City Services for Improving Your Block

The Hawthorne Street Block Association recently won a $500 grant from the Citizens Committee of New York to help us buy planters for the block. (Hurray!) As a rep of the block association, yours truly attended a workshop the Committee held last week that listed some of the services the City provides for citizens who want to improve their neighborhoods. Some of the services offered were specific to grantees, so I shan't mention those. But perhaps other block associations in the neighborhood will find the rest of this stuff useful.

Incidentally, the Citizens Committee will do another round of grant-giving in the fall. For information and an application, see the Love Your Block page.


Report a broken street light or sign
Call 311

Report bad road conditions, such as potholes
File the DOT's online form

Request a street tree or report a damaged street tree
See the Forestry Service Request form

Help maintain neighborhood street trees by taking a tree stewardship workshop
Residents can take a free class to teach them how to take care of street trees

Get graffiti cleaned-up
Call 311; property owner needs to give permission

Remove litter on your block
Step away from the screen, grab a broom, go sweep the sidewalk, and stop waiting for the government to wipe your butt for you