Frequently Asked Questions
What about Manhattan (the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island)?
We would love to add other boroughs to the map and see vacant lots in all five boroughs used by their communities. Getting the data for the boroughs isn't the difficult part--organizing and talking to community groups in those boroughs is.
If you are passionate about getting this data in your borough and are interested in doing the (non-technical) work involved, please contact us.
If you are interested in data for Mahattan, join us at See Squat on June 16; for Queens, come to Flux Factory on June 20. Click the links for details about these events.
What if I'm in another city? Where do I start looking for land that my neighbors and I can use?
The place to start is the City or County Property Register, which will tell you definitively who owns what. Usually, the regislter is set up for use by those who have a particular property in mind. You'll want to find out how to contact the office that maintains the Register in your city or county and call them: ask how to get a list or map of public land. Your CityPlanning Department might also be a help. We started our project with data, but if you have a particular property in mind, you'll be able to follow the steps we outline in the graphic here below.
Why isn't the vacant lot near me on this map?
Our map only shows land that is owned by the NYC government and is marked as vacant in the Department of City Planning's database. If you know of a vacant lot that is not on this map, chances are good that it's privately owned. The best way to be sure is to look for the lot on OASIS. The tab marked "Location Report" should contain the owner and links to more information regarding the lot. For a tutorial on how to access information about this particular lot on OASIS, go here and click on "How do I access information about locations on the map?"
There's a lot I want to work on getting control of for my community. Where do I start?
There are a lot of possible steps. To give you a sense of them, we made the diagram below. You can also download the PDF version.
I'm about to call or email a city agency -- what should I say?
You'll need the identifying information about the lot you are interested in handy - the Block and Lot number is crucial; the address, if the lot has one, is also nice.
This site gives you contact information for the person for each piece of vacant public land who we think has the ability to tell you it's status and give you permission to use it. Sometimes our sluething is off -- or sometimes people change jobs. When you call, start by asking if they are the person you should speak to about a vacant property in North/South Brooklyn. If they're not, ask who is (and remember to tell 596 Acres!).
If they are, tell them you are calling from a neighborhood organization. Describe the lot, how long it's been empty. Give the Block and Lot number and maybe the address.
Ask if such an interim use plan would be compatible with the agency's timeline for the "real" plan. Say you would like to sign a license agreement that would be revokable at any time -- offer to send a sample.
Make sure you get the email of the person who you are talking to. Follow up with a note and copy 596acres@gmail.com. We can help you negotiate the licence.
We would also love to get a note from you describing what you learned on the phone -- add your Note to the page for the lot you are calling about so that we can all learn from your experience.
There's this privately owned vacant-lot that people could use. How do I get started?
This is a great opportunity for your neighborhood and the wider 596 Acres community. Two ways you could start:
1. If you'd like to be involved in the project yourself, put a sign on the fence to the lot telling your neighbors that you have permission to use it and how to reach you to start scheming for how to do so this spring.
2. If you're looking for other people to spearhead the effort (and take care of things like insurance and fundraising), we can add your lot to our interactive map to draw people to your budding project that way. Let us know the address of the lot and if you'd like to do that. We have been talking about adding a layer for private lots that people WANT community uses on and this would be a great way for us to start building that layer. Click the contact button to get in touch with us.
I work at a school. My students would really benefit from being involved in a garden. How do I start?
You can see where there is vacant public land and gardens on public land using our map. Another good tool that might help you find an existing garden to plug into is Garden Maps (it shows gardens on public AND private land). You might also want to reach out to GrowNYC's Grow To Learn Program -- they are a school gardens program that might be able to give you the tools you need to go forward. They are a funded NYC program.
What's the difference between a licence and a lease?
A license gives you permission to do something or be somewhere. It can be taken away at any time because it is given freely.
A lease is a contract that can't be taken away by one party because both sides are actually giving up something to be a part of the relationship. When you pay rent to a landlord, you are giving up money and they are giving up the right to rent the space to someone else or use it themselves. You have a contract.
What about insurance?
You need general liability insurance for your project so that if someone gets hurt, they can get care and no one will have to pay for it personally. Insurance sounds intimidating. That said, there are great New York City organizations that support our goals and already carry insurance policies that are big enough to cover 596 Acres projects. We will work with you to find one that will share its policy with your site for free.
If you are at organization that carries general liability insurance for volunteers and would be willing to share it by adding more sites, please let us know. We'd love to connect you with sites that need insurance (and volunteers!).
What if my group needs a lawyer?
Community Development Project of Urban Justice Center provides legal help for base building, and leadership development oriented community organizations and worker cooperatives. Attorneys offer legal advice and assistance to grassroots organizations in a variety of areas, including incorporation and tax exemption, complying with non-profit, employment and tax laws, and real estate and lease issues. They also help groups of workers establish worker-owned cooperative businesses. For more information visit http://cdp-ny.org, or call 646-459-3017.