LIC Coalition is a community-based organization that came together in 2016 to support and advocate for a livable, sustainable, and socially-just city. LIC Coalition strives to make a positive difference in land use decisions in Long Island City in order to bolster the neighborhood’s resiliency against the imminent challenges of global warming. We insist public land is for public good. The group works at the local, state and national level to promote sound and scientific evidence on the long-term benefits of sustainable development.
We understand Long Island City’s unique role in protecting the rest of New York from the impacts of climate change. We believe there are dangerous consequences of doing too little. Global ice melt and carbon emissions are at the highest levels ever recorded and sea-levels are expected to rise 30 inches in 30 years, millions of people and square acreage will face high risk of frequent flooding and permanent water damage.
Rezoning regulations for “mixed-use” incentivized development in Long Island City and after two decades of aggressive, unbridled growth, local residents are concerned about our preparedness for climate change especially as population and construction demands heighten climate-related risks and further burden local infrastructure and services, as well as increase the economic divide of the neighborhood.
LICC Coalition presents an alternate vision to address the needs of our community and counters ongoing efforts to develop swaths of land without responsible, comprehensive information and deep assessment critical to the health, safety, and overall well-being of residents and the environment. The group is specifically dedicated to climate change resiliency through collaboration and innovative design, harnessing all the socio-economic benefits and the power of the people to enact good with public resources and appropriate land use. Our unique, low-lying location off the East River and Newtown Creek estuary is in the FEMA floodplain and currently ranks 2nd to lowest in per capita for open, green, publicly accessible space. Yet Long Island City serves as a first natural defense to protect the safety and welfare of communities over many miles. LIC Coalition supports development that improves the quality of life in New York amidst environmental challenges.
We use a grassroots approach to harness action and urge government institutions to allocate resources that nurture climate resiliency, protect current public open green space and use opportunities, agreed-upon strategies and efforts to preserve land located in the flood plain. We must be the stakeholders that demand this support in the hopes we can create a template of 21st century resilient infrastructure for the entire coastline of New York City and a model for urban waterfront planning in vulnerable areas across the country.