July 20, 2026
The report examines what local governments, state agencies, nonprofits, academic institutions, and other organizations need to be able to respond to the challenges posed by weather-related hazards, and how the region can better use its resources to help promote, implement, and scale-up solutions to flooding and extreme weather.
While Greater Philadelphia has long faced impacts from severe weather, increasing extremes are exposing the region to new threats and new vulnerabilities. More severe and more frequent storms, heavier downpours, storm surge, and extreme heat are leading to increased flooding, water-quality impairments, erosion, diminished air quality, heat-related stress, and chronic and acute impacts to infrastructure, personal property, and public health.
DVRPC’s recently published report, Building Resilience Together: An Assessment of Needs and Next Steps in Greater Philadelphia examines what local governments, state agencies, nonprofits, academic institutions, and other organizations need to respond to the challenges posed by weather-related hazards in the Greater Philadelphia region. It outlines how both DVRPC and actors throughout the region can better use their resources to help promote, implement, and scale-up solutions to flooding and extreme weather.
Informed by research and stakeholder outreach, the assessment identifies regional needs and recommended actions across six focus areas: flooding; extreme heat; social vulnerability; the built environment; funding, capacity, and local governance; and regional planning. It emphasizes improving the resilience of people, communities, businesses, institutions, and infrastructure systems, while recognizing that socioeconomic conditions, limited access to resources, and development patterns leave some communities more vulnerable to extreme weather hazards than others.
The report also describes the project's research and outreach process, summarizes priority actions for DVRPC and its partners, and outlines how the findings can guide future resilience planning and action across Greater Philadelphia. As extreme weather hazards continue to increase, DVRPC remains committed to working with partners across the region and is already moving forward on recommendations from the report, including developing a regional Transportation Resilience Improvement Plan, to help ensure Greater Philadelphia remains resilient and livable for years to come.