Selling Flood Risk NYC

Objective

Analyzed the intersection of New York City’s real estate market and future flood risks, delivering actionable insights to reveal the financial exposure of homebuyers and drive greater transparency in risk disclosure.

Tags
GIS & MapboxPolicyPressStorytelling
Challenge

A block in Kissena Park, Queens, where lives were lost during Hurricane Ida, had four homes listed for sale in 2024, each averaging $1.2 million, with no mention of flood risk. This disconnect between real estate practices and climate reality prompted a citywide analysis: How many homes are being sold in flood-prone areas, and are buyers being adequately informed?

Solution

Led the development of Selling Flood Risk NYC, an interactive map and report quantifying the financial and physical risks of residential real estate transactions within NYC’s 2050 projected flood zones. The project exposed gaps in disclosure and traced $3.6 billion in at-risk home sales during 2023, highlighting borough-level trends and neighborhood vulnerabilities.

View the report and map →

Workflow
  • Data Wrangling: Cleaned and analyzed NYC Department of Finance residential sales data (1–3 family homes) by borough using Python/R
  • Spatial Analysis: Geocoded all sale addresses, conducted 100-ft buffer and intersection with projected 2050 floodplain in QGIS
  • Mapping: Developed the interactive map using QGIS and Leaflet
  • Findings: Analyzed borough-by-borough patterns, economic risk, and shifts in floodplain ownership
  • Report Creation: Designed report in Adobe InDesign, synthesizing data, visuals, and narrative
  • Policy Research: Led recommendations on closing gaps in NYS flood disclosure laws, resilience investments, and emergency alerts
Tools & SKills

QGIS · Python/R · Data Wrangling · Spatial Analysis · Leaflet · Policy Research · Report Writing · Adobe InDesign · Data Visualization · Project Management

Impact