1 | WHAT’S NEXT . The Future of Fulton Version 1.0 | March 2015 Project Urbanista and TYTHEdesign would like to express their deepest appreciation to all of the staff within the Osborne Association and Local Initiatives Support Corpora- tion (LISC) who provided assistance and guidance through- out the community engagement process and writing of this report. We also extend our thanks to the Bronx Reentry Task Force, the board of Bronx Community Board 3 and the many Bronx residents who contributed their time, energy and expertise to this process. 2 | WHAT’S NEXT . The Future of Fulton Table of Contents Part 1 4 Introduction 5 The Fulton Reentry Center Project Background 6 The Community Engagement Process 9 Community Conversation Series Overview 11 Participant Snapshot Part 2 14 Context of the Bronx Reentry Community 15 Historic Context of Bronx Reentry 18 The Bronx Demographic Snapshot 19 Social Capital in the Bronx 21 Community Resource Map 28 Challenges in Bronx Reentry Community 38 Goals and Ambitions in the Reentry Community Part 3 41 Recommendations for the Fulton Center 42 Programming and Services at the Fulton Center 44 Mix of Participants 46 Concerns related to the Fulton Reentry Center 48 Opportunities for the Fulton Reentry Center Part 4 53 Appendix 3 | WHAT’S NEXT . The Future of Fulton PART ONE Introduction The Fulton Economic Development and Commu- nity Reentry Center -- a new model for communi- ty-based reentry in the Bronx. In 2011, Governor Cuomo and the State of New York In a series of five public and two invitation-based Department of Corrections closed the Fulton Cor- workshops, participants engaged in community rectional Facility located in the Claremont neighbor- resource mapping, needs assessment and scenario hood of the South Bronx. After nearly four decades building activities all designed to elicit information as a correctional facility, this building is set to be about the resources, challenges, goals and ambi- transformed into the Fulton Economic Develop- tions of the Bronx reentry community and the Ful- ment and Community Reentry Center (The Fulton ton Reentry Center. The analysis and findings are Reentry Center) to be developed by the Osborne grouped into two broad sections; first the context Association. and existing conditions within the Bronx reentry community and then, recommendations for how the Through the co-location of services, training and Fulton Reentry Center can be an innovative resource employment opportunities, this innovative model is in this community. All of the information presented designed to support the needs of citizens returning reflects the voice of the participants and their per- to the Bronx after a period of incarceration, while ception of the needs, opportunities and ambitions becoming an economic engine in the community. for the Fulton Reentry Center and a better situation for all those returning home to the Bronx. Community engagement is an important piece of the planning for the Fulton Reentry Center as the The toolkit accompanying this document is designed new development will impact a wide range of diverse to support an ongoing conversation about commu- stakeholders including those directly involved in nity based reentry in the Bronx or elsewhere. It is programming at the site, local residents and poli- based on activities used successfully in the Commu- cy makers. This document recounts the community nity Conversation Series and can be easily adapted engagement process for the Fulton Reentry Center to a particular context as needed. These tools can which spanned nearly eight months and involved help keep the conversation going even after the for- hundreds of Bronx residents, reentering citizens mal community engagement process ends. and others involved in the Bronx reentry commu- nity. The information presented in this document is a direct reflection of the voices of the participants who attended the Community Conversation Series. 4 | WHAT’S NEXT . The Future of Fulton The Fulton reentry center project background At the corner of Fulton Avenue and East 171st street As the transformation of the Fulton Facility gets in the Bronx stands a building that has been a part underway, the Osborne Association partnered with of the Claremont neighborhood for over 100 years. Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), an Completed in 1907, it retains much of its historic organization that has been facilitating the revitaliza- detailing and is elegantly sited fronting the southern tion of neighborhoods for over thirty years by con- tip of Crotona Park. Located within Bronx Commu- necting resources to neighborhoods in need. In col- nity Board 3, the building has a long-standing his- laboration with Osborne, LISC developed a public, tory as a community gathering space, having been competitive Request for Proposal to identify a Com- originally commissioned by the Bronx Episcopalian munity Planning Consultant to design and facilitate Church as a church house and meeting place. As the a community engagement workshop series. neighborhood evolved the building later housed a synagogue, YM-YWCA, a nursing home and a sub- The intention of the workshop series was to inform stance abuse treatment facility. In 1975, the build- the community about the project and to engage in ing was converted to a Correctional Facility, first discussion about issues related to the Fulton Reen- housing women under minimum-security and later try Center. Data collected in the process will help as a work release facility. For over 35 years the build- inform decisions about the mix of services and part- ing operated in this role, until 2011 when Governor ners that will be co-located at the site. In collabora- Cuomo and the State of New York Department of tion with LISC, Osborne identified Project Urbanista Corrections closed the Fulton Correctional Facility. and TYTHEdesign as the appropriate Community This decision led to an opportunity envisioned and Planning team to design and host a series of ‘Com- seized by the Osborne Association to transform the munity Conversations’ from October 2014 to Jan- building into a hub of support as the Fulton Eco- uary 2015. The involvement of an outside partner nomic Development and Community Reentry Cen- in this process was seen as essential to provide an ter (Fulton Reentry Center). objective and safe environment for public input. The Osborne Association negotiated to obtain the In addition to the community engagement process, building, and in early 2015 the State formally trans- Osborne worked with LISC to identify a data con- ferred the building to the organization. Since 1933, sultant to analyze the current context of the Bronx the Osborne Association has been providing pro- reentry community and the area surrounding the gramming and support for justice-involved individ- proposed Fulton Reentry Center, including neigh- uals, facilitating opportunities through education, borhood demographics, statistics on the reentry advocacy, and alternatives to incarceration. They community and other relevant information. This had previously identified the Fulton Facility as an analysis in conjunction with the results of the work- ideal site to create a new model of service provision shop series offer insight into the current context of through co-located services and workforce oppor- the neighborhood, and the opportunities for the tunities. Osborne aims to create a space to support Fulton Reentry Center. Information presented in this reentry in the Bronx that will become an economic document will support the planning and develop- engine in the community. ment of the new Fulton Reentry Center. 5 | WHAT’S NEXT . The Future of Fulton The Community Engagement Process METHODOLOGY Five Community Conversations were open to the public and designed in a progression, with each A community engagement process is an opportu- workshop building upon the themes and data col- nity for individuals with a variety of backgrounds lected in the previous one(s). This progression to offer their perspective on a proposed change in allowed for both new participants and repeat partic- their community. The purpose of a public engage- ipants in each workshop. An invitation-based work- ment process is to include the perspectives of those shop with the Bronx Reentry Task Force, convened who will be directly affected by a new develop- by the Bronx Borough President’s office, preceded ment. By including the community in the process it the public Conversation Series. This workshop was acknowledges the potential impact the project will an effort to hear from key stakeholders, policy mak- have in the neighborhood, taps into local expertise ers and service providers, and those directly involved as future patrons of the building and seeks ways to in Bronx Reentry about the history and context of understand and mitigate concerns that arise during the situation, trends over time, and their ambitions the planning process. Years of experience working for the future, particularly as it relates to the Fulton in diverse communities has taught that a successful Reentry Center. The Conversation Series concluded community engagement process must be acces- with a focus group discussion with approximately 20 sible and inclusive, designed to generate the high recent parolees currently under community super- rates of participation and robust data gathering and vision. This focus group ensured that the voice of analysis. Workshops are designed to be interac- recent parolees was included as there was limited tive, engaging, and fun with activities structured to attendance from parolees in the public workshops. first elicit feedback on high-level themes and then detailed insights. Activities are carefully selected This report offers an analysis of the thousands of that utilize popular education techniques to address data points gathered during the Community Con- a broad range of learning styles, education levels, versation Series. It provides key outcomes and language competencies. Design thinking tech- offers recommendations for the Fulton Reentry Cen- niques and simple, attractive and intuitive materials ter and the Bronx Reentry Community as commu- supplement workshop facilitation.