Brooklyn shoreline

Boilers and generators damaged by Sandy, as well as stalled and botched repairs afterward, have left NYCHA residents without regular running water or cooking gas years after the storm. Neighborhood leaders say the area still isn't ready for another “Sandy.”

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The damage from the storm has led local leaders and advocates to find solutions that both protect and engage the community. “That kind of was the impetus to start on these projects, and to start on building resiliency,” Jordan said, “and to just start thinking a little bit more pragmatically about sustainable, holistic solutions.”

A field trip to the beach

Demetrius Gilmer grabbed a trowel from one of the bright-orange storage baskets provided by the parks department. He dug a hole about 6 inches deep and placed two strands of the beach grass in the opening before tightly compacting the sand to keep the grass rooted. The 19-year-old alumnus of Harlem Renaissance came back to his alma mater to volunteer. Gilmer was just in grade school when Sandy ravaged the city. He wants his time here this morning to make a difference. “I actually knew about Coney Island's floods, and hopefully we can help change the environment.”