Group Snapshot
Sustainable South Bronx

Sustainable South Bronx (SSB) is a community organization dedicated to the implementation of sustainable development projects for the South Bronx that are informed by the needs of the community and adherence to the values of Environmental Justice. SSB will sponsor development projects either alone or in collaboration with other community organizations, acting as a catalyst to stimulate sustainable development in the South Bronx by a variety of actors, including both nonprofit and for-profit entities that are committed to the principles of sustainability that community planning processes have established. SSB will strive to be the instrument through which community visions become realities, fostering sustainable development informed by a community-driven agenda.

Sustainable South Bronx works in the neighborhoods of the South Bronx, which mainly include Latino and African American residents, but with an increasing number of immigrants from all over in recent years. The South Bronx has been the poorest Congressional district in the country for many years, and the unemployment rates are significantly higher than the rest of the city. These demographics place the South Bronx squarely within the boundaries of an Environmental Justice community, one where lack of power has resulted in the use of the area as the repository for environmental polluters, without any environmental benefits to counteract the negative industries. SSB works to address that imbalance through tangible projects that will make a real difference. SSB focuses mainly on Hunts Point, Longwood and Port Morris, with some projects in other areas of the South Bronx such as Soundview. We work with local residents, community organizations and government entities to build our vision for a green South Bronx.

One of SSB's longest standing projects has been our great work to build the South Bronx Greenway. We propose a 4+ mile bicycle/pedestrian path through Hunts Point and Port Morris, as well as along the miles of waterfront in those neighborhoods. The route will include new parks along the waterfront and hopefully a bridge to Randall's Island from Port Morris under the Hellgate Bridge. With the Point CDC, the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, we are conducting a $1.25M feasibility study for the Greenway. Through our work and the work of the Hunts Point Task Force, the Mayor recently committed $9M for construction of first phase projects along the greenway path. This project has the potential to completely transform these two neighborhoods, creating connections between people and the waterfront in ways that have not been possible for decades. There are many challenges in this project and our others, mainly pushing the status quo to accept the principle that low income communities deserve amenities and freedom from pollution just as much as rich neighborhoods.

SSB's current projects run the gamut. We will begin installation on our new green roof above our office in the historic Banknote Building by the end of the summer. This project will provide valuable information about the benefits of green roofs and will be a great demonstration project for other building owners in the Bronx. We have been very involved in the campaign around the City's Solid Waste Management Plan, through the Organization of Waterfront Neighborhoods. The Mayor's plan shares the burden of garbage handling equally throughout the city, and as one of the neighborhoods that currently bears an too large portion of the burden, we are in favor of opening the Marine Transfer Stations throughout the city, including 91st St. We are about to finish the first session of the retooled River Heroes program, our ecological restoration workforce development project. For the past two years, we have trained local residents in ecological restoration, using the Bronx River as a classroom. We are very excited to move this program on to the next level, with more trainees and more opportunities for the participants at the end of the program. This summer, we will put on our RiverStage as a series of three family films, held outside in Hunts Point. This year it won't be on the Bronx River, but only because the two parks the community worked so hard to get built are undergoing extensive capital improvements this summer. Next summer we'll celebrate their reopening with the new RiverStage. We have many other great projects, all working make the South Bronx a greener, healthy place.

For more information on Sustainable South Bronx, check out their website at www.ssbx.org.

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