Since the early 90s,
LDCCH continues to provide the community it serves with assistance in housing, support and social services through its participation in the Member Item Program (MIP) and Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP). Through these programs, LDCCH offers First-Time Home Buyer Workshops, Home / Property Maintenance Workshops, Tenant Rights Workshops, FDNY Fire Safety Education, Free CPR Class, AARP Certified Driver Safety Course, and information and referrals to government agencies and other organizations that provides assistance and resources for addressing quality of life issues.
The Local Development Corporation of Crown Heights (LDCCH) is a 501(c)(3), New York State incorporated, non-profit organization dedicated to helping the economically disadvantaged overcome hardship. LDCCH helps attract financial resources to the housing stock and commercial sector in Crown Heights. This non-profit community based organization works closely with local elected officials, community leaders and other stakeholders to provide crucial resources to our community residents and local Minority and Women-owned businesses. Through its cooperative relationships with government agencies, other non-profit and business sectors, LDCCH provides affordable housing, educational programs and training, and social services to low and moderate income individuals, families, the elderly, and individuals with special needs. LDCC’s purpose is to build stronger and more vibrant communities by improving the living conditions, financial strength, communication technology, and social status of our residents.
Since its humble beginning in 1987, LDCCH is known for the vital services and programs it has brought to the Crown Heights Community. To date, it has built and renovated over 660 units of affordable housing in Crown Heights. This includes four housing developments with a total of 200 units, and three senior citizen residential apartment buildings with a total of 466 units, not only reducing the affordable housing need of our vulnerable population but also providing crucial supportive services. From the mid 90s until 2007, LDCCH operated a Scattered Site Housing Program which provided housing and social services to individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS.
LDCCH works in collaboration with many local and state organizations in order to combine efforts for the benefits of our entire community. Some of the local organizations and government agencies the LDCCH has joined forces with throughout its existence are: Medgar Evers College/CUNY, Project CARE, BEC New Communities HDFC, Inc., New York City Board of Education (now the Department of Education), Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association, and Brooklyn Community Boards 8 and 9. Additionally, LDCCH is willing and able to accept and make referrals from other local and/or government agencies in order to better serve the needs of our community residents and local businesses.
01 Mission
- To build stronger communities and connect individuals to important resources;
- To advocate for the well-being of every member of our community by developing networks of educational, financial and counseling resources;
- To empower people to overcome hardship;
- To create, develop and operate affordable housing for low income individuals and the elderly;
- To provide social services to the elderly, and low and moderate income individuals and families;
- To provide financial assistance to Minority and Women owned businesses.
02 Vision
Caring about our community residents and the quality of services provided is our reason for being. LDCCH will be sensitive to the needs of all stakeholders in providing services. We will go beyond conventional ideas and approaches so new possibilities and innovation can flourish to ensure real and lasting positive changes in the community we serve. LDCCH envisions a world in which the most vulnerable people will have the power to lift themselves up, take advantage of local opportunities to grow and create vital, healthy lives for their families and communities, now and for the future.
Through its Minority and Women-owned Business Revolving Loan Program, the LDCCH provided financial assistance to local business owners for start-ups or existing businesses in Crown Heights. Loans were available from $2,000 up to $50,000, at affordable rates and reasonable terms. The program was funded by the Empire State Development Corporation, and ran from the early 90s until late 2017.
LDCCH is committed to investing in our young people and opening doors of opportunity for our community residents. To that end, it founded and managed a continuing education computer training and job development program known as Community Resource Information Technology Center (CRITC), to prepare community residents with the training, job readiness, and tools needed to obtain and maintain high salary jobs. LDCCH created the PRIDE Program at W.E.B. Dubois HS, to provide at-risk students with counseling, extracurricular activities, and access to technology and music/video creating equipment, to help them enhance their creativity and keep them engaged. LDCCH also founded the Hip Hop Academy located at the WEB Center in the W.E.B. Dubois HS in Crown Heights. LDCCH planned and built the WEB Center to provide students and the community with access to advanced communication technologies.
From 2004-2008, LDCCH became the local financial administrator of the HIP (Help Involve Parent) Program in New York City. This program was a “State of the Art” educational software system created and operated by Keys Technology Group, Inc., which enables parents, teachers and students to communicate far more efficiently. LDCCH also sponsored an Annual Basketball Tournament where young adults from the community had a great time competing for prizes while playing a dynamic and exciting game.