Flooding threatens over 80,000 homes in NYC and suburbs by 2024: Report
80,000-NYC-area homes at risk of flooding by 2040
A new report from the Regional Plan Association warns that 80,000 homes in the New York metro area could be lost to flooding by 2040 — a crisis that could collide with the city’s ongoing housing shortage. FOX 5 NY’s Arthur Chi’en reports from Far Rockaway, Queens.
NEW YORK - A new report from the Regional Plan Association (RPA) projects that tens of thousands of homes across New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County could be lost due to permanent, chronic, and coastal flooding by 2040 — compounding an already severe housing crisis in the region.
What we know:
In its report, the RPA estimates that 82,000 housing units could be lost across New York City, Long Island, and Westchester by 2040 due to sea-level rise and storm-related flooding. That figure could double by 2070. The study warns that 77,300 acres of residential-zoned land—10.5% of all such land in the region—may face future flooding.
Staten Island's East Shore Seawall nears completion
Tuesday marks 12 years since superstorm Sandy ravaged our area and since that time there have been numerous flood mitigation efforts across the city. A big one that is still in the works is the East Shore Seawall project on Staten Island. FOX 5 NY’s Linda Schmidt takes a closer look at where this currently stands.
In New York City, neighborhoods such as the Rockaways, Canarsie, and South Ozone Park are among the most at-risk. In the suburbs, towns like Hempstead, Babylon, Islip, and Brookhaven on Long Island could each lose over 6,000 units.
By the numbers:
- 82,000 homes at risk of flooding by 2040
- 1.26 million new housing units needed by 2040
- 680,000-unit housing deficit under current zoning laws
- 1.6 million people could be living in flood-prone zones by 2040
- 77,300 acres of residential land may face flooding in the study area
The backstory:
Hurricane Sandy in 2012 destroyed or damaged 170,000 homes in New York City and Long Island. Since then, emissions have continued rising globally, and zoning restrictions in the tri-state area—especially on Long Island and in Westchester—have stalled multifamily housing development. Roughly 85% of residentially zoned land in the region allows only single-family homes, limiting options for growth.
What's next:
The RPA says that policymakers need to make sure homes are built to withstand flooding and storms and to buy out housing that's at the greatest risk, all while building more housing outside of flood zones.