Author: Public Works Partners

Pandemic Innovation: Lessons Learned for Small Business Support

Opportunities to innovate are rare within most organizations. It takes time and focus and is often not a top priority amid the daily, weekly, and quarterly pressures of keeping the business running. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it was a shock and a wake-up call. Previously, theoretical risks to operations, including staff workflow […]

Scootering into the Future: Micromobility and Public-Private Partnerships in New York City Transit

In August 2021, New York City joined the scooter revolution via a pilot program in the East Bronx spanning from the neighborhood of East Chester to Van Nest. This e-scooter pilot program, in partnership with Lime, Bird, and Veo, was implemented here to reach transit deserts that are not served by existing bike-share programs, providing […]

What Can We Do to Improve Community Policing Initiatives?

Fundamentally restructuring police systems nationwide to be more emblematic of community policing models is easier said than done. Nationwide integration of community policing practices has to overcome meandering political will, a lack of standardization and accountability, and a dearth of substantive measurement and evaluation strategies. In such a large decentralized system of policing, it makes […]

What Stands in the Way of Community Policing?

Lack of Standardization In our last piece, I discussed that despite the ubiquitousness of the term community policing, it is rather ambiguous and municipalities have failed to institutionalize the practice. Looking at the history of the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) community policing efforts, I layed out that one major barrier to institutionalization has been […]

What’s the Deal with Community Policing?

Community policing is a term that is used a lot in discussion of police department reform and accountability measures. I don’t just mean that it is common amongst activists and civil rights leaders, but within police departments themselves. The term community policing has appeared in mission statements of police departments across the country and around […]

The Dog Days of Summer: Why NYC is so hot and what we can do about it

It’s hot out there New York City and the surrounding area saw a record-breaking heat wave at the end of July. Newark, New Jersey saw five straight days of temperatures over 100-degrees, the longest such streak ever. Sweltering temperatures are a real threat–extreme heat is the most common weather-related cause of death in the United […]

Kids, Baseball, and Summer in the City: Why Investing in Our Young People Matters

Summer in New York City has always meant venturing out to enjoy the warmth, energy, and life of the City. For many young people, this has meant playing sports. Whether it be heading to the nearest basketball court for a pickup game, the local park with a soccer ball, a community pool to help cool […]

Our Democracy’s Future: Democratic Innovation in New York City

Democracies are stronger when citizens are engaged. This statement holds true at the national, state, county, and city level. New York City, as part of its OneNYC initiative, has committed to strengthening public participation and inclusion through democratic innovation that makes participation a key feature of government. Democratic innovation is the process of reforming democratic […]

Get to know the New York City Charter

A city charter is a document that functions somewhat like a constitution for the city. It enshrines certain functions of government and sets the rules for elections, land-use, and city government agencies. As cities innovate and change to better meet the needs of their communities, charters can quickly become relics of bygone times. To ensure […]

A Community Outreach Tool to Support Your Next Engagement Plan

A detailed community engagement plan is a key component of a successful outreach strategy. Community engagement plans establish a framework to guide your engagement by identifying stakeholders, engagement tactics, timelines, goals, and metrics to assess the success of your engagement. While every engagement strategy will look different, there are key elements that remain constant: confirming […]

PACT Resource Team Announces Pool of Prequalified Technical Assistance Providers

Public Works Partners, along with LISC NYC, has announced the establishment of a pool of prequalified independent consultants who can be tapped to provide direct, technical assistance to New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents as part of a program called the PACT Resource Team. The Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program is a critical […]

What’s Next for the Summer Youth Employment Program

For teenagers, planning summer break can be exciting, but also anxiety inducing for those looking to secure a job for the summer months. In NYC, teenagers who spend their summers earning extra cash for themselves or to support their families often rely on the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for job placement. SYEP is the […]