community board system. Established to address various community concerns such as land use, zoning, and municipal services, CB 7 is comprised of up to 50 volunteer members appointed by the Borough President and local City Council members. Meetings, held here, provide a forum for residents to engage with local governance and influence decisions that impact their community. CB 7 plays a pivotal role in housing justice in the neighborhood. Its Housing Committee focuses on issues like homeownership, tenant-landlord relations, housing quality, and affordability. Through facilitating discussions and recommendations on public policy and developments, CB 7 provides a platform for residents to advocate for equitable development. The board plays an important role in shaping the future of the neighborhood’s built environment, while also addressing issues related to public infrastructure, zoning, and urban planning, ensuring that Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace retain their character and meet the needs of the people who call these neighborhoods home. The CB 7 building shares space with the NYPD, which owns the building. Originally a court house constructed in 1932, the Classical Revival-style building was designed by Mortimer D. Metcalfe, the architect who assisted with the design of Grand Central Terminal. In 2001, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building as one of Sunset Park’s historic landmarks.
Center for Family Life
4201 4th Ave
Center for Family Life (CFL) is a community-based organization that has served the Sunset Park community since 1978. CFL’s mission is to support families and individuals through housing advocacy, and youth and workforce development. CFL works closely with immigrant families and low-income residents, offering resources like counseling, after-school programs, and tenant organizing initiatives. CFL’s housing services are focused on stabilizing families by preventing eviction, helping them navigate the housing system, and advocating for affordable housing solutions. In Sunset Park, CFL offers crucial housing-related services to help families facing eviction or struggling with housing insecurity. Their tenant advocacy programs assist residents in understanding their rights and organizing for improved housing conditions. While CFL does not directly provide affordable housing units, they play an active role in eviction prevention, offering guidance and resources for families facing housing challenges.
UPROSE
462 36th St
United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park (UPROSE) has been a champion for environmental justice and community resilience since its founding in 1966. Focused on climate justice, sustainable development, and community organizing, UPROSE works in Sunset Park, across New York City, and beyond. While its core mission revolves around environmental activism, the organization also addresses housing justice, particularly as it intersects with environmental concerns. UPROSE advocates for policies that protect low-income communities of color from displacement caused by gentrification and environmental degradation. Through community organizing and collaboration with local tenants and groups, UPROSE trains youth leaders and champions Just Transition initiatives.
132 32nd St
Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) is a housing counseling and tenant advocacy organization based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and has been serving low- and moderate-income New Yorkers since 1990. NHN works to promote racial justice while empowering residents to secure, maintain, and improve their housing and build financial stability. As a HUD-approved agency, NHN offers a variety of services, including: first-time homebuyer education and counseling, tenant organizing and advocacy, and homeowner services and foreclosure prevention counseling. In addition to its work in Sunset Park, NHN extends its services to neighboring communities such as Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Coney Island, and Canarsie. As a FAC-affiliated organization, NHN plays a crucial role in supporting tenants and homeowners, advocating for housing justice, and helping individuals navigate housing challenges.
Turning Point HDFC 968 3rd Ave
Turning Point is one of many buildings recovered by community efforts in Sunset Park. Foreclosed by the city in 1979, the building located at 968 Third Avenue was transferred to the newly formed Turning Point Housing Development Fund Corporation in 1988. With the assistance of Puerto Rican youth and sponsored by the city, the building was rehabilitated and turned into transitional housing for homeless youth in 1989. Turning Point now functions as both an HDFC and Young Adult Transitional Shelter, providing 39-beds for homeless young women ages 18-25. It provides an opportunity for residents to access housing and develop independent living skills through workshops, individual and group counseling, and assistance in securing stable housing.
Industry City
220 36th St
Industry City, New York City’s largest privately owned industrial property, consists of 16 buildings spread across 34 acres. It served as a manufacturing hub and warehousing until mid-20th century deindustrialization. The complex was sold and rebranded as Industry City in 2013 and converted into a mixed-use space containing offices, retail outlets, artist studios, event venues, and dining establishments. Industry City’s 2013 redevelopment and subsequent rezoning proposals catalyzed local residents and housing justice organizations to resist Sunset Park’s gentrification. Residents vocalized that the influx of wealthier businesses and visitors would drive up rents, displace long-term residents, and erode the neighborhood's working-class identity. Advocates from groups like UPROSE and the Protect Sunset Park Coalition argued that the redevelopment catered to external interests without addressing local needs for affordable housing, living-wage jobs, and sustainable development. In 2020, community activism successfully led to the withdrawal of a controversial rezoning plan that would have further commercialized the area. The ongoing struggle over Industry City reflects broader tensions in urban development, where efforts to revitalize the economy often clash with the need to preserve affordable housing and community stability.
