Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and other City Officials celebrated the progress of the Inwood NYC Action Plan. Image Credit: NYCEDC
The Plan will use over $200 million in public investment. On October 2, 2019 Deputy Mayor Vicki Been, NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett and City Officials from NYC Parks, Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of Education, Department of Small Business Services, Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), New York Public Library, and Council Member Ydanis Rodríguez shared an update on the Inwood NYC Action Plan.
The Action Plan, which was approved the City Council in August 2019, will use over $200 million of public investment to create, preserve, and protect affordable homes, parks, open access to the Harlem River waterfront, provide new STEM education opportunities, and support small businesses in Inwood. For CityLand’s prior coverage, click here.
Based on community feedback, the Plan focuses heavily on tackling pressing challenges that Inwood is facing – including rising rents and tenant harassment, lack of new affordable housing, inaccessible and antiquated community space, and need for better career opportunities for residents. The Plan’s establishes goals and strategies to ensure that Inwood an affordable, attractive neighborhood for working and immigrant families.
Current progress includes (full progress report is here):
- Preserving over 990 affordable homes in the neighborhood
- Successfully enrolling over 2,000 residents in the NYC Rent Freeze Program
- Assisting over 2,000 residents at risk for homelessness
- Connecting over 220 residents to workforce training programs
- Launching four training programs at the Washington Heights Workforce1 center to help residents develop the skills necessary to be competitive in the workforce
- Engaging residents in NYCxCo-Lab conversations on community issues and innovative solutions
- Making more than $58 million in capital investments in Inwood schools, including beginning design on the STEM Education Center at the Gregorio Luperon High School for Science and Mathematics, and beginning design for upgrades to the pools and windows at the George Washington Educational Campus
- Committing $2 million for extracurricular science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, enrolling 39 DOE schools in Algebra for All, and enrolling 25 DOE schools in Computer Science for All
- Breaking ground on a $30 million renovation for Highbridge Anchor Park Reconstruction that will feature upgraded play areas, a new turf practice field, and improved safety and connectivity
- Completing the renovation of Inwood Park’s Dyckman Green Gym, which now includes adult fitness equipment to promote physical activity among adults
- Selecting a design team to create seven acres of new waterfront parks to connect residents to the waterfront
- Releasing a request for expressions of interest for an arts and cultural operator for the future $15 million Immigrant Research and Performing Arts Center
A fully updated Action Plan in both Spanish and English can be found here.
By: Laine Vitkevich (CityLaw Intern and New York Law School, Student Class of 2020)