Our Bureau
New York, NY
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia, NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura, New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Kamar Samuels have announced $95 million in DEP funding for an innovative Cloudburst stormwater management project in Homecrest, Brooklyn.
The project is designed to reduce flooding, protect local waterways and strengthen neighborhood resilience as extreme weather becomes more frequent and more severe.
Cloudburst projects use a network of neighborhood-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. 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.
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 Mayor Mamdani. “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.”
“Climate change is already here, and our infrastructure must catch up. Cloudburst projects rebuild our city with the green infrastructure, like porous pavement and underground stormwater storage, that will keep us safe during storms,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “These investments into stormwater management are increasingly critical, and I am glad to see our agencies working hand in hand to deliver creative solutions to flooding.”
“The Homecrest Cloudburst project is a major step forward in protecting this community from the kind of extreme rainfall we know is becoming more common,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “By capturing and storing stormwater before it overwhelms local streets and sewers, we’re reducing flood risk, improving water quality in Coney Island Creek and building the resilient infrastructure New Yorkers deserve.”
The project will target flooding hotspots across a 350-acre area, including Kings Highway, Coney Island Avenue and avenues P, R, S, T, U and V.
