Background

ULI Philadelphia is recruiting 8-10 members to serve on a two-day Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) that will provide Eastwick United strategies for how to finance and build equitable housing solutions for residents affected by climate injustices in the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Eastwick is a predominantly African American community plagued by an array of environmental injustices resulting from the failed implementation of the largest Urban Renewal program in US history during the 1950’s which, in its aftermath left scars of segregation, environmental contamination, repetitive catastrophic flooding, sinking homes and a field of weeds.  The climate crisis will accelerate and amplify Eastwick’s issues. As the city’s lowest-lying neighborhood, rising sea levels will subject Eastwick to more regular flooding, including the inundation of certain areas.  Furthermore, more frequent, and intense rainfalls will increase the severity of flooding events.

The proposed Eastwick Resilience Plan is a conceptual plan that integrates the swap of a large tracts of vacant city owned property located on higher elevations within Eastwick in exchange for flood prone and sinking homes built in the late 1960’s through the early 1970’s that placed approximately 600 residents in harm’s way.  It also includes the conversion of the previously occupied properties into wetlands and open recreational areas to create carbon neutral canopies that will provide a protective barrier to offset the carbon footprint created by excessive noise and pollution caused by the frequency of airplanes and automobiles traversing over and through the community.

This TAP will be co-sponsored by Eastwick United and the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability. Its results will be part of a national body of work through ULI’s Resilient Land Use Cohort.

Questions for expert panel:

1. What financial resources, both public and private, are available to finance the construction of the replacement housing and relocation of impacted residents?
2. What best building practices can be included in the construction of the replacement housing to mitigate flooding?
3. How can we utilize wetlands to create open-green space while simultaneously providing recreational areas and act as flood mitigation mechanisms?
4. Can an inter-community relocation process be developed that will make impacted residents whole?
5. What are the legal considerations, mechanisms and best practices that can inform an equitable relocation process?

 Professional expertise needed from panelist:

• Public and private financing
• Sustainable design and construction
• Civil and structural engineering
• Public Policy, zoning, and legal
• Community development and engagement
• Affordable housing development
• Floodplain planning and management

Panelist expectations:

• Be available for two full days on November 3-4, 2022
• Review extensive briefing materials prior to convening
• Join briefing call one to two weeks prior to convening
• Actively participate in stakeholder interviews, recommendation generation, and findings presentation
• Adhere to ULI Conflict of Interest policy and Code of Ethics

Important dates:

• Panelist Application Deadline: August 31, 2022
• TAP Dates: November 3-4, 2022

More info:

• Learn more about ULI Philadelphia’s TAP program here.