NYC Launching Neighborhood-Specific Websites to Educate Residents

There are a couple of hard truths about New York City. First, obviously, it’s huge. Second, many of its inhabitants are not native to the five boroughs. As a result of these facts (and the city’s fast-paced nature), many urban dwellers are uneducated about their neighborhoods. Recognizing a teachable moment, Mayor Bill de Blasio has created websites to provide residents with neighborhood-specific information.

The sites, which will fall under the Neighborhoods.nyc umbrella and be named after the various communities within the city, were created via a public-private partnership between de Blasio’s office and local tech startup Vizalytics, GCN.com reports. After entering a neighborhood in the search field, residents are directed to information about the weather, school closings, and the status of scheduled garbage and recycling pickups.

Commuters will probably be the most grateful for Metropolitan Transportation Authority updates. If trains are running late or out of service, the websites will offer alerts and details.

In addition, users can access 311 through the sites to make complaints or payments. According to de Blasio, they’ll bring New Yorkers closer to the world outside of their homes.

“It’s easier than ever for New Yorkers to engage with their communities at the touch of a button,” de Blasio said, according to a statement.

A total of 400 sites (one for each neighborhood), in 13 languages, will launch early next year. They’re the perfect example of what technology is supposed to do: Simplify life for those using it.