Connected Communities

The Connected Communities initiative advances the work of the department’s participatory design practices, site planning and policy, and implementation of public-private partnerships.

The Connected Communities Guidebook outlines NYCHA's priorities for urban design and community engagement. This publication serves as the Authority's comprehensive approach to urban design across its portfolio, and informs individual project planning, scoping and design. These projects can be undertaken by NYCHA or through partnerships with City agencies as well as private and non-profit partners.

In partnership with Hester Street, NYCHA executed a demonstration project for the Connected Communities Initiative at Pomonok Houses in Queens. The project was focused on implementing community engagement events aimed at elevating residents’ voices and participation in decisions about open spaces. The efforts were community-driven, involved multiple partners (including the Resident Association), and incorporated urban design practices for improving the development and resident quality of life.

Developed by Karp Strategies and funded by Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Connected Communities Initiative Strategic Plan offers a five-year roadmap of actions and tools to strengthen and elevate the initiative to a fully integrated philosophy of practice within NYCHA.

An important component of the Connected Communities initiative, the Open Space Masterplan project re-imagines outdoor spaces across developments by incorporating community needs with necessary environmental upgrades. This study provides a vision for a cleaner, more active, and more connected NYCHA. Through resident feedback and data collection, the study analyzes the unique environmental strengths and challenges of each site. This visionary tool provides recommendations and sets fundraising goals for investments in the outdoor spaces of the NYCHA communities of New York City.

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Watch this video for an overview on the project. Playback issues? Watch the video in your browser.

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Awards and Recognition:

• NewCities: New York City, USA- NYCHA Connected Communities. Category Winner Supporting Cohesive Communities
  In 2020, Connected Communities initiative represented New York City globally, and won the Well Being Cities award for its work in supporting cohesive communities.
• NYCHANow: NYCHA’s Connected Communities Initiative Wins Wellbeing Cities Award
• Connected Communities: NYC ‘video visit’ + discussion
  In Summer 2021, Connected Communities hosted a “virtual field trip” and engaged in a discussion on the better, activated NYCHA open spaces and its impact on health with Future of London.
• NYCHANow: Outdoor Space Serves as Community Resources Hub for Stapleton Residents
• NYCHANow: Newly Renovated Basketball Courts Celebrated Across NYCHA This Summer
• NYCHANow: A Short Stretch to Better Health- Carver Houses Gets New Outdoor Fitness Center
• NYCHA: The Trust for Public Land, the New York City Housing Authority, and Mount Sinai Health System Partner to Open New York City's First-Ever Public Housing Fitness Zone® at the Carver Houses in East Harlem
• NYCHANow: NYCHA, Green City Force Inventory Thousands of Trees Across 18 Campuses
• City Limits: NYCHA Gets Nod for Work to ‘Connect’ Communities
• Daily News: The Rebirth NYCHA Needs Now. Op-ed by Nicholas Bloom and Rebecca Karp
• Pix11: NYCHA residents team up with Urban Planners to help renovate and create new Open Spaces
• Design Exchange: New York is Getting Residents of Affordable Housing to Design Their Future
• Cornell Architecture, Art and Planning blog: Building Communities with NYCHA
• Reginal Planning Association: Scalable Design Solutions for NYCHA