On September 2, more than 500 residents and community partners gathered at Queensbridge Houses for the 2026 Local NeighborhoodStat (NStat) community day.
The event featured a DJ, dance performances, food trucks, and plenty of free ice cream. Through a partnership with The Campaign Against Hunger, hundreds of households also took home groceries, including fresh produce.
Residents connected with dozens of organizations offering information and services, including Queens Safety Coalition, Not Another Child, Legal Aid Society, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Community Mediation Services, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, Columbia University Medical Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, FDNY, Queens Public Library, the Civic Engagement Commission, Police Athletic League, Progress Playbook, Green City Force, and HRA-DSS.
Local NStat, part of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP), empowers residents to set public safety priorities and work with City agencies and community partners to improve their neighborhoods. As a longtime MAP partner, Riis supports the Queensbridge NStat team through our MAP Engagement Coordinator. Through this year’s participatory budgeting process, Queensbridge residents voted on how to invest $30,000 in their community, choosing among five priority areas: Physical Space, Economic Stability, Health and Well-Being, Safety and Justice, and Youth Development.
At the event, residents cast 263 ballots, bringing the total to 1,031. Health and Well-Being emerged as the winning priority area, and the Queensbridge NStat team will now develop a project in this area, with implementation planned for 2027.
Thank you to everyone who came out and cast a ballot. Stay tuned for updates as the project comes together!
