In Ward 7, DOEE has been working with HSEMA to study and alleviate the impacts of flooding for residents of neighborhoods along Watts Branch. Many homes are located in the 100-year floodplain in this area, as shown in the map to the right. DOEE has received funding from FEMA’s Building Resilience Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to design a network of blue-green infrastructure projects to reduce flood risk in this area. A similar planning effort was completed in the Southwest/Buzzard Point neighborhood in 2023.

DOEE also launched the FloodSmart Homes program, which provides eligible homeowners with a free flood resilience assessment, professional recommendations for reducing flood risk, and little-to-no-cost installation of upgrades.

Last year, the District planted over 11,000 trees, which cooled down several neighborhoods with shade. In fact, according to the US Forest Service, a young healthy tree has the same cooling effect as ten room-size air conditioners! Learn more about the District’s work on extreme heat.

HSEMA received $12 million in FEMA funding to support the Resilient Housing for All loan fund, in partnership with DHCD, HPTF, and the DC Green Bank. This will allow the District to offer 1% loans aimed at projects that build resilience in affordable housing, supporting the District’s goal of increasing affordable housing options for residents. Learn more about the Resilient Housing for All loan fund.

HSEMA is collaborating with DDOT and DOEE to upgrade a select amount of shaded bus shelters by integrating more green infrastructure features that will better protect residents from extreme heat. Learn more about the project and how it has been funded.

To improve flood emergency, planning, response, and recovery, HSEMA is collaborating with DDOT and DOEE to identify and install flood warning signs at flood prone areas. Read the action plan that describes the overview and implementation strategy of this project.

Climate Ready DC: Lived Experiences with Climate Change