Rebuild by Design

Extreme weather is a financial risk.
Rebuild by Design created a CRA Bank Guide showing how banks can use the Community Reinvestment Act to lower risk, protect assets, and invest in community-wide infrastructure.
Learn more: bit.ly/CRAguides

Preparing communities for extreme weather starts before disaster.

Rebuild by Design, with the Center of Urban Pedagogy, created a CRA Community Guide to help CBOs leverage the Community Reinvestment Act to fund community-wide infrastructure in LMI communities.

Learn more at bit.ly/CRAguides

TODAY! Join us in-person @ipk.bsky.social for “North: The Future of Post-Climate America” Book Talk.

When: 5:30pm, 02/17 Tuesday
Where: 20 Cooper Square, NY, NY 10003
RSVP: bit.ly/IPKNorth

Author @keenanclimate.com in conversation with Robert Freudenberg, @rpa.org, and our director, Amy Chester.

Mamdani’s Climate Czar, Louise Yeung, Has a Full Agenda.

“Global warming is expensive…The climate crisis is inextricably linked to the affordability crisis,” shares Yeung with Hilary Howard for @nytimes.com

Read Yeung's full interview covering climate, affordability, & rom-coms: bit.ly/4rQt4uf

“Climate change is already influencing how and where people live.”
On 2/17 5:30 PM, we're digging into @keenanclimate.com's "North: The Future of Post-Climate America" with @rpa.org's Robert Freudenberg and our director Amy Chester, hosted by @ipk.bsky.social.

RSVP: bit.ly/IPKNorth

Meet NYC's New Chief Climate Officer: Louise Yeung

📹 Watch our Thursday night recap: bit.ly/MeetLouiseYeung and drop a comment to the question: What climate work are you leading, and what change do you want to see?

Last Thursday night, we welcomed NYC's new Chief Climate Officer, Louise Yeung! Together with the Waterfront Alliance and The New York Climate Exchange, we brought together New Yorkers passionate about climate and environmental justice for an evening of renewed energy, new ideas, and new friends.

Grateful to our advisors for shaping our CRA Community & Bank Guides—including The Redress Movement, NCRC, Wells Fargo, LISC, Spring Bank, and CUP. Special thanks to The Redress Movement + CUP for community workshops and design support.
Explore the guides: bit.ly/CRAguides

Community Reinvestment Act - Rebuild by Design Protecting COMMUNITIES IS protecting ASSETs WHAT IS THE CRA? The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is a 1977 federal law that encourages banks to meet the credit needs of the entire community, particul...

Our new CRA Community & Bank Guides show how community-based organizations and banks can shift private investment from recovery to prevention.
Protect communities. Protect assets. Learn more at bit.ly/CRAguides

Community Reinvestment Act - Rebuild by Design Protecting COMMUNITIES IS protecting ASSETs WHAT IS THE CRA? The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is a 1977 federal law that encourages banks to meet the credit needs of the entire community, particul...

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) encourages banks to invest in their communities. For decades, that’s meant affordable housing and small businesses. We, however, have an opportunity to leverage it to help protect against extreme weather.

What if private investment could help protect against extreme weather? Our new guides show how: bit.ly/CRAguides

🚨NEW SERIES: NYC! What should Mamdani know about flooding and affordability?

Kicking off our “Affordability & Climate in NYC” virtual discussion series: How Do We Build Climate Strong Communities? On Feb 5th, 12-1 pm, join the discussion.

RSVP: bit.ly/affordclimate

#AffordabilityXClimate

“By shifting from solving one issue at a time to a multi-benefit approach, we can build smarter public spaces, save money, and save lives.”

We've done the work that shows both the urgency and how we can get there:
⚫ #SellingFloodRisk: bit.ly/rbd-sfr/
⚫ #RainproofNYC: Rainproof.nyc
⚫ #ParksSaveCities #ParksSaveLives: bit.ly/nycparksci
⚫ Hoboken, NJ #ResiliencyParks Walking Tour: bit.ly/HobokenParks

Here's how we get there:
⚫Make climate resiliency a key focus for the deputy mayor for operations
⚫Use the Office of Mass Engagement to co-create solutions with the most vulnerable communities
⚫Break down agency silos and incentivize cross-budget collaboration

Mayor Mamdani’s climate mission: Use the public realm to address flooding Just two months ago, two New Yorkers died when severe rainfall and flooding hit every neighborhood across the city. In just 20 minutes, Bed-Stuy, Flatbush, and Hollis, which have rarely flooded to …

“Images of flooded streets, subways, and homes are our new normal. Ask any New Yorker-we know.”

