Critical Conversations: bridging pathways forward to greater understanding and creative solutions.

Alumni Spotlight: Saba Mahmood (UCP ‘24) Brings Community and Climate Resilience Together as an FCNY Fellow

Authors: Lauren Goshinski & Matthew Meyer (UCP ‘24)

  • A portrait of a woman standing in front of a bookshelf filled with old hardcover books. She is wearing a brown and beige houndstooth coat with black buttons and a black shirt underneath. The woman is smiling softly and has her dark hair pulled back, with a calm and relaxed expression.
  • A person in an olive-green shirt, beige pants, white sneakers, and a black cap sitting on a step outdoors, writing in a notebook with a pen. The person is smiling slightly, with sunglasses on, and appears to be focused on their writing. There is another person wearing a striped headscarf blurred in the background.

Credit: Saba Mahmood

As a 2024 Community Planning Fellow with the Fund for the City of New York (FCNY), Urban and Community Planning alumnus and 2023 Fulbright scholar Saba Mahmood (MS ‘24) has helped to enrich New York’s urban resilience plans from the ground up. The prestigious FCNY fellowship pairs second-year urban planning graduate students with NYC community boards to enhance planning efforts and develop strategies to ensure local communities are part of the process. 

As a Fellow for the Land Use and Waterfront Committee (LUWF), Mahmood conducted an in-depth study for Manhattan Community Board 6 (CB6) in Midtown East, focusing on the district’s climate resiliency challenges, including vulnerabilities to flooding and extreme heat. CB6 serves the neighborhoods of Midtown East, from 14th to 59th Streets. It acts as a local advisory body that represents residents, businesses, and institutions in the area. The board addresses a wide range of issues, including land use, transportation, and public safety, and plays a crucial role in shaping the community by providing recommendations to city agencies and elected officials. CB6 facilitates public participation in the planning process, ensuring that the community’s needs and concerns are considered in local decision-making.

A district profile map showing an orange-highlighted area covering parts of Manhattan, bordered by the East River. The district stretches from East 14th Street up to 59th Street, encompassing Midtown, Murray Hill, Turtle Bay, and other areas.

Credit: Saba Mahmood

Mahmood provided critical technical assistance, utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and on-site documentation to analyze existing resilience projects and pinpointed areas needing further attention. Her work identified potential sites for resilience-building initiatives and proposed climate-adaptive strategies inspired by international best practices in green infrastructure.

Mahmood’s contributions were particularly significant in guiding LUWF’s climate resiliency decision-making processes. She emphasized the importance of community participation in these efforts, advocating for residents to engage actively in planning and advocacy to promote a safer, more resilient future. By equipping the Community Board with the necessary tools and expertise, Mahmood’s work demonstrated how technical assistance from Pratt’s Urban and Community Planning program can effectively enhance the capacity of community boards to address complex urban challenges.

A slide showing potential sites for immediate action regarding flood management. The left side features a map of a blue flood zone with highlighted areas in yellow and pink, indicating parking lots and public waterfront spaces. The right side includes an aerial view of the East River Esplanade with two photos: one of a parking lot at 34th St., and another of the waterfront between 34th and 35th St.

Credit: Saba Mahmood

A slide titled 'The Resilient Park' with a diagram and a concept visualization. On the left, a plan view of a park layout near the East River is shown. On the right, a digitally illustrated visualization of a park with trees, rain gardens, permeable pavers, and soft grass cover, including a man sitting on a bench reading a book while two children walk nearby.

Credit: Saba Mahmood

Currently, Saba Mahmood continues to work on urban and community planning projects that prioritize sustainability and climate resilience. Her fellowship experience has deeply influenced her approach to urban planning, reinforcing the vital connection between technical expertise, community engagement, and the creation of resilient urban environments.

Watch Saba Mahmood’s full presentation of her proposal to Manhattan Community Board 6 below.