Testing New Tech In Brownsville

Brownsville Houses will be home to one of the City’s first NYCx Co-Lab challenges, a neighborhood-based collaboration to test new technologies to help solve that community’s most pressing needs. On October 23 at Osborn Plaza in Brownsville, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, Chief Technology Officer Miguel Gamiño Jr., and NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly announced the new venture.

Brownsville Houses will be home to one of the City’s first NYCx Co-Lab challenges, a neighborhood-based collaboration to test new technologies to help solve that community’s most pressing needs. On October 23 at Osborn Plaza in Brownsville, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, Chief Technology Officer Miguel Gamiño Jr., and NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly announced the new venture.

The “Zero Waste in Shared Space” challenge tasks applicants to come up with solutions to increase resident participation in recycling, reduce litter and improper waste disposal, and promote waste-free common spaces. The challenge helps further NYCHA’s NextGeneration NYCHA goal to create safer, cleaner, and more connected communities.

“We are proudly embracing our role in New York City’s ‘Clean and Green’ movement,” NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly said. “Brownsville Houses is part of a community that has already adopted innovation through new technologies and better public service. Launching this pilot program at Brownsville is a clear step for NYCHA. The pilot will create an open competition to bring clean tech to manage waste. NYCHA is becoming a better landlord by creating cleaner communities and doing our part environmentally through green tech.”

Applicants have until December 15, 2017 to submit proposals. Winning proposals will receive up to $20,000 to test their solutions at Brownsville Houses.

The second Brownsville challenge announced is “Safe and Thriving Night Corridors,” which calls for creative ways to encourage the use public spaces in the evening hours, to increase community safety while boosting economic, civic, and cultural opportunities for residents.

“NYCx represents an important step forward in spurring economic development while addressing the critical needs of our neighborhoods,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen. “This program allows New Yorkers to benefit from the opportunities that come with advancements in the tech ecosystem and confirms that NYC is the global capital of innovation.”

The NYCx Co-Labs program will expand to all five boroughs in 2018. To learn more about NYCx, visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycx/index.html