Rebuild's Director @AmyChester's op-ed in @NYDailyNews lays out a roadmap for Mayor Mamdani's first 100 days: Use the public realm to address flooding.

Read: bit.ly/mamdaniclimate

That’s a wrap on our 50 Weeks, 50 States, 50 Facts series. 99.5% of congressional districts and 92.4% of counties have had disasters since 2011. 40 states faced 10+ events. Risk is widespread. Explore our new #AtlasofInspiration to see how communities are adapting: bit.ly/AOInspiration

CT has faced 11 major disasters since 2011, costing over $560M. Explore our new Atlas of Disaster: CT interactive map to see how extreme weather has impacted your community & who represents you. Together, we can build safer, more resilient infrastructure. bit.ly/atlas-ct

NEW: Atlas of Disaster: Connecticut reveals the scale, cost, and urgency of climate impacts across every region. The data is clear, action can’t wait. bit.ly/atlas-ct

A ‘revolving door of suffering’: Climate disasters by the numbers in Massachusetts - The Boston Globe Extreme weather disasters in Massachusetts have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. But investing in resilient infrastructure could yield significant returns.

Climate disasters are displacing residents and costing our state hundreds of millions of dollars. Proud to see my bill, Sustainable and Equitable Climate Funding (S.572), included in @rebuildbydesign.bsky.social's report recommendations.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/11/s...

The Faith Sector Climate Adaptation Toolkit is now live! Co-created by NYC faith leaders with Rebuild by Design & NYDIS, this resource helps faith communities prepare for extreme weather, communicate risk, and build resilience together. bit.ly/faith-ready

"Every single county in Massachusetts has suffered a major climate event from 2011 to 2024. Climate change is already here. Our communities are suffering. We have to do something about it." Amy Chester,
@RebuildByDesign

Explore & apply the data yourself: bit.ly/atlas-ma

Our new #AtlasofDisaster: Massachusetts report featured in
@baystatebanner.bsky.social. Reporter Avery Bleichfeld highlights how historically redlined neighborhoods face higher flood risks and are nearly 5°F hotter during heat waves. Full story: bit.ly/49mGs2I

Climate change is driving up insurance premiums nationwide. One in four homeowners in MA is struggling to find an affordable insurance plan. Find out how MA can take action in our new #AtlasofDisaster: Massachusetts report bit.ly/atlas-ma

50 Weeks of Atlas: West Virginia Spotlight
Since 2011, WV has faced 23 federally declared disasters totaling $950M+, impacting economies, infrastructure, and jobs. Strategic preparedness, data, and infrastructure investment may help resilience. Explore the Atlas: bit.ly/rebuildaoa

Atlas of Accountability Rebuild by Design launches the Atlas of Accountability, a mapping tool designed to help communities and policymakers understand their localized, climate-fueled exposure to extreme weather disasters. T...

Amy calls to: "Print out your state's maps and bring them to your neighbor. Ask them: What could we do about this?" Check out our:
📍 Atlas of Accountability: atlasofaccountability.com
📍 Atlas of Inspiration: bit.ly/AOInspiration
📍NYC Parks as Infrastructure: bit.ly/nycparksci

"When have you ever been asked what kind of community do you want to leave your kids and grandkids?" says Rebuild by Design's Amy Chester on @economicarch.bsky.social, sharing how climate solutions begins with empowering individuals at the local level. Want to see what's possible in YOUR community?⬇️

Atlas of Accountability Rebuild by Design launches the Atlas of Accountability, a mapping tool designed to help communities and policymakers understand their localized, climate-fueled exposure to extreme weather disasters. T...

Amy calls to: "Print out your state's maps and bring them to your neighbor. Ask them: What could we do about this?" Check out our:
📍 Atlas of Accountability: atlasofaccountability.com
📍 Atlas of Inspiration: bit.ly/AOInspiration
📍NYC Parks as Infrastructure: bit.ly/nycparksci

NYC Homeowners! On Tues, 12/16, 6-8 pm at the Restoration Plaza, join Neighbors Helping Neighbors, #RainproofNYC, and artist Tiffany Baker of the Dear Neighbor Project for an evening dedicated to flood preparedness, community storytelling, and practical home resilience.

RSVP: bit.ly/4iVtWum

Atlas of Accountability Rebuild by Design launches the Atlas of Accountability, a mapping tool designed to help communities and policymakers understand their localized, climate-fueled exposure to extreme weather disasters. T...

Explore our data & interactive map: bit.ly/atlas-ma