POWWA

Protect Our Working Waterfront Alliance (POWWA) is a broad coalition of residents, businesses, labor, housing advocates, faith leaders, and others. All are committed to preserving the industrial character of the Sunset Park waterfront to: protect and expand career-track manufacturing jobs, prevent the displacement of working-class residents and blue-collar businesses, and develop for climate adaptation and resilience.

Sunset Park is a large working-class community of color with a population of approximately 130,000 people. Nearly half of local residents are foreign-born. Educational attainment falls behind the rest of Brooklyn and New York City overall, with 36% lacking a high school diploma. At $43,100, the median household income is $9,400 below that of the city median. Moreover, these social and economic challenges are exacerbated by the concentration of environmental burdens, which are leading causes of public health risks and disparities in the community. NYU Lutheran is the largest employment center in the industrial area, providing over 6,000 jobs.