Press Release: A NEW DIGITAL TOOL FOR THE PUBLIC: DCP Launches Capital Planning Explorer - DCP

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For Immediate Release
December 20, 2021

Contacts:
Melissa Grace, Joe Marvilli – press@planning.nyc.gov (212) 720-3471

A NEW DIGITAL TOOL FOR THE PUBLIC: DCP Launches Capital Planning Explorer

Website gives residents and planners a single spot to see details of all City-funded infrastructure projects, recent housing permits and city facility locations

NEW YORK – Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Anita Laremont today announced the launch of Capital Planning Explorer, a new, map-based website aimed at increasing transparency around capital planning. This platform builds on an existing map of city facilities by adding details about all City-funded capital projects in the five boroughs, alongside geographic views of housing permits.

“As we work to make government increasingly accessible and accountable to the public, Capital Planning Explorer offers information about committed costs and geographies for all City-funded capital improvement projects, as well as stats on housing permits and details for city facilities in all five boroughs. Large or small, being able to see capital projects both completed and committed is essential as we plan for a more equitable New York City,” said DCP Director Anita Laremont.

“During this administration, we have worked hard to build trust and increase transparency into the capital process, and this new DCP Capital Planning Explorer is another great step in connecting residents to important information,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. “In addition to our NYC Parks Capital Tracker, this new map will make it even easier for New Yorkers to see how their city is working for them and view detailed information about the capital projects in their neighborhoods.”

“When city government works cohesively, the benefits are endless,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman. “Capital Projects bring with them essential improvements to neighborhoods citywide. We are proud to be part of the launch of the Capital Planning Explorer, where information on these projects will be more easily accessible to New Yorkers.”

“As an elected official, one of the greatest responsibilities we have is the ability to secure and allocate critical funding to facilitate capital projects,” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Chair of the Committee on Land Use. “While there is much excitement within the community when projects are first announced, the enthusiasm dissipates as local stakeholders receive very limited to no updates on when they can expect to see certain milestones reached. I, as an elected official, have experienced this firsthand. DCP’s Capital Planning Explorer rectifies this issue, serving as a publicly accessible database that allows project supporters to view the most recent information on all city-funded capital projects. I applaud the administration for recognizing this gap in reporting, and look forward to working with them on building a system that truly keeps New Yorkers aware of the positive work occurring in their neighborhoods.”

Capital Planning Explorer is comprised of three map layers: Capital Projects, Facilities, and New Housing Developments.

For Capital Projects, each mappable entry includes details on funding, the agency managing the work, the agency funding the work, fiscal years the project has been and will be active, and future financial commitments. These funded projects are found in the Capital Commitment Plan published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Capital Commitment Plan is released three times a year and follows the long-term vision set out in the Ten-Year Capital Strategy.

Capital Projects provides a bevy of research options for the public, with projects viewable in both map and table formats. Users can narrow results by agency, project type (i.e. highways, sanitation, universal pre-K), funds committed, and active fiscal years. An address search allows for the creation of a radius to learn about nearby projects as well. The table allows analysis by agency, project type, and funding.

The Facilities map layer, launched in 2017, shows the location of nearly all City and State facilities in New York City, broken down by categories such as Parks, Gardens and Historical Sites; Libraries and Cultural Programs; Health and Human Services; Core Infrastructure and Transportation; and more.

Housing Development maps all housing permits found throughout the five boroughs, color-coded by new construction, a building alteration, or a demolition. This supplemental information on the number and types of housing units found on any city block is key to the city’s planning processes for capital projects.

All datasets are available to download in a machine-readable format, making them easy to analyze for planning and mapping purposes. This public release of a beta platform also includes features allowing any user to provide feedback on desired enhancements, and report bugs.

With these transparency tools, among others DCP has produced, residents, advocates, community boards, elected officials, and city planners can easily identify the wide range of funded infrastructure improvements and how they align with the city’s facilities and housing permits. This is critical to our work for a more equitable and sustainable city.

Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City.

In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.