Van Dyke Houses

Brooklyn

NeighborhoodStat

For over a year, a team of residents from Van Dyke Houses has been meeting with neighbors, city agencies, and community-based organizations to prioritize the community safety issues most important to their development. These teams are at the heart of NeighborhoodStat (or “NStat”). The NStat team meets regularly and has been trained in surveying their community and generating solutions with concrete implementation plans. Through this process, the NStat team has identified a need to build a more cohesive Van Dyke Houses through improved community health, revitalized public spaces, and additional social programming. A series of events and projects will seek to activate Van Dyke playground areas with events, art, and infrastructural improvements while bringing additional resources for improved health and fitness to all residents.

The Van Dyke Nstat Team led a participatory budgeting process through Local NeighborhoodStat in which residents were invited to submit their own ideas to strengthen safety and build community through built environment projects and/or social programming. The Van Dyke Nstat Team collected 645 responses from neighbors. The most popular project and top priority for $30,000 was Lighting Livonia, a project that engages residents to develop creative lighting solutions for Livonia Avenue under the elevated 3-train line.

MAP Agency

Since its launch in 2014, MAP agency partners have focused their programming to meet a variety of needs, ranging from support of seniors and kinship caregivers, mentorship of young adults, family-friendly programming of playgrounds, safe spaces for teens, assistance with public benefits, youth employment, and more.

Participate

The Van Dyke Nstat Team is currently building a digital network to stay connected to one another during this time and to develop platforms to reimagine digital public space, co-create safety responses, support community building, and convene city agencies to leverage resources and collaboratively solve local problems.

To learn about selected projects, or to participate in Van Dyke Houses ongoing campaign, click here.

Community Stories

ENDGBV offers training to help NYCHA staff support residents

Van Dyke Houses 

Health & Wellbeing

The Van Dyke NStat team has identified a need to improve the health of their community through more affordable, healthy food and through the revitalization and use of neglected public spaces. Community stewardship campaigns should also integrate the resources of partners who can help maintain the Mother Gaston Boulevard rain gardens and encourage proper waste disposal, as well as offer support in the prevention and treatment of drug addiction.

Justice

There is a need for more information sharing and relationship building between NYPD and Van Dyke residents. While the NYPD Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) model positive interactions and are actively engaged with the team, there is still room to build stronger and more respectful relationships between Van Dyke residents and NYPD officers from all nearby units, including those from PSA 2 and the 73rd/75th precincts.

Infrastructure & Maintenance

There is a need within the Van Dyke community for a comprehensive strategy to resolve a variety of infrastructure and maintenance concerns challenging resident quality of life. Partners should be engaged to help address outdated and poorly maintained playgrounds, broken doors and intercoms, community center repairs, and cracked sidewalks.

MAP Programs

Please note: In response to the COVID-19 emergency, some programs have been modified. For more information about modified program activities and availability, please click here

  • Human Resources Administration (HRA) Outreach Specialist is based at Van Dyke Houses on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm. The HRA Outreach Specialist can help with benefits navigation, SNAP, Cash, and Emergency Assistance for rent arrears. HRA also holds pop-up events in Van Dyke to make sure as many people have access to public benefits support as possible.
  • Department for the Aging (DFTA) Community Advocate is based at Van Dyke on Wednesdays. The DFTA Community Advocate offers Parenting a Second Time Around groups, support groups and individual counseling for seniors and kinship caregivers, intergenerational activities, and more.
  • Conflict Mediation through the New York City Peace Institute offers free conflict mediation for pairs or groups. They also have different training opportunities for those interested in learning mediation skills.
  • Next STEPS Mentoring for Youth through Good Shepherd Services offers group mentorship for young people between the ages of 16-24 who may have experienced conflict and trauma. During group sessions, young people learn skills and build relationships with each other over hot meals.
  • Van Dyke Cornerstone Community Center offers free and engaging programming to Van Dyke youth and teens. The community center is located at 392 Blake Ave, Brooklyn.
  • Green Jobs Training through Green City Force (GCF), an Americorps service-year program that trains young NYCHA residents (18-24 years of age) in clean energy and urban agriculture and pays a monthly stipend and metrocard to Corps Members for their service.
  • Shape Up NYC through the Department of Parks and Recreation offers free, drop-in fitness classes in or near MAP developments. Shape Up classes don’t require any advanced registration or fee, and are conveniently located for MAP residents to engage with each other and enjoy low-barrier fitness activities.

Contacts