Queens

Confronting the Housing Squeeze: Challenges Facing Immigrant Tenants, and What New York Can Do

Report last updated October 16, 2008

This report examines housing conditions experienced by New York City's immigrant tenants, and offers policy recommendations for improving access to affordable housing and responding to systemic discrimination against immigrants seeking to obtain housing or address poor housing conditions. Its findings draw in part from a survey of immigrant tenants in neighborhoods around New York City.

Confronting the Housing Squeeze.pdf

New York's Housing Underground: A Refuge and Resource

Report last updated March 16, 2008

Between 1990 and 2000, New York City gained 114,000 apartments that are not reflected in the official number of certificates of occupancy the City granted for new construction or renovation. Many more have almost certainly been created since. These phantom apartments are the city's housing underground: units that have been created in spaces that are not approved for living.

Housing Underground.pdf

Green Agenda for Jackson Heights Released

News last updated July 22, 2010

On Saturday, May 22, the Pratt Center, Queens Community House and Friends of Travers Park released the Green Agenda for Jackson Heights, the product of a five-month, community-wide visioning process for a sustainable future in one of New York City's most diverse neighborhoods.

More than 400 community members contributed to multilingual grassroots planning sessions, which were held by volunteers in living rooms, schools, houses of worship, community centers, and senior centers. Participants identified priority areas for greening Jackson Heights, including expanding open space, reducing waste, and many other steps toward environmental and economic sustainability. Residents proposed strategies that built upon existing strengths while addressing neighborhood concerns. The final document includes goals as well as recommendations thatcan be implemented legislatively, by community-based organizations, and by individuals.

Download the Green Agenda here! [19 MB]