Derek Anderson, PE, Associate, Arup, and Anna Beheshti-Rhodes, PE, Senior Engineer, Arup
As climate change intensifies, coastal communities across Massachusetts face mounting risks from sea level rise and storm surge. While municipal and state agencies have made significant strides in resilience planning, a new model for accelerating these efforts is emerging – one that places community-based organizations at the forefront of flood resilience efforts. The Wharf District Council (WDC) in Boston offers a compelling case study of how neighborhood advocacy groups and non-profits can complement public-agency resiliency initiatives by directly leading design efforts, and building consensus within their community and advocating for climate adaptation projects.
In May 2025, Arup and the WDC released the Neighborhood Resiliency Project Handbook, a step-by-step guide for communities seeking to launch their own flood resilience initiatives. The handbook distills lessons learned from the WDC’s groundbreaking 2023 Climate Resiliency Plan, which achieved a rare feat in urban planning by securing unanimous support from each of the 16 public and private waterfront property owners whose land would be needed to construct the flood protection system proposed by the WDC. Notably, the WDC’s plan, shown in Figure 1: WDC Flood Resilience Plan, goes beyond protecting those waterfront property owners, providing critical protection from flooding for all inland properties and critical infrastructure in the district. This success was not incidental; it was the result of a deliberate, community-led process that prioritized transparency, inclusivity, and consensus-building.
The WDC’s journey began in 2019 with the formation of its Climate Resilient Task Force, a public-private partnership created in response to the City of Boston’s call for such partnerships to advance climate resilience initiatives in Boston, see Figure 2: WDC Climate Resilience Task Force Structure. Over the next four years, Arup and the Task Force collaborated with city, state, and federal agencies to develop a conceptual flood resilience plan tailored to the Wharf District’s unique character and vulnerabilities. The resulting plan not only addressed technical and engineering challenges but also reflected the values and priorities of the community it aimed to protect.
What sets the WDC’s approach apart is its emphasis on empowering local stakeholders directly in the design and decision-making process, as illustrated in Figure 3: Stakeholder Engagement Model. By leading the planning and stakeholder engagement process, the Council was able to engage directly and effectively with property owners, residents, and businesses – building trust and fostering a shared vision for the future. This grassroots engagement is enabling the Council to build a coalition of support within the community to secure the necessary funding, navigate regulatory hurdles, and advocate for solutions that align with the community’s needs.
The newly published handbook is designed to help other communities replicate this success. It offers practical step-by-step guidance on identifying opportunities for community-led projects, securing funding and technical support to deliver these projects, and building consensus around engineering interventions. It also highlights the advantages of community leadership, such as increased flexibility, access to alternative funding sources, and the ability to engage stakeholders in meaningful dialogue.
This shift toward community-led resilience is not about replacing government-led efforts, but rather complementing them. Municipal and state agencies bring essential resources and expertise to the table, but they sometimes face constraints that limit their ability to engage deeply at the neighborhood level while advancing resiliency planning for all their neighborhoods simultaneously. By facilitating local organizations to lead their own resiliency projects, agencies can tap into community knowledge, build public support, and accelerate the implementation of critical infrastructure.
As engineers, planners, and advocates, we have a responsibility to support this evolution in resilience planning. Whether through technical assistance, policy advocacy, or public engagement, we can help ensure that community voices are not only heard but empowered to lead. The Wharf District’s experience shows that when communities are given the tools and support to shape their own futures, the results can be transformative.
For those interested in learning more, the Neighborhood Resiliency Project Handbook is available online at www.wharfdistrictcouncil.org. It serves as both a blueprint and an invitation – to imagine a future where resilience is not just planned for communities, but built by them.