Welcome to prattcenter.net
The Pratt Center works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers.
Helping Communities Shape Their Future
The Pratt Center empowers low- and moderate-income communities in New York to plan for and realize their futures. As part of Pratt Institute, we use urban planning, architecture, and public policy to support community-based organizations in their efforts to improve quality of life, create economic opportunity, and advance sustainable development.
As New York and the nation descend into an economic downturn, these communities are hit hardest. Low wages, high unemployment, and unaffordable housing combine to put families in a permanent crisis mode that sets the odds against children's future success. Many neighborhoods face overcrowded housing and schools, or other basic infrastructure that cannot meet the demands of a growing population. Some communities continue to shoulder the environmental burdens of the region's increased needs for energy and waste disposal. Real estate speculation, deferred maintenance, rising energy costs, and foreclosure have rendered even stable home lives precarious.
Communities struggling with these forces have far too little say in the decisions that determine their destinies. The Pratt Center's four initiatives use a combination of neighborhood-level technical assistance and support for community organizing with city- and state-level efforts to ensure government policies and practices work for neighborhoods.
How the Pratt Center Empowers Communities
Community Planning
We work with New Yorkers in neighborhoods across the city to identify what they need from the built environment and help them shape their communities through the city planning process.
Equitable Development
We work to ensure that development brings meaningful benefits--especially good jobs and affordable housing--to low-income New Yorkers and strengthens livable communities.
Sustainability and Environmental Justice
We support organizations and advocate practices that move the New York City region toward environmental sustainability and equity.
Helping Communities Build
We help community-based organizations develop places neighborhoods need, including schools, libraries, and open space, and promote innovation in architecture and green building.
Energy Matters
The Pratt Center is proud to offer Energy Matters, an online resource center providing practical information for New York City building managers and residents on how to operate and renovate their buildings to make them more financially sustainable and environmentally friendly.
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