Improving Public Housing in Brownsville

October 2008

The Van Dyke Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Brownsville, Brooklyn, is a community of entrenched poverty. Severe cuts in federal support for public housing have eliminated or reduced the limited onsite social services and programs that once existed.

Common Ground Community Housing Development Fund has been working to combat the causes and symptoms of poverty in Brownsville. The Fund was able to recruit a respected community leader to direct the Brownsville Partnership —a coordinated package of services for 10,000 residents in troubled public housing projects, including GED and job training, financial counseling, and family health education programs. The Partnership worked with the Housing Authority to make underused community space available at discounted rents for Partnership programs. With a $60,000 grant from The Trust, Common Ground renovated one of these spaces in the Van Dyke Houses.

Van Dyke Houses Community Center‎
330 Powell St, Brooklyn, NY‎ - (718) 345-6419‎