Livable Neighborhoods Program

Helping New Yorkers become stronger advocates for their neighborhoods

2007-present

Founded on the principle that community involvement is essential to successful city planning, the Livable Neighborhoods Program (LNP) helps local leaders in under-resourced communities develop the knowledge and tools that they need to participate effectively in public land use review processes and engage in creative, community-based design and planning.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Our 2021 Request for Partners has closed. Neighborhoods selected for the program will be announced shortly.

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graphic on how to become a partner in the Livable Neighborhoods Program

2021 LIVABLE NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM – REQUEST FOR PARTNERS (RFP)  

This year, MAS sought applications from community-based partners interested in developing new skills to bring back to their neighborhoods as part of our 2021 Livable Neighborhoods Program (LNP). LNP will help participants educate and engage neighbors in the basics of land use, build capacity for community-based planning, and enhance familiarity with the technical tools and the review processes that shape the built environment in New York City.

The 2021 LNP will run from March to June. Our Request for Partners (RFP) was open from Friday, February 5, to Monday, February 22. LNP alumni were encouraged to apply. MAS invited organizations to nominate 1-2 members to represent their unique neighborhood perspective as a part of a larger LNP cohort.

EXPECTATIONS AROUND PROGRAM DATES

Sessions will run between 60 and 90 minutes.

Session 1 Week of March 1 60 Minutes	LNP Cohort Kick Off
Session 2 Week of March 14 90 Minutes	Zoning, Environmental Review, and Land Use Review Training
Session 3 Late March 90 Minutes	Web-Tools Training – A Review of Digital Planning Tools in NYC Pratt’s Neighborhood Data Portal ANHD’s DAP Portal DCP’s Zola & ZAP
Session 4 Week of March 28 60 Minutes	Intro to Technical Advancement and Support for Comprehensive Planning and City Environmental Quality Review Reform (TASC)
Session 5 Week of April 12 90 Minutes	Community-Based Mapping: Health Equity Livability Gentrification and Displacement Development Potential
Session 6 Week of April 26 90 Minutes	Land Use Planning Exercise: A Focus on Zoning
Session 7 Week of May 10 60 Minutes	Using Neighborhood Data for Community-Based Planning
Session 8 Week of May 24 60 Minutes	LNP Cohort Wrap-Up
Week of June 7*	Reserve for a reschedule or additional conversation
Week of June 21*	Reserve for a reschedule or additional conversation

Selected partners will participate in a cohort of 15-30 peers to provide feedback on curriculum being developed to help educate and engage neighbors in planning basics, build capacity for community-based planning, and enhance familiarity with the technical planning tools and the review processes that inform land use in New York City.

For more information, please contact Spencer Williams, Director of Advocacy at swilliams@mas.org.

LNP partners and workshop participants in Queens CB 4
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LNP kick-off event in Red Hook.
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Mapping creative and cultural assets in Bedford Park
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Acting out the “spirit of the South Bronx” in Mott Haven
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Members consult at a Livable Neighborhoods Workshop
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LNP program materials
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Debriefing a community mapping exercise in Red Hook
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LNP workshop in Flatbush
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Previous LNP partners have said:

“The structure allowed us to recruit and build more diverse (culturally, socio-economically and geographically) audiences for our workshops. The speakers were well prepared and provided useful and factual information that was accessible to the attendees. In addition, the holistic aka Feminist structure of the workshops (providing childcare and a meal) allowed some people to participate who stated clearly they would not have been able to come otherwise.”

“Thank you for the hard work and diligence of your staff. You work hard and long hours and we appreciate what you bring to our community. Plus, by offering funds for child care you really allowed working parents to participate so thank you!”

“The Livable Neighborhoods Program helps participants to confront the daunting challenges of our communities by giving the participants the tools to recognize those challenges and how to develop a successful strategy to go forward.”

“It was a great team building exercise. It was a great way to show how a community can and should be well rounded and balanced. The program gave great ideas. It was a great way for everyone to discuss and express their concerns.”

“The program exceeded our expectations as it shared what other communities are doing in other states and in this city. It left us with a working product.”

“I enjoyed working with MAS, and the organizational perspective they brought to the table. I recommend the Livable Neighborhoods Program to any and all community-based partners.”