Want to know more about your neighborhood? Want to know more about your neighbors? Sure you do. Stop spying on Mr. and Mrs. Johnson next door and access the Department of City Planning’s new Community Data Portal.
The Community Data Portal, launched on March 23, is a user-friendly online tool. Go to the DCP website, www.nyc.gov/dcp, and select “Community Data Portal.” A map of the city’s five boroughs and 59 community districts will appear.
Now select your Bronx community district; e.g. Community District 11 or Community District 3. If you don’t recognize your community district on the map, select your neighborhood from the list to the left of the map; e.g. Morris Park or Morrisania. The DCP website will automatically direct you to your community district.
And there it is: a wealth of useful, fascinating information at your fingertips. Review a land use map. Do you live near apartments or one-family homes? Read up on public and private planning projects. Who wants to build in your neighborhood? Where do they want to build, and why? Inspect your community district profile. Is your neighborhood growing? How many of your neighbors depend on Medicaid?
Delve even deeper with the DCP Census Factfinder; retrieve household, demographic and economic information by census tract. Finally, use the city’s neighborhood stat tracker to keep Mayor Michael Bloomberg honest. Punch in your address for 311 statistics, health, business and legal information by police precinct, school district or community district.
“City Planning’s information is invaluable,” DCP commissioner Amanda Burden said. “Now the most pertinent data…will be available at the click of a mouse.”
According to Burden, the online tool will enable Bronxites to become more informed advocates for their communities.
“I just used [the Community Data Portal] for the first time, and it’s good,” Community Board 11 district manager John Fratta said. “You have your census information, your demographic information right there.”
Community members – students, civic leaders and grant writers – often stop by Fratta’s office to ask for land use and demographic information. Now he and Community Board 3 district manager John Dudley will recommend the online tool.
“It’s excellent,” said Dudley. “It helps a lot. It’s easy. I always have people asking for statistics.”
