Erica Jenkins

HUS 2307 Community organizing and development

Assignment 1: Know your community

 

I’ve lived in my community West Farms for about 11 years. As for communities go in the Bronx it’s neither the safest nor the cleanest, but the community does care for each other. In the summer there’s a block party and everyone pitches in to bring food and drinks, it’s a lot of fun.

My community board doesn’t have a president, but it does have a chair and its Wendy Rodriguez, Ivine Galarza is the community board’s district manager. My current New York City council member is Ritchie Torres, Torres serves the Central Bronx communities, and Torres severs on the public house committee. My New York state Assembly member is Luis R. Sepulveda. My New York state senators are Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer; they are both my U.S senators as well. My U.S. congressional Representatives are Joseph Crowley and Jose E. Serrano.

So the total population in West Farms is 58,893; which is made up of 27,249 males and 31,644 females, the median age in this community is 26.7. The ethnicity that make up West Farms are: Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican; which makes up more than half of the population, African American and Chinese. The income level in West Farms is between low – middle income, the average household income is $36,828 and 64.49% of households have children living. The education level in this community are very low; 39.79% have some high school experience, 27.55% have graduated from high school, 17.30% have some college experience, 6.53% have their Associate’s degree and 6.53% have their Bachelor’s degree.

Finding information about my community’s health status was hard, but from what I did find was that my community is very unhealthy. In my community there isn’t a lot of healthy eating options in West Farms compare to communities in Manhattan. All the dells advertise unhealthy foods like chips, soda, fried foods; that’s one the main reason why people in my community are unhealthy. 63% of adults are overweight or obese, 31.7% of the youth is overweight or obese, 43.5% of adults consume one or more sugary drinks a day and 55.8% of the youth consume one or more sugary drinks a day. One thing I was surprised to find was that smoking is very low in West Farms, only 17.3% of adults smoke cigarettes and 6.9% youth smoke cigarettes.

The crime rate in this community is terrible but compare to 23 years ago it’s a drastic improvement, for example in 1990 there was 653 reports of murder compared to 2013 there was 83 reports of murder. West farms was really unsafe in the 90’s its still unsafe but it’s not as bad as it was 23 years ago.  In 2014 there were 60 complaints about murder, 222 reports of rape,  2,671 reports of robbery,  3,691 reports of federal assault,1,959 reports of burglary,   4,079 reports grand larceny and there was 984 reports of grand larceny auto.

The educational and cultural resources are limited but do exist in my community. There are four Elementary Schools, six Primary Schools, six middle schools and seven high schools in west farms. I was disappointed to find only one museum in West Farms and its called Bronx River Art center; it a multi-art, non-profit organization that provides a place for the community, artists and youth to transform creativity into vision. And there is only one library branch in West Farms, called the West Farms library.

The recreational resources in this community is good there’s a lot of thing to do and it very family friendly, the biggest one here is the Bronx Zoo, families goes there all the time and its free on Wednesdays. There’s only one public pool called Mapes pool, it an outdoor pool and direly across the street is the Mapes Ballfield, it has two baseball fields.  One of the things I like about the parks in this community is that they are big, there’s a playground and also a place to barbecue or relax. There’s only two parks here in West Farms one is called Vidalia park; I will admit it’s not the safest park in the community, but they have a lot of events there. And there River Park it’s my favorite park, it’s called River Park because there’s a waterfall that connects to the Bronx River. Also there are three community gardens there’s the Krystal Garden group, Daly Avenue garden and the Volky Garden.

The religious institutions in this community are very diverse which is great; everyone has the opportunity to practice their religion. There are seven different religious institutions in West Farms: there the Grace Episcopal Church, St. Thomas Aquinas RC church; which is a catholic church, gifted life, I don’t know what they practice there. There’s also the Honeywell Baptist church, New Tabernacle Baptist church, and the Emmanuel Swedish Evangelical church which is a Lutheran church.

There is a lot of locally owned business in west farms most of them are groceries stores, hair salons  and family discount stores to just name a few. There are no big name banks in the community like TD bank and Chase; there are these ATM places I wouldn’t call it a bank but there’s three of them in West Farms. In low income community like mine there are more check- cashing places then actual banks branches; there is two in the community, one is called Pay-O-Matic and the other one is called Cash Transactions Inc. There are only two supermarkets one is called Price Choice and Pioneer. The rest of them are small grocery stores there is about seven of them. There is five real estate agencies in West Farms, there one called Chadwick Realty group.  There are nine hair/barber shops in West Farms; there are three on my block alone, there’s Lucy’s Unisex salon, Ace’s barber shop to name some.

