The Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF) is proud to announce a $3.3 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to expand the Green Space Connections program across four additional New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) campuses. This new investment builds on the success of the program’s first phase and reinforces a shared commitment to transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant, resident-driven community assets. Through NYCHA’s award-winning Connected Communities program, residents are co-designers, helping shape the future of their own neighborhoods while advancing health, safety, and climate resilience. This next phase builds on our growing portfolio of resident-centered open space transformations across NYCHA. From the revitalization of Harborview Terrace’s open spaces (under construction, pictured below), including new fitness zones, playgrounds, and gathering areas, to the creation of innovative projects like a sensory garden and playground at Morrisania Air Rights Houses in The Bronx and a new splash pad at Pomonok Houses in Queens, these efforts demonstrate what is possible when design is rooted in lived experience. At Morris Houses, the “Common Corner” (pictured above) transformed an overlooked area into a welcoming hub for connection and activity.  Green Space Connections itself has already delivered meaningful results. At Patterson Houses, residents now enjoy upgraded playgrounds, adult accessible fitness equipment, and enhanced basketball courts, while Castle Hill Houses introduced NYCHA’s first resident-selected dog park alongside BBQ and seating areas. At Marlboro and Roosevelt Houses, construction is advancing toward new landscaped plazas, expanded lawn access, and improved play spaces. At the same time, PHCF continues to invest beyond green spaces, supporting community centers, Innovation Labs, and public art through the From Roots to Arts program, including installations at Bushwick Houses, Astoria Houses, and King Towers, as well as the restoration of the historic Exodus and Dance frieze and NYCHA’s first heritage walk featuring Migration (pictured to the left). Together, these investments represent a comprehensive approach to community development and one that connects open space, arts, technology, and programming to improve quality of life, safety, and health. By centering residents at every step of the process, PHCF, NYCHA, and its partners are helping build healthier, safer, and more resilient communities across public housing campuses, ensuring they are not only places to live but also places to thrive. |
