Bedford-Stuyvesant

In 2009, the Pratt Center for Community Development and Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation teamed up to turn a stretch of Brooklyn's Herkimer street into a "model green block" for energy efficiency. Retrofit Bedford Stuyvesant used a block-by-block organizing model to compel property owners to take advantage of incentive programs and weatherize their homes.

The project provided incentives to homeowners to participate via free energy audits as well as visible upgrades to beautify the block in the form of street trees, graffiti removal, and improvements to the community garden. These projects were implemented by the NYC Justice Corps program of BSRC, which engages young people with criminal justice histories in job readiness, community-service learning, internships, and job placement.