Fiscal Year 2027 NY-07 Community Projects

The following Community Project Funding requests for Fiscal Year 2027 have currently been submitted by Rep. Velázquez (NY-07) to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. Submission to the committee does not guarantee a project will be funded. Information regarding which requests were selected for funding by the committee will be announced as soon as it is available. The following projects listed below will proceed to the next phase of review.

Click here to view financial disclosures for each project. 

  1. Recipient: University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez

Project Title:UPRM Center for the use of GenAI for Coastal Zone Monitoring and Assessment

Project Description: The proposed University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM) Center for Generative AI will address current challenges in data integration to develop useful software ecosystems for coastal monitoring. This AI-driven hub will bring together data from multiple available sources (including in situ, remotely sensed and modeled data) and use advanced AI tools to predict weather impacts, ecosystem loss, and related economic risks in vulnerable coastal areas. This hub will help scientists, engineers, urban planners, and policymakers make better decisions for disaster preparedness, restoration of natural barriers, and the creation of sustainable policies. It will also offer an open-source platform for sharing data, making complex research more accessible and supporting community-led action. Overall, the project supports national priorities by balancing environmental protection with economic needs, helping to build a strong and sustainable Blue Economy while protecting coastal communities for the long term.

Request: $1,000,000.00

Account: Department of Commerce – (NOAA) – Operations, Research, and Facilities – Coastal Zone Management

2. Recipient: Research Foundation of CUNY

Project Title: Advancing Parole Excellence (APEX) Initiative 

Project Description: The Parole Excellence (APEX) Initiative, launched by the Corrections Lab at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in partnership with the CUNY School of Law, is a targeted effort to strengthen parole supervision practices, improve service coordination, and enhance public safety outcomes for New Yorkers. Funding will enable the development and deployment of a comprehensive support system for parole officers and the individuals they supervise in Queens and Brooklyn. Central to this effort is the APEX Navigator, an innovative digital platform designed to help frontline parole officers quickly identify and connect people on parole to critical stabilizing resources, including housing, employment opportunities, behavioral health services, and community‑based supports. This tool will streamline referrals, reduce administrative burdens, and ensure that individuals receive timely, appropriate assistance during the most vulnerable phase of reentry. This funding will also provide for technical assistance, training, and capacity‑building in parole offices in Brooklyn and Queens, two boroughs with high concentrations of individuals returning from state custody. By strengthening coordination between parole supervision and local service providers, the APEX Initiative will help officers implement evidence‑based practices, improve compliance outcomes, and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

Request: $1,387,950

Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

  1. Recipient: Queens Together Inc

Project Title:  NYPD–Community Youth Stability and Public Safety Partnership

Project Description: A precinct-based NYPD–community partnership delivering food access, mentorship, and youth engagement to stabilize families, reduce recidivism and justice involvement, strengthen public safety, and build stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve in public housing neighborhoods. Through this program, Queens Together will work with NYPD Community Affairs teams and local partners in and around Queensbridge Houses, Ravenswood Houses, and Woodside Houses to implement two coordinated strategies. First, the program will support precinct-based food pantries at neighborhood schools, providing fresh produce to families facing financial hardship and addressing food insecurity linked to school absenteeism and poor academic performance. Second, the program will connect teens to small business owners and community leaders who serve as mentors through structured youth engagement programs led by precinct teams. These relationships provide consistent guidance, exposure to career pathways, and positive community connections that reduce the likelihood of justice involvement and repeat offenses.

Request: $1,000,000.00

Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

  1. Recipient: Southside United Housing Development Fund Corporation

    Project Title: Neighborhood Safety Coalition

    Project Description: Southside United HDFC – Los Sures will expand its comprehensive Community Violence Intervention strategy program to prevent shootings, reduce retaliation, and strengthen collaboration between community organizations and law enforcement partners. The purpose of this request is to prevent shootings, reduce retaliation, and strengthen collaboration between community organizations and law enforcement partners in North Brooklyn. Southside United HDFC serves as a critical community partner working alongside law enforcement to enhance prevention efforts, improve coordinated responses, and build stronger relationships between police and residents. Los Sures will partner directly with the NYPD and public safety stakeholders to implement a coordinated strategy through regular participation in roll calls, precinct council meetings, and community safety forums to establish alignment on local concerns and strengthen communication between officers and community. This initiative will build law enforcement capacity to respond to entrenched violence by incorporating neighborhood context and fostering trust.

    Request: $1,250,000.00 

    Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

  2. Recipient: Boricua College 

Project Title: Boricua College Project Embrace: Crime Prevention and Recidivism Reduction through Supportive Services and Opportunities

Project Description: The project will provide a holistic set of services that includes educational and social support, workforce opportunities, mental health counseling, and assistance navigating legal requirements within the justice system. The program is designed to strengthen access to coordinated services for individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. By addressing these needs, the project aims to enhance public safety, reduce recidivism, and improve outcomes for participants and the communities to which they return.

Request: $1,250,000.00

Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

  1. Recipient: Grand Street Settlement

Project Title: Grand Street Settlement’s Culinary Workforce Program for Justice-Involved Youth at Marcy Houses

Project Description: Grand Street Settlement’s Culinary Workforce Program for Justice-Involved Youth at Marcy Houses will support community-centered economic mobility and youth development through a proven culinary training model. This prevention and education program, implemented by Drive Change, will train a cohort of justice involved youth aged 18-25 residing at Marcy Houses in Brooklyn in culinary arts, food safety, and professional kitchen skills, equipping them with the credentials needed to pursue careers in the food service industry. Through this holistic approach, young individuals facing barriers to employment will engage in hands-on culinary training that leverages the Drive Change expertise in food education. With the support of mentors, they will experience a safe and nurturing environment to build their professional skills and self-confidence and ensure long-term reintegration. The program will improve the criminal justice system by preventing recidivism and enhancing neighborhood safety. Grand Street Settlement’s longstanding presence and deep roots in serving New York City’s most underserved communities, and its alliance with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office (KCDA), will ensure that this program reaches the youth who need it most at Marcy Houses.

Request: $500,000

Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

  1. Recipient: Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow

Project Title: Pathways to Opportunity 

Project Description: Pathways to Opportunity is a workforce development initiative led by Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT) that will serve approximately 100 justice impacted individuals and residents affected by community violence, ages 18 and older, from communities within New York’s 7th Congressional District. Participants will enroll in industry recognized construction and infrastructure training pathways, including Construct Forward, Masonry Restoration, and HVAC training, earning credentials such as OSHA 30, Site Safety Training (SST), Flagging, EPA 608, and hands on technical skills in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical systems through partnerships with Kingsborough Community College and industry employers. The program combines technical training with structured professional development, emphasizing workplace discipline, leadership development, professional etiquette, communication skills, career mentorship, and job placement services to prepare participants for success in professional work environments and skilled trades careers. In partnership with the NYPD 90th Precinct Community Affairs Unit, the initiative will support outreach to justice impacted and disconnected youth, provide workshops that strengthen positive police-community relationships, and engage participants in mentorship and community safety dialogues while also providing case management, stipends for food and transportation, professional clothing, access to technology, direct employer connections, and up to one year of job retention and follow up services to help ensure participants secure and maintain stable employment. 

Request: $1,500,000.00

Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

  1. Recipient: Municipality of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico

Project Tite: Community Safety and Smart Surveillance Initiative

Account: DOJ - State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Justice Grants

Project Description: This project will establish an integrated, technology-driven surveillance network that combines fiber optic infrastructure, wireless communication systems, and strategically deployed high-resolution cameras to create a resilient and scalable public safety platform. This backbone will support the interconnection of critical municipal facilities and surveillance assets. The project will deploy a network of over 140 surveillance points, including PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras and vandal-resistant dome cameras, strategically located along major transportation routes and high-traffic areas to improve situational awareness and deter criminal activity. In addition, the system incorporates solar-powered, self-sustaining camera enclosures with battery backup, ensuring uninterrupted operation during power outages and emergency events. To ensure seamless system integration and real-time monitoring, the project includes the implementation of a centralized Video Management System (VMS) with high-capacity storage servers and dedicated workstations. This platform will enable municipal police and emergency personnel to monitor live feeds, review recorded footage, and utilize analytics to support targeted community policing and rapid incident response. By investing in modern surveillance infrastructure, the Municipality of Yabucoa aims to reduce crime, improve response times, and enhance coordination among public safety agencies. The project is designed with scalability in mind, allowing for future expansion and integration with additional smart city technologies. Ultimately, this initiative represents a critical investment in community safety, resilience, and the modernization of municipal public safety systems.

Request: $971,542.00