The Displacement Risk Map, a feature in the new Equitable Development Data Explorer website, highlights neighborhoods that are at risk for displacement due to a variety of factors. Neighborhoods show in darker colors are at higher risk of displacement. Image Credit: NYC DCP.
On April 11, 2022, the Department of City Planning announced the launch of the new Equitable Development Data Explorer website. The site provides users with data regarding housing, demographics, public health, and other data to compare across neighborhoods in assistance with fairer city planning.
The website is designed to be used by the public and city planners to provide data in consideration with equitable development. Neighborhood characteristics can be analyzed and compared. Other features of the website like the Displacement Risk Map can show relevant data that indicates if a certain area is at risk of displacement due to factors like rising rents or household incomes.
Earlier this year, City Planning requested public feedback on the website. The website was developed with active participation from the Racial Impact Study Coalition, Furman Center, and Citizens Housing & Planning Council. For CityLand’s prior coverage of this tool, click here.
The data provided by the website also helps support the creation of Racial Equity Reports for Housing and Opportunity, which will be required for certain land use applications entering public review in June. The reports will provide insight on a proposed application’s impact on the City’s goals for equitable access and fairer housing.
To visit the website, click here.
Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick stated, “With the city’s persistent housing crunch and a worsening national housing crisis, protecting New Yorkers against displacement pressures requires us to act on multiple levels – delivering support to tenants and delivering more housing and jobs across our city. This data explorer is part of our commitment to advancing equity in all our policies, at the citywide and neighborhood scale. We want to thank the City Council, the Racial Equity Coalition, HPD, and so many other partners for helping to lead the way in the creation of a new and important data resource that will help advance equity in our city.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams stated, “Our racial impact study law, which passed last year, will fundamentally change how our city approaches land use, how we grow and develop, how we create new opportunities without harming long standing communities. This equitable development data explorer, developed as a result of the law and in line with public input, is an important resource to help New Yorkers initiate discussion of the impact of projects and proposals in their neighborhoods, and for community members, advocates and elected officials to take action to take action to ensure that any development truly advances the needs of their communities without displacing the people and businesses that have helped define it.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)