The infrastructure in my community needs some improvement when it comes to the sidewalks; it’s really bad there are cracks, bumps it’s not safe people trip on the sidewalk because of the damage. The roads need work as well there are potholes that need be filled in, road bumps and the road needs to be repainted. The tree care in this community is good the parks department comes often to do maintenance on the trees.

After my walkabout in my community I’ve have identify some my community strengths and weakness. Some of the strengths include the parks, the Bronx Zoo and the religious institutions. Some the weakness are the high crime rate, the lack of healthier food options and for some reason there are no trash cans on every block; and for the blocks that have one its always over full; and this community have a big problem when it comes to picking after their dogs, it makes the community smell really bad and look dirty.

Isary Gutierrez-HUS 2307

1. 11206

2. East Williamsburg

3. Community Board , to discuss community issues, monitor government performance, advise city agencies. Have town hall and public meetings on neighborhood matters.

4. President of Community Board is Dealice Fuller.

5. District Manager Gerald A. Esposito.

6. Antonio Reynoso New York City Council Member. He serves the Bushwick/WIlliamsburg/Ridgewood Queens. Reynoso serves on sanitation and solid waste management.

7. New York State Assembly Member Michael DenDekker.

8. Senator Martin Malace Dilan.

9. U.s. Senators Kristen E. Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer.

10. U.s. Congressional Representative Nydia M. Velazquez.

11.Basic Demographics

Population: 81,403

Gender: Female: 42,022 Male: 38,855

Age: Female: 30.10 yrs Male: 27.00 yrs

Income Levels: 28,584

White: 36,669 Black: 24,595 Hispanic: 35,118 Asian: 5,004 American/Indian: 1,360 Hawaiian: 228 Other: 17,426

12. Health Status Williamsburg/Bushwick

19% Smokers 28% Obesity 350 with Heart Disease 2,800 Hospitalizations 14% Diabetes 2,223 Living with HIV 10% Psychological Distress

13.  Crime Statistics 90th Precinct, year to date 1 murder, 9 rape, 174 robberies, 191 Fel. Assault, 211 Burglary, 509 Gra. Larceny.

14. There are public schools in my community and a public library right across the street from public school 147.

15. There is a local ymca with recreational pools and activities.  Local city parks that are closed after a certain time. In the Williamsburg community you find your local drug stores as well as franchised pharmacies. Travel agencies are not really seen except for one that has been in the community for many years now Edwin Travel. Grocery stores there are plenty almost on every corner, as healthier and natural food stores are coming up in the Williamsburg community.

16. in the Williamsburg neighborhood there are local catholic churches as well as Pentecostal, Lutheran, and Baptist.

17. Popular banks are found in the Williamsburg/Bushwick area, like Chase and Bank of America. Phone stores like At&t, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Our regular and local supermarkets are Key Food, Associated, and Food Bazaar. On the North side of Williamsburg its now up and coming with natural food stores and more of our popular clothing stores like Urban Outfitters and Jcrew.

18. East Williamsburg is still an industrial neighborhood. There are factory buildings that have been turned into lofts. There are still about two or three existing factories and a cement mixture company across the street from a local city park, The irony of having clean air in our neighborhood. There are still many trees in our neighborhood. Some streets have poor lighting, and there are not enough light poles on the streets. Along with our street pavements which some still have pot holes and cracks in our sidewalks.

19.Living in a private house is a community strength, neighbors working together to keep our community safe and clean. Having a homeowners association allows us to follow certain rules and the opportunity to have resources available to us. Our Assets of living on a private block gives us some source of privacy and safety, having closed gates.

20. 3 concerns about the community that arise are not have enough light post on our sidewalks to keep the streets brighter, Having the cement trucks drive through our residential streets instead of their back exit, and keeping our community safer by adding security cameras out side of our gates.

21. The human services professionals should care about communities and society because there are important factors to our living and our community status that has a lot to do with our daily lives. Keeping our communities safe and having healthier options for the young, middle age, and older population. There are many community stressors that can influence a human being, whether it being there physical or mental health.

1. 11210

2. The Junction

3. Community Board # 14.  My community board plans local projects, handles complaints and requests from local agencies, reviews zoning changes.

4. Alvin M. Berk

http://www.cb14brooklyn.com

5. Gerald A. Espositio

6. Jumaane D. Williams. He serves, Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands parts of Midwood and Canarsie. Hr serves on the Gun Violence Task Force and is a member of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and is a founding member of the Progressive Caucus.

http://council.nyc.gov/d45

7. Rhoda Jacobs.

http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Rhoda-Jacobs/

8. Kevin S. Parker

http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/kevin-s-parker

9. Chuck Shumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

http://www.senate.gov

10. Yvette D. Clarke

http://www.house.gov

11.  Population: 150, 161

Gender Male 45.8% Female 54.2%

Race: Asian 2.6% . Black 59% Latino  7.1% White 29% Other 1.5%

Age: 65 and Older- 10.95.  18 to 64 – 64%.  6 to 17 -16.4%.  0 to 8- 8.4%

Household Sizes:

Income Levels between $15,000 and $200,000.

Education Levels: A majority of both the community have only completes high school or               GED program, females approximately 18,302 and males 15,440. Associates degree for                  females approximately 5798 and males 3227, bachelors degree female 10205 and male               7306,    masters degree females 4713 males 2769, doctorate females 382 males 390.

http://nyc.pediacities.com/Resource/CommunityStats

http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Flatbush-Brooklyn

12.  More than 1 in 4 adults are obese and 1 in 10 adults have diabetes.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/data/2006chp-207.pdf

13. Total crime from January 2013 to December 2013: 2057.

COUNTS:

Burglary: 358. Felony Assault: 362. Grand Larceny: 744. Larceny with a Motor Vehicle: 151.  Murder: 10. Rape: 28. Robbery: 404.

http://nyc.pediacities.com/Resource/CommunityStats

14.  Their are 27 schools, 1 College (Brooklyn College) and 41 Youth and Development Programs, their is a museum called the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum.

http://nyc.pediacities.com/Resource/TouristAttraction

15.  Their are 14 parks/playgrounds.

http://nyc.pediacities.com/Resource/TouristAttraction

16.  Their are many churches and spiritual institutions, for example St Gabriel Spiritual Church and Beulah Tabernacle.

17.  I live one block from a Target i am there all the time.  My neighborhood has a lot of corner store Delis, a Starbucks, 7/11, Caribbean restaurants and bakery’s, 99 cent store and a Beauty Supply Store.

18. My neighborhood has gone through slight renovations, the city has put up benches and seating areas they are currently fixing up the street a few block from my house. A majority of the building are living spaces not offices.

19. (1)Their is a lot of culture, the Caribbean food is amazing.  (2) I feel safe in my neighborhood even on nights i get home very late. (3) their is a real sense of community, people aren’t afraid to speak up and say/do what is right.

20.  (1)Because I live on the last stop of the train their can be a lot more homeless people sitting and laying on waiting seats.  (2) The intersection that i must walk across can be very scar, i feel that people in my area are rather reckless drivers.  (3) Even though the little Caribbean shops have tasty food i think my neighborhood still need more/nicer sit-down restaurants.

21.  It is extremely important that Human Services professional care and know about communities and society because we will be working one on one with the individuals living in the society.  We cant be efficient advocates helpers if we know nothing about who or what the people we serve need and want.

1. What is your home zip code? 11201

2. Does your community have a name? if so, what is it? Brooklyn heights

3. What is the number of the community board? Briefly state its purpose. 02, the purpose of community board 2 is to be responsible for the welfare of their respective community districts

4. Who is the president of your community board? Eric L. Adams

5. Who is the district manager of your community board? Robert Perris

6. Who is your current New York City Council Member, what communities does s/he serve, what council committees does s/he serve on?  Laurie Cumbo serves the 35th district. She serves on the committee for elected members on Brooklyn community board 2

7. Who is your New York state assembly member? Joseph Lentol

8. Who is your New York state Senator? Daniel Squadron

9. Who is your U.S Senators? Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand

10. Who is your U.S Congressional Representative? Hakeem Jeffries

11. What are the basic demographics of your community (total population, gender, age levels, race/ethnicity, income levels, household sizes, educational levels) Theres total population of 20,256. 10,038 are males while 10,218 are females. average age for males is 38 and the average age for females is 37. Brooklyn heights is a predominantly white neighborhood. Median income for Brooklyn heights in 2011 was $119,999. Household sizes averaged at 1.9 people.

12. What is the health status of your community? Brooklyn heights has above the national average amount of people with health care.

13. What are the crime statistics for your community? There are 205 major crimes per 10,000 residents, 63 of them being violent crimes

14. Briefly describe the educational/cultural resources (ex: schools, libraries, theaters, museums, movie houses, etc.) of your community.  Brooklyn heights Montessori school for students 2-8, Brooklyn heights public library on Cadman plaza west and Brooklyn heights cinema on Clark street.

15. Briefly describe the recreational resources (parks, sports centers,/facilities, public pools, etc.) of your community. Eastern athletics located on Clark street has an indoor pool. Parks in Brooklyn heights include the Brooklyn bridge park and the Brooklyn heights promenade. We also have basketball courts and soccer fields located on the east river connected to the Brooklyn bridge park.

16. Briefly describe the religious/spiritual institutions of your community The first presbyterian church of Brooklyn is located off of Clark street.  St. Ann and the holy church is an episcopal church that encourages individuals to follow their spiritual paths and seek solace.

17. Briefly describe the financial and business institutions in your community (ex: banks, check cashing businesses, supermarkets, small groceries, real estate agencies, brokerages, travel agencies, clothing stores, drug stores etc.).  Brooklyn heights has banks such as Chase, city bank, HSBC. Supermarkets and grocery stores include gristedes, all in one organic market, garden of eden and key food. Drug stores include CVS, Rite-aid and gristedes pharmacy.

18. Briefly describe the infrastructure of your community (ex: roads, sidewalk and street pavements, street furniture, street and traffic lighting fixtures, tree care, air quality, buildings etc.) The Brooklyn bridge is the only bridge in Brooklyn heights, the BQE also runs through the west-side of Brooklyn heights.

19. Based on your research and walkabouts, identify 3 of your community’s strengths or assets: 1)  Access to the major subway lines such as the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, F, R and N

2)  Both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridge are within walking distance and can be walked over

3) It’s not a sketchy neighborhood

20) Based on your research and walkabouts, identify and prioritize 3 issues of concern to you about your community:

1) Brooklyn Heights or downtown Brooklyn could use a Skatepark possibly at the Brooklyn bridge park

2) Cabs are often hard to find in the area

3) Because of its location on the east river/ so close to downtown manhattan many things are a lot more expensive compared to back home, at least for a college student like myself.

21) Human service ethical standards speak about our profession’s concern for individuals, families, communities, and society. Why should human services professionals care about communities and society? The state of the community and societal standards set the route for future development of the area. If nobody cared about the community there would never be any progression and most likely a decline in ethical standards

1- 11433

2- Jamaica

3- Community Board 12: Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Baisley Park, Rochdale Village and South Jamaica. Located at 90-28 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432. It’s purpose is to improve qualities for New Yorkers. So we the New Yorkers elects the Mayor, Borough Presidents, City Council Members, Public Advocates and Comptroller. They are responsible for overseeing City government. It is important that the CB serve as advocates to their neighborhood so their responsibilities includes but not limited to assessing the needs of their own neighborhood, dealing with the land use and zoning issues and addressing other community concerns. (Nyc.gov)

4- Adrienne E. Adams

5- Yvonne Reddick

6- I. Daniel Miller: won the election of who will represent the 27th Council District (Southeast Queens). He serves all or all parts of St. Albans, Hollis, Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Addisleigh Park, Jamaica and Springfield Gardens. The committees that he serves on is the Chairman of Civil Service and Labor. (Nyc.gov)

7- 33rd New York State Assembly Member: the Honorable Barbara Clark

8- New York State Senator: Malcolm A. Smith

9- U.S. Senators: 113th Congress- Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer. They are also Democrats.

10- U.S. Congressional Representative: 5th Congressional District of New York- Gregory W. Meeks (Democrat)

11- Census 2010: Population- 32,687
Age Level- 32.9
Race/ethnicity- White only: 1,106
Black or African American: 22, 801
American Indian and Alaska Islander alone: 263
Asian alone: 1,909
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone: 24
Some other race alone: 4, 112
Two or more races: 636
Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 4,778
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 179
Income levels: 43,419
Household sizes: 11,296
Educational levels 74.2% High School graduate or higher. (Census.gov)

12- Heart Disease, Cancer, Pneumonia and influenza, Diabetes, Stroke, Chronic lung disease and AIDS. Heart disease is leading cause of hospitalization in community. Hospitalization rates in Southeast Queens are lower than in NYC as a whole. Even though HIV/AIDS dropped in the last decade, hundreds are living with HIV/AIDS (689). (Nyc.gov)

13- Total crimes- 3,595
Crime rate per 1000 Residents: 16.09
Grand Larceny: count- 937 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 4.19
Felony Assault: count 796 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 3.56
Robbery: count- 780 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 3.49
Burglary: 697 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 3.12
Grand Larceny of Motor Vehicle: count- 318 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 1.42
Rape: count- 54 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 0.24
Murder: count- 13 Crime rate per 1000 residents- 0.06 (Nyc.pediacities.com)

14- Two Police Stations, 4 Library Branches, 3 Fire Departments, 11 Emergency Medical Services and 42 schools. Less than 9th grade: 15, 200(10.6), 9th to 12th grade, no diploma: 18,642(13.0), high school graduate (includes equivalency): 47,518(33.2), some college, no degree: 25,774(18.0), Associates’s degree: 11,592(8.1), Bachelor’s degree: 16,872(11.8) and Graduate or professional degree: 7,416(5.2). (Nyc.gov)

15- The parks around my community are well taken care of. They don’t have broken swings or damaged slides or broken hoops. During the summer they have events for basketball tournaments that be very active around the summer time. People care for the parks in the community. I also know that we have to thank the workers that clean up the park and make sure everything is up to part. (Observation)

16- Around my community I see a big church that has various amount of people that go there. When I go on Jamaica Avenue, I observed that it’s very diverse but I see more and more Muslims coming out. (Observation)

17- I live close to Jamaica Avenue so I can walk to the bank. I mostly see the major banks for example Chase, Capital One, Citi bank and Bank of America. About every 5-6 blocks you can see a check chasing place. One the strip of Jamaica, there are only 3 supermarkets that are close. There are plenty of clothing stores since the area is like a shopping center.(Observation)

18- The roads aren’t really smooth since they are always doing work underground. By my house you can see water on the sidewalk but can’t tell where it’s coming from. The sidewalk is also unleveled so it’s probably hard for people to park. It has a very bad smell by the front entrance of the park and I’ve been there for 3 years already. (Observation)

19- They have a lot of schools, they have a lot of people that have their bachelor’s degree and also they have easy access to busses.

20- The very bad smell around my house area by the park, the amount of people that have HIV/AIDS and the count of grand larceny.

21- Human services professional should care about communities and societies because it might affects the clients mental or physical problems that’s they are having. No one should want to live in a bad neighborhood that have high crime rates or anything that falls between that line. It might also help the professional on their questions about why the person act the way they do.

Shanice Martin

HUS- 2307

Assignment #1

 

Questions about your community	Source Consulted
What is your home zip code? 11226	N/A
Does your community have a name? If so, what is it? Flatbush.	N/A
What is the number of your community board? Briefly state its purpose. The number of this community board is 14. Cb 14 purpose is to deal with complaints and requests by community. They work with agencies to plan projects and acts as community liaison with city agencies.	CB14Brooklyn, About, http://www.cb14brooklyn.com/about/
Who is the president of your community board? Eric Adams is the president	NYC.GOV
Who is the district manager of the community board? The district manager is Shawn Alyse Campbell.	CB14Brooklyn, From the district manager, http://www.cb14brooklyn.com/about/from-the-district-manager/
Who is your current New York City Council Member, what communities does s/he serve, what council committees does s/he serve on? Jumaan D Williams is the council committee, he serves Flatbush,East Flatbush, Flatlands, parts of Midwood and Canarsie. He represents 45th council District in Brooklyn and serves as Deputy leader of NYC council and chair of the committee on housing and buildings.	Concil.NYC.gov http://council.nyc.gov/d45/html/members/home.shtml
Who is your New York State Assembly Member? James Tedisco Assembly District 112	Ny Assembly http://www.assembly.ny.gov/mem/?ad=112&sh=postings
Who is your New York State Senator?   Chuck Schumer; Kirsten Gillibrand	Senate.gov http://www.schumer.senate.gov/ ; http://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/
Who are your U.S. Senators? Gillibrand, Kristen E ; Schumer, Charles E	Senate.gov http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=NY
Who is your U.S. congressional Representative? Yvette D Clarke Democrat	House.Gov http://www.house.gov/htbin/findrep?ZIP=11226&Submit=FIND+YOUR+REP+BY+ZIP
What are the basic demographics of your community (total population, gender, age levels, race/ethnicity, income levels, household sizes, educational levels) The total amount of population from 2007/09 is about 164,693. The male gender is about 42.7% while the females are 52.5%. 6.9% are Asians, 34.5% are Black, 15.1% are Latino, 41.5% are white and 2.0% are other. The graduation level from 2010-11 is 80.5% compared to the dropout rate being 4.1% and 2.7% students are college ready. 31.3% people that are 25 and older attained a bachelor’s degree or higher while 18.3 have less than a high school degree.	U.S census 2000; 2007/09 American Community Survey
What is the health status of your community? 21.3% of people’s health are either fair or good, 33.9% are good, 25.9% are very good and 18.2% are very good.	NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
What are the crime statistic for your community? As of 2010 the violent crime rate is 4.8%, the property crime rate is 7.2%, the felony crime is 12.0 and stop and frisk is 62.5%.	Crime Rates; NYPD; Stop & Frisk; NYPD; Center for Constitutional Rights/ New York Times.
Briefly describe the education/cultural resources of your community? There are only a few parks in this community given that 70% of housing units are within a mile of a park. There are small amounts of playgrounds in neighborhoods and then there’s prospect park south that is a one of the few Historic Districts in the City. As for libraries there are many branches that are used and valued such as The Caribbean Literacy and Cultural Center at the Flatbush Branch, and the Cortelyou Road library and many more. They offer many programs for the community such as GED pep and are open seven days a week.	NYC.GOV;BK14 STATEMENT
Briefly describe recreational resources of your community? There are barely any recreational resources being that there are only 11, but the park area are used as space for activities for basketball and football.	NYC.GOV NYC department of city planning.
Briefly describe the religious/spiritual institutions of your community. There are several churches in the community ranging from Baptists/ Christian and even Catholic.	N/A
Briefly describe the financial and business institutions in your community. As of 2013, there are over 480 commercial and offices along with 1,065 commercial mix residential lots around the community. There are generous amount of neighborhoods in this community that have blocks loaded with plenty of business lots such as banks, food pantries, tax shops etc.	NYC.GOV
Briefly describe the infrastructure of your community. Some of the neighborhood have roads that are not paved right while some other neighborhoods are just fine. There have been complaints about the noise and also smell of the air.	NYC Department of Environmental protection.
Based on your research and walkabouts, identify 3 of your community’s strengths or assets: 1) The strengths of this community is the fact that there’s limited businesses and easy access to stores around 2) There are a generous amount of transportation available. 3) It’s versatile when it comes to race.	N/A
Based on your research and walkabouts, identify and prioritize 3 issues of concern to you about your community: 1) The little amount of recreational resources. 2) the large amount of stop & frisk 3)crime rate	N/A
Human services ethical standards speak about our profession’s concern for individuals, families, communities and society. Why should human services professionals care about communities and society? Human services professionals should care about the community because if they want to go about helping people, the communities is the way to start. They have to help change the environment because it has major effect on people.	N/A

 Troubled

 

 pleased

 

 

Alex Bustillo

9/29/14

HUS 2307

KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY: TWENTY ONE QUESTIONS

1. What is your home zip code?

My home zip code is 11435.
2. Does your community has a name? If so, what is it?

My community does not have a specific name.
3. What is the number of your community board? Briefly state its purpose

I am part of the community board 12 which includes the neighborhoods of Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Baisley Park, Rochdale Village, and South Jamaica. The purpose of the community board it’s to consider and address issues dealing with land use and zoning matters, the city budget, municipal service delivery and other concerns relating to the community welfare.
4. Who is the president of your community board?

Adrienne E. Adams is the president of community board 12.
5. Who is the district manager of your community board?

Yvonne Reddick is the district manager of my community board.
6. Who is your current New York City council member, what communities does s/he serve, what council committees does s/he serve on?

Ruben Wills is my current New York City council member from district 28^th which also covers sections of Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, and Rochdale.
7. Who is your New York State assembly member?

David I. Weprin is my New York State assembly member.
8. Who is your New York State senator?

My New York State senator is Malcolm A. Smith
9. Who are your U.S senators?

Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer are the U.S senators.
10. Who is your U.S congressional representative? 

Gregory Meeks is my U.S congressional representative.
11. What are the basic demographics of your community (total population, gender, age levels, race/ethnicity, income levels; household sizes, education levels) 

Population demographics by race and gender:

African American 17,929 (33%)

Asian or Pacific Islander 7,785 (14%)

Indian 396 (1%)

Mixed Races 4,296 (8%)

Others 9,078 (17%)

White 14,393 (27%)

Female 28,042 (52%)

Male 26,122 (48%)

Population by Education Level

High School or less 10,880 (31%)

High School Graduate            14,513 (41%)

Bachelors or Associate Degrees 6,843 (19%)

Graduate Degrees 3,054 (9%)

Population by Age

6 Years Old or Under 5,727 (11%)

7 to 18 Years Old 8,480 (16%)

19 to 24 Years Old 4,667 (9%)

25 to 39 Years Old 14,427 (27%)

40 to 64 Years Old 15,938 (29%)

65 Years Old or Over 4,925 (9%)

Household Income Levels

Less than $30,000 6,245 (35%)

$30,000 to $74,999 8,185 (46%)

$75,000 to $149,999 2,990 (17%)

$150,000 or More 368 (2%)

Household Size Distribution

1 Person 1,160 (19%)

2-3 Person 2,447 (40%)

4-5 Person 1,701 (28%)

6 or More Person 771  (13%)
12. What is the health status of your community? 

According to the New York City department of health and hygiene, “People are good at rating their own health. In general, when asked to rate their general health as excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor, those who say “fair” or “poor” are more likely to have health problems than those who report better health. In Jamaica, 1 in 5 resident’s reports being in fair or poor health (20%).”(Take Care Jamaica, Pg.3). Also, diabetes is a huge concern in Jamaica as stated in the Community Health Profile, “The death rate due to diabetes is higher in Jamaica than in New York City overall, and the community also has higher rates of avoidable hospitalizations for diabetes-related conditions”(Second Edition: Jamaica, Pg.14).
13. What are the crime statistics for your community? 

According to Area Vibes, “The estimated Jamaica violent crime rate is 8% higher than the New York average”. (NY Crime Rates and Statistics, Par.2)
14. Briefly describe the educational/cultural resources (ex: schools, libraries, theatres, museums, movie houses, etc.) of your community. 

There are plenty of public schools in my neighborhood like Hillcrest High School, P.S 86 elementary school, Junior High School 217 Robert A. Van Wyck, and P.S 182. Theatres and libraries are close by within walking distance. There is a need for museums because there aren’t any in the community.
15. Briefly describe the recreational resources (parks, sports centers, facilities, public pools, etc.) of your community. 

Parks and sports centers such as the YMCA can be found in the community. There are tons of gyms in the area as well. Public pools are hard to find in my neighborhood.
16. Briefly describe the religious/spiritual institutions of your community. 

Due to the population demographics in my community, there is a strong diverse of religious institutions. Through my walkabouts, I noticed a number of catholic and protestant churches and Jehovah Witnesses and Islamic centers. 
17. Briefly describe the financial and business institutions in your community( ex: banks, check-cashing businesses, supermarkets, small groceries, real estate agencies, brokerages, travel agencies, clothing stores, drug stores, etc.). 

Many banks can be located in the community and this is a good thing because, if for instance, anyone needs to make a withdrawal from their bank account, they can go to their local bank and do so without having to pay extra fees by using a random ATM. Check-cashing businesses can be found in abundance, as well as supermarkets, clothing stores, drug stores and travel agencies.
18. Briefly describe the infrastructure of your community (ex: roads. Sidewalk and street pavements, street furniture, street and traffic lighting fixtures, tree care, air quality, buildings, etc.)

I truly believe my neighborhood has improved in the last couple of years. The buildings have new landlords and they have done a fantastic job renovating their premises to make it a better place for its members to live in. A concern my community can definitely work on addressing is the garbage dumping issue; with the garbage just being dumped on sidewalks and streets.
19. Based on your research and walkabouts, identify 3 of your community’s strengths or assets:
1) Hospitals
2) Public schools
3) Parks
30. Based on your research and walkabouts, identify and prioritize 3 issues of concerns to you about your community
1) Fast food restaurants
2) Garbage dumping
3) Poverty
21. Human services ethical standards speak about our profession’s concern for individuals, families, communities, and society. Why should human services professionals care about communities and society? 

Any issues happening within communities and society can affect the well-being of individuals and families, therefore, it’s essential for human services professionals to care about the environment in which clients live. Being informed of current problems will assist the helper identify important resources and also advocate for the rights of all members in society.

Pleased:

Troubled:

1. My community zip code is 11212. N/A

2. Brownsville is the name of my neighborhood in Brooklyn, 11212. N/A

3. The name of my Community board is 16. The purpose of the board is to review matters pertaining land that is use in the district. The board evaluates the quality and quantity of service delivery in the community, makes recommendations for capital and expense budget priorities and develops plans for the community’s improve. Some respondabilties includes, capital project site selection, franchises, acquisitions and disposition of City property and other matters. The community Board reports to the Board of Standards and Appeals on zoning variances and certain special permits. Providing information and complaint to the services center. Assisting City departments and agencies in making contacts with and transmitting information to the residents of the district. http://www.brooklyncb16.org/about/

4. Eric Adams is the President of my Community Board 16. (http://www.brooklyncb16.org/) This is old info: Eric Adams is currently the Brooklyn Borough President

5. The District Manager of Brownsville is Viola D. Greene-Walker.  (http://www.brooklyncb16.org/)

6. Darlene Mealy is the current New York City Council Member in Brownsville community. She serves Bedford Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill-Brownsville, East Flatbush and Crown Heights. http://council.nyc.gov/d41/html/members/home.shtml

7. New York State Assembly Member in Brownsville is Hon. William F. Boyland Jr http://www.nysenate.gov/files/pdfs/2014%20Guide%20to%20Brooklyn.pdf

8. John Sampson is New York State Senator http://www.nysenate.gov/files/pdfs/2014%20Guide%20to%20Brooklyn.pdf

9. U.S. Senators are Gillibrand, Kirsten E. and Charles Chuck Schumer. ( http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=NY)

10. Yvette D. Clarke and Hakeem S. Jeffries are U.S. Congressional Representative in Brooklyn, 11212. (http://www.house.gov/htbin/findrep?ZIP=11212&Submit=FIND+YOUR+REP+BY+ZIP)

11. The basic estimated demographics of Brownsville in 2011 are as follow: Population 80,311, gender female 46,257, male 34,054. Age levels 32.1 years. White population: 666, Black population: 67,801 American Indian population: 232, Asian population: 588, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population: 31, some other race population: 243, two or more races population: 1,034, Hispanic or Latino population: 13,905. Income levels $27,278. Household sizes 2.6 people. Educational level population 25 years and over High school or higher: 74.5%, Bachelor’s degree or higher: 10.5%, Graduate or professional degree: 2.7%. (http://www.city-data.com/zips/11212.html)

12. The Health status for Brownsville population are as follows obesity is the number one health problem in the community (25%), with HIV/AIDS and STDs ranking second (9%), cancer, poverty and homelessness tying for third place (8%), and mental health ranking fourth (7%). other diseases such as high blood pressure 35%. (http://0101.nccdn.net/1_5/09a/2ab/341/Brookdale-Hospital-CHNA-FINAL-DEC30-2013.pdf)

13. 73rd Precinct in Brownsville reported the crime statistics for the month September 8, 2014 through September 14, 2014. Murder 0, Rape 1,Robbery 4, Fel. Assault 11, Burglary 3, Gr. Larceny 8 , Grand Larceny Auto 4, Petit Larceny 17, Transit 1, Housing 6, Misd. Assault 26, Misd. Sex Crimes 1, Shooting Vic. 3, and Shooting Inc. 2. http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cs073pct.pdf

14. The Community of Brownsville contained more than 28 schools which includes private and public schools, and 2 libraries. However the community does not have theatres, museums or movie houses. http://www.brooklyncb16.org/directory/

15. The recreational resources in Brownsville community showed 14 parks, 19 sports centers / facilities, 2 public pools, and 4 health clubs. http://www.brooklyncb16.org/directory/

16. Religious and spiritual institutions shape the community of Brownsville with more that 60 different churches. In addition, religion is important in the lives of many African-Americans and other ethnic groups. Meaning that, it brings unity, comfort and peace to each other. http://www.brooklyncb16.org/directory/

17. Financial and business institutions are vital in Brownsville community it helps build the community by providing jobs, generate money for the local economy, and give back to the community in terms of training and donations to charities. The community contain 2 banks, 3 check-chasing businesses, 6 super markets, 27 drug stores, and 43 clothing stories. There are many other small groceries stores, real estate agencies, and brokerages. http://www.brooklyncb16.org/directory/

18. The infrastructure of Brownsville community have many issues such as potholes which should repair at a timely fashion that would reduce traffic. New housing construction also causing problem at the side walk, making not safe to walk. Many of our trees in parks and on the sidewalks need pruning on a more frequent basis to prevent the limbs from blocking street lights and hanging low in the path of pedestrians. Limbs are frequently breaking off which presents a hazard to pedestrians and motorist. Some streets lights are dim and can create an atmosphere to conduct to criminal activities. Streets furniture such as benches are display through out the community. N/A

19. Based on research and walkabouts, there are 3 community’s strengths or assets 1. Recreational Centers 2. New York City Housing Authority buildings 3. Churches N/A

20. There are 3 issues of concern to me and the community 1. Gun violence 2. Teenage pregnancy 3. Alcohol/Drugs http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/brooklyn/brownsville/

21. Human services professional care about communities and society because they uphold the integrity and ethics of the profession to promote clients and communities well-being and also to enhance their professional growth. For instance, they act as advocates in addressing unmet client and community needs. Human service professionals provide a mechanism for identifying unmet client needs, calling attention to these needs, and assisting in planning and mobilizing to advocate for those needs at the local community level. N/A TROUBLED

   SURPRISED

PLEASED