The new Capital Planning Explorer website. Image Credit: NYC DCP

On December 20, 2021, the Department of City Planning announced the release of the new Capital Planning Explorer, an interactive website that builds on an existing map of city facilities with added details about all City-funded capital projects and geographic views of housing permits. The website’s goal is to make capital planning more transparent.

The Capital Planning Explorer map contains three layers: Capital Planning, Facilities, and New Housing Developments. The Capital Planning layer includes details on funding, which agencies are funding and managing the work, the years the project has been active and future financial commitments. The funded projects found on the map are in the Capital Commitment Plan published by the Office of Management of Budget, which is released three times a year. 

The Facilities map features the locations of almost all City and State facilities citywide. It includes categories like Parks, Gardens and Historical Sites; Libraries and Cultural Programs, Core Infrastructure and Transportation, among others. The map layer initially launched in 2017.

The Human Development layer maps all housing permits citywide, and is color-coded by new construction, alteration, or demolition. The included information about the number and types of housing units helps with the planning process in future capital projects. 

Each dataset is available to download in a machine-readable format. Users can provide feedback and report bugs. 

To visit the new website, click here.

 DCP Director Anita Laremont stated, “As we work to make government increasingly accessible and accountable to the public, Capital Planning Explorer offers information about committed costs and geographies for all City-funded capital improvement projects, as well as stats on housing permits and details for city facilities in all five boroughs. Large or small, being able to see capital projects both completed and committed is essential as we plan for a more equitable New York City.”

DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman stated, “When city government works cohesively, the benefits are endless. Capital Projects bring with them essential improvements to neighborhoods citywide. We are proud to be part of the launch of the Capital Planning Explorer, where information on these projects will be more easily accessible to New Yorkers.”

By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)