Info Session Webinar: Land Use Leadership Alliance for Flood Resilience
A screenshot from the Land Use Leadership Alliance info session webinar with Tiffany Zezula, Pace University Land Use Law Center
At this information session webinar on December 11, Emily Vail from the Hudson River Watershed Alliance provided an introduction to the Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network, along with a new opportunity for municipalities and partners to participate in an upcoming land use training.
Tiffany Zezula and Jessica Bacher from Pace University’s Land Use Law Center shared background on the Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) training program, and how the Resilience Implementation and Strategic Enhancements (RISE) Local Assessment Tool, developed by FEMA and the US Environmental Protection Agency, can help municipalities assess and refine local laws.
In spring 2026, a cohort of municipalities that are Members of the Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network will have the opportunity to work directly with the Land Use Law Center to participate in a 3-day Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) training. 2-3 participating municipalities will work through the Resilience Implementation and Strategic Enhancements (RISE) Local Assessment Tool, developed by FEMA and the US Environmental Protection Agency to help municipalities assess and refine local laws and policies to improve resilience and achieve desired community outcomes.
To be eligible to participate in this training and local law assessment opportunity, municipalities must have joined the Network as Members.
In September 2024, Julie Noble, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Kingston, presented about Kingston’s process to develop and implementing the RISE assessment tool. To learn more about a specific Hudson Valley municipality’s experience, this 15-minute case study presentation is available here and below (from 23:00-38:00).
This program is supported by funding from The Nature Conservancy's Climate Resilience Grant Program.
The Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network connects local governments committed to taking actionable steps to manage current and future flood risks. The Flood Resilience Network is co-facilitated by New York Sea Grant and the Hudson River Watershed Alliance.
Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network programs and trainings are open to Members and Partners. Members are representatives from municipal and county governments in the Hudson River estuary watershed. This includes elected and appointed officials, staff, and volunteers. Partners are staff from agencies, regional organizations, or private-sector consulting firms working in the Hudson River estuary watershed that support Members’ flood resilience goals.
To join the Network and gain access to upcoming programs, visit https://www.hvfloodresiliencenetwork.org/join and complete the Member or Partner form based on your role. The Network is free to join.