In August 2022, Hester Street (HST) began a partnership with the office of Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, along with the Regional Plan Association and the New York Academy of Medicine, to produce a long-term, boroughwide plan aimed at guiding land use decisions and address public health and housing needs in the borough of Brooklyn. HST conducted research on zoning policy and developed a survey that built upon the 2022 Existing Conditions Report. Our team solicited feedback from residents at Borough Board and town hall meetings to gather input from the community on their ideas for land use, access to community services, housing, healthcare, employment opportunities and other key issues. We also produced a toolkit for community-based organizations (CBOs) to conduct their own public engagement.
In collaboration with the Borough President’s Office, we produced the Brooklyn Comprehensive Plan Visual Brief which offers recommendations for improving public health outcomes in response to community feedback. Based on feedback from residents, top priorities include increasing and supporting CBOs that focus on reducing health disparities, reducing exposure to hazardous environmental conditions, and increasing access to quality affordable health care and preventative services, among others.
On October 5, 2023, the Borough President’s Office released The Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn with data-backed recommendations across four categories: land use, budget, advocacy, and outreach. The Plan also includes four frameworks that apply its recommendations spatially across Brooklyn: resilient infrastructure and jobs, housing growth & parking demand management, health and wellness economy, and healthy streets & environment. For more details, read the press release here. HST is proud to support Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s vision for a healthier, more equitable Brooklyn.