In July, we convened our first Housing Insurance Roundtable. With a focus on how we might collaborate to advance insurance access and disaster preparedness across New York City, the half-day event gathered representatives from two dozen government agencies, insurance companies, and nonprofit organizations. NYC Councilmember Gale Brewer also attended.

The discussion, held at the New York City headquarters of NeighborWorks America and masterfully moderated by Kevin Spann of Allstate Insurance, highlighted rising concerns around the pressure that increasingly extreme weather, flooding, fire, and other emergencies is putting on housing affordability and the cost of property insurance, particularly for vulnerable communities including seniors, Hispanic residents, and limited-English-speaking households.

Participants identified education, cross-sector partnerships, and clearer communication as critical priorities for helping homeowners, home buyers, landlords, and renters better understand their coverage and prepare for emergencies.

Attendees emphasized the need for greater collaboration among insurers, nonprofits, government agencies, lenders, and community leaders to address insurance barriers and resilience challenges.

The Roundtable concluded with a commitment to developing actionable recommendations, expanding outreach efforts, promoting disaster preparedness education, and continuing the dialogue to ensure New Yorkers are safer, better informed, and more resilient in the face of future disasters. The group will continue to meet and advance these goals.