Hoboken’s Post-Sandy Resilience

The document examines how Hoboken, New Jersey, has historically prioritized short-term economic development over flood risk science, leading to significant vulnerabilities. It details the devastating impacts of Superstorm Sandy and the subsequent implementation of the Hoboken Resiliency and Readiness Plan, which aligns local efforts with federal climate and rebuilding strategies to address sea level rise and extreme weather.

• Hoboken's historical development patterns significantly increased its flood vulnerability, specifically through the draining of western tidal marshlands in the mid-1800s to create real estate and the 1990s waterfront development that ignored scientific warnings about building on aging structures.
• The city faces extreme exposure to flood risks, with 53 percent of its 50,000 residents living below five feet above the local high tide line. Critical infrastructure is almost entirely at risk, including 100 percent of fire and EMS stations, hospitals, libraries, community centers, rail and ferry stations, sewage plants, and major hazardous waste sites.
• Flood risk in Hoboken is disproportionately distributed among residents of color; 62 percent of African American residents and 57 percent of total residents of color live in areas below the five-foot mark, compared to 52 percent of white residents.
• Superstorm Sandy caused massive financial losses in Hoboken, with private property damages estimated above $100 million, including over 1,700 homes, and $10 million in damages to city property.
• The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) proved inadequate for Hoboken's urban environment, as policies often failed to cover 'garden-style' units—primary residences and small businesses located slightly below street level—because they were classified as basements.
• The Hoboken Resiliency and Readiness Plan, released in August 2013, aligns with the federal Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and the president’s Climate Action Plan. It focuses on nine components, including energy resiliency via a microgrid, shoreline protection, and green infrastructure for stormwater management.

APA

Bailin, D. (2014). Hoboken’s Post-Sandy Resilience. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/hoboken-case-study-final.pdf

Chicago

Bailin, Deborah. Hoboken’s Post-Sandy Resilience. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2014. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/hoboken-case-study-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bailin |first1=Deborah |title=Hoboken’s Post-Sandy Resilience |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=January 2014 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/hoboken-case-study-final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bailin2014hobokens, author = {Bailin, Deborah}, title = {{Hoboken’s Post-Sandy Resilience}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2014}, month = jan, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/hoboken-case-study-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }