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New York has never shied away from a challenge. Today, as the state’s new energy plan charts a path toward deep decarbonization, we have another chance to lead: by embracing neighborhood-scale solutions. By upgrading entire communities at once, we can make the clean energy transition faster, fairer and more affordable for every New Yorker.

So far, much of the decarbonization effort has centered on a building-by-building approach, helping home and building owners swap furnaces, install heat pumps and improve insulation one structure at a time. These steps are important, but to achieve the scale we need, New York needs a paradigm shift.

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By taking a block-by-block approach — upgrading entire neighborhoods together rather than building by building — we unlock three critical advantages. Neighborhood-scale projects are more efficient. Instead of stringing out retrofits over decades, neighborhood-scale........

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