Collective for Community, Culture and Environment

Through its Healthy Neighborhoods Fund initiative, NYHealth is supporting six communities across New York State to become healthier, more active places.

Although all the communities are working toward the common goal of improving the health of their residents, each community may face particular challenges. By offering responsive and time-sensitive technical assistance funding to grantees and their partners, NYHealth can help them meet their goals. In 2019, NYHealth awarded the Collective for Community, Culture and Environment (CCCE) a grant to help residents and community-based organizations on the Lower East Side participate in the development of zoning plans and affordable housing provisions that promote health.

Under this grant, CCCE provided technical assistance to a consortium of residents and community-based groups on the Lower East Side to advocate for health-promoting design guidelines in development plans for the Two Bridges neighborhood. CCEE worked with the community to create feasible and health-forward urban design options for the proposed development area. In addition, it researched, developed, and tested novel digital engagement and visualization tools that community members can use at public workshops or planning meetings to share their urban design ideas for improving the health and quality of the neighborhood. Finally, it developed policy/advocacy recommendations and guidelines on approaches for linking planning and design to health outcomes.