Here is some of our work in understanding and facilitating community health.

Community Revitalization in New Cassel, New York

This study documents the continuing community revitalization taking place in the hamlet of New
Cassel, focusing on the decade from 1998 to 2008.
In 2002, after four years of community outreach,
education, and organization, more than 800
community residents and stakeholders developed
a comprehensive Vision Plan describing their hopes
for New Cassel during a facilitated community
participation process. Formally adopted by the
Town of North Hempstead in 2003, this plan has
helped a committed multilevel government
partnership raise more than $80 million in public
and private funding and guides the ongoing
renewal work.


Download the full report  
(72 pages of text and illustrations - 3.3mb)

Download the executive summary  
(11 pages - 1.1mb)

 

 

 

 

 

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Sustainable Long Island —a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic growth, environmental health, and equal opportunity on Long Island—acted as a catalyst and facilitator in support of this renewal process and sponsored this research to encourage celebrations of the many revitalization accomplishments as well as to provide a case study with an emphasis on the institutions, partnerships, and processes that helped make them possible.

At the turn of the 21stcentury, New Cassel suffered from the effects of race, gender, and class segregation and discrimination; a lack of affordable housing; no downtown center; environmental contamination; overcrowded housing; and community despair and discord.

As 2008 comes to a close, many New Cassel residents feel their community is both cleaner and safer than it was in the 1980s and 1990s. Residents note with delight the construction of seven(soon to be nine) new buildings in downtown New Cassel, most of which are nearing completion. Soon the community will be served by more affordable housing and a new park; a bank, full-service grocery store, and pharmacy among other new and expanded businesses; and a new community center. To support a safe, attractive, and “walkable” downtown center, next year a streetscaping program will transform the portion of Prospect Avenue that runs through New Cassel, adding broad sidewalks with outdoor seating, community art, and traffic calming. Some elements of the rebirth—such as the summer youth programs and community participation in planning processes—are not visible but are equally important to the community’s health.


This case study was conducted under the auspices of The National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University(NCSS). NCSS is a non-partisan research institution dedicated to promoting objective, academically rigorous study of suburbia's problems, as well as its promise. Mary Ann Allison was the Principal Investigator.

New Cassel Revitalization Map and
example of progress as of December 2008