Across the United States, communities are facing the growing impacts of extreme weather and climate variations. From extreme heat waves to increasing flood frequency and severity, these impacts threaten public health, infrastructure, and overall quality of life. While many cities have done climate action planning at the municipal level, these strategies don’t always account for neighborhood-specific challenges that impact communities daily.
In Newark, NJ, the South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA) is taking a different approach. By focusing on climate action planning at the neighborhood-level, SWEA wants to ensure that resident voices shape local climate resilience strategies. Through community organizing and local partnerships, SWEA is working to strengthen stormwater management, improve disaster preparedness, and protect public health.
Building a Resilient South Ward
SWEA is a community-based organization dedicated to addressing environmental justice issues and fostering healthy, vibrant neighborhoods in Newark’s South Ward. This area, located in the southwest region of Newark, includes the Dayton Street, Weequahic, and Clinton Hill neighborhoods. SWEA was founded in 2015 by Kim Gaddy, SWEA Founder & Executive Director, and offers residents the opportunity to engage in local decision-making and voice their opinions on environmental policies that directly impact their neighborhoods. The South Ward depends on the Pequannock Watershed, a 35,000-acre system that supplies Newark’s drinking water. However, the region faces increasing climate-related challenges, including flooding from the Passaic River and extreme heat events, which threaten infrastructure, public health, and quality of life.
One of SWEA’s priorities is improving stormwater management and reducing pollution in the Passaic River, particularly by addressing Newark’s combined sewer system, which carries both stormwater and wastewater through the same pipes. During heavy rain and extreme weather events, these systems can overflow, sending untreated stormwater and wastewater into streets, homes, and waterways. This not only contributes to localized flooding but also impacts public health and water quality. To tackle this issue, SWEA is working to increase awareness and investment in green infrastructure solutions that help manage stormwater more effectively before it overwhelms the system. By engaging South Ward residents, local organizations, and decision-makers, SWEA is making strides towards practical, long-term solutions that reduce pollution, improve flood management, and create healthier living conditions for South Ward residents.
“As a lifelong resident of the South Ward, I have seen the transformative impact that solutions like planting trees can have in our communities,” said SWEA Founder & Executive Director Kim Gaddy. “Trees save families money on utility bills, reduce air and water pollution and reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses like asthma and protect residents from extreme heat. This is why residents’ voices are needed to ensure a healthy, vibrant and sustainable South Ward,” concluded Gaddy.
Addressing Risks Through Neighborhood Planning
To combat the negative effects of extreme weather and climate variability, communities often develop Climate Action Plans (CAPs). These plans are structure strategies that outline a community’s comprehensive goals for risk adaptation and emission reduction, typically at the state or city levels. This involves gathering and analyzing key data such as historical temperature trends, greenhouse gas emissions, precipitation trends, flood severity and frequency, and more. However, this data often comes with uncertainties, including gaps in localized knowledge, inability to facilitate collaboration across various stakeholders, and inaccurate baseline data.
At the neighborhood-level, climate action planning gives communities the opportunity to address localized impacts, set actionable goals, and determine practical steps to reduce vulnerabilities and improve resilience.
South Ward Residents Leading the Way
The South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA), in partnership with the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (SU-EFC), hosted a Community Visioning and Climate Planning 101 workshop on November 9th, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey. The event brought together residents from the three South Ward neighborhoods—Dayton Street, Clinton Hill, and Weequahic—to discuss challenges and solutions at the neighborhood level. Residents were grouped by neighborhood before being further divided into two groups – one focused on an extreme heat scenario and the other on flooding. Using these scenarios as a framework, residents were engaged in a facilitated discussion to assess vulnerabilities, identify priorities, and develop actionable solutions. When reflecting on the workshop, one participant said, “This workshop was informative and created a great way to network with community partners.” Key takeaways from the workshop are summarized below. More information on the workshop design and findings can be viewed in the Post-Workshop Report.
- Green Infrastructure: Expand use of green infrastructure to reduce flooding, ease pressure on the sewer system, and mitigate urban heat.
- Community Facilities: Establish emergency hubs equipped with generators, water supplies, and charging stations to support residents during extreme weather events.
- Transportation: Reroute trucks outside of residential areas to reduce air pollution. Improve bus stops by installing misting and cooling features to provide relief during extreme heat and ensure adequate shade.
- Community Wellness: Develop neighborhood-based evacuation plans and ensure accessibility.
- Education & Emergency Response: Improve awareness of and access to emergency alert systems to provide real-time information on evacuation routes and available resources.
What’s Next for SWEA?
The November workshop was a key step in advancing neighborhood-led climate action planning in Newark’s South Ward. To build on this momentum, the following steps have been identified to support ongoing efforts and future planning:
- Form a Community Advisory Group: Bring together residents, local businesses, and stakeholders to guide priorities and shape solutions that reflect community needs.
- Engage Local and State Experts: Engage city/county/state officials and professionals in urban planning, sustainability, and engineering/design to refine strategies, ensure feasibility, and align efforts with broader resilience initiatives.
- Build Relationships with Funders Early: Involving funders at the outset can help align proposed projects with available funding opportunities and inform project phasing. Early engagement with grantmakers, public agencies, and private foundations can help strengthen funding applications and improve long-term financial sustainability for climate action initiatives.
Through this ongoing effort, SWEA will continue working alongside residents to advance practical, community-driven solutions for a stronger and more resilient South Ward.
Learn More about the South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA) and stay up to date by visiting: www.southwardea.com
