide Projects to address vulnerability of New York City shorelines due to long-term sea level rise. The Raise Shorelines Citywide Study, funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-DR) funds for disaster recovery, received by the Office of Recovery and Resiliency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, evaluated more than six hundred miles of NYC shorelines to identify and prioritize locations in need of heightened coastal edges and reinforced shorelines. 

 In Howard Beach, Queens, several local streets were identified for improvements to protect the upland community from future flooding. Melissa Johnson Associates assisted NYCEDC and the Mayor’s Office with stakeholder needs and concerns for proposed resiliency improvements, including development the public engagement plan, coordination with elected officials, developing digital and print distribution materials, and facilitating communication with homeowners adjacent to property that will be under construction. Discussions with homeowners surrounded issues such as access to properties, easements, scheduling, and coordination.