Hester Street
Hester Street was a New York City-based nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivered participatory urban planning, design, and community development services to government agencies, community-based organizations, and low-income communities of color before sunsetting operations in August 2024 due to financial unsustainability.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hester Street does
Hester Street, founded in 2003 by Leroy Street Studio, was a New York City-based nonprofit operating at the intersection of urban planning, design, and community development. Over 20+ years, the organization delivered participatory planning, public engagement, and technical assistance services primarily to NYC government agencies (NYC Council, Borough Presidents, Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice) and community-based organizations, while centering low-income communities and communities of color in land use, housing, and environmental justice decisions. Across its lifetime, Hester Street supported over 300 community-based partners, engaged more than 500,000 community members, helped direct over $750 million of public investment into low-income communities, and secured more than $50 million for community-owned capital projects.
The organization's core deliverable was a portfolio of engagement-driven programs and tooling rather than a single product. Key programs included the Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn (with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso), the District 35 Land Use Planning Framework (engaging 1,200+ constituents), the EJNYC Report and interactive Mapping Tool (developed with the Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice and Buro Happold under Local Laws 60 and 64), Renewable Ravenswood (with Rise Light & Power and Attentive Energy), the Lincoln Center campus participatory planning process (with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and NADAAA, engaging ~3,400 community members), NYC Asylum Survey Reports (with Make the Road New York), and the Radical Imagination for Racial Justice (RIRJ) initiative (with Surdna Foundation). Underlying technology consisted of community engagement methodologies, participatory planning toolkits, geospatial mapping (ArcGIS-based EJNYC mapping tool), data analysis pipelines, and replicable engagement tools for focus groups, surveys, and community events.
Hester Street's revenue model combined three streams: foundation grants (Surdna Foundation funding the RIRJ