History and Mission Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) is a community organization dedicated to Environmental Justice solutions through innovative, economically sustainable projects that are informed by community needs. In 2001, SSBx was created to address policy and planning issues like land use, energy, transportation, water, waste, education, and, most recently, design and manufacturing. The Hunts Point neighborhood in the South Bronx is one of New York City’s last remaining industrial areas. On the one hand, the neighborhood has numerous assets, including a waterfront location on the Bronx and East Rivers, proximity to Manhattan, the economic engine of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center (the second largest in the world), new City‐led development projects, waterfront parks, and a strong local organizational infrastructure. Simultaneously, it exhibits one of the highest poverty and unemployment levels in the City, with poor community health, noxious uses and commercial traffic, substance abuse, and prostitution issues. Caught in the middle of these pressures are approximately 11,000 residents who have been neglected, under‐served by the neighborhood’s local economy. The one-square mile area of Hunts Point is bound by the Bruckner Expressway to the north and west, and the Bronx and East Rivers to the south and east. The 1970s and 1980s witnessed severe deterioration in property and living conditions, and only in the late 1990s and 2000s has the neighborhood begun to receive the attention that it requires to revitalize. SSBx has a strong history of working for the betterment of the community. Since 2001, SSBx has enjoyed success and recognition on a local, regional, and national level. Some of the awards and honors given to SSBx and SSBx staff include: 2009 Honoree: Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Women of Distinction-Miquela Craytor 2009 Honoree: Women in Environmentalism-Annette Williams 2009 Finalist: Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards 2009 Winner: Gotham Green Award 2008 Winner: National Conservation Achievement Award from the National Wildlife Federation 2007 Winner: NY Chapter of American Institute of Architects Community Development Award 2003 Winner: United States Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program 2002 Winner: Union Square Award, Fund for the City of New York Timeline of success: February 2009: Launch of GreenFab, in partnership with Vision Education and Media February 2009: Launch of BEST for Buildings January 2009: BEST Academy is formed December 2008: BEST celebrates its 100th graduate October 2008: SSBx's SmartRoofs, LLC installs a greenroof at Sarah Lawrence College July 2008: Greeroof Tax Abatement bill is passed April 2008: Green Jobs, Not Jails rally to protest the building of a prison in Hunts Point February 2008: SSBx helps pass a city-wide Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan to assess the benefits and costs of best practices for storm water management December 2007: SSBx co-founds SWIM (Storm Water Infrastructure Matters) June 2007: 1st Annual Hunts Point Hustle May 2007: SSBx get the New York State Supreme Court to order the city to release information on plans for a new 2,000 inmate jail at Oak Point in the South Bronx April 2007: Greenway Stewards join SSBx September 2006: SSBx and OWN partners help pass NYC's first Solid Waste Management Plan legislation June 2006: SSBx and partners push shareholder resolution to reduce toxic emissions at NYOFCo March 2003: Inaugural session of BEST August 2001: Sustainable South Bronx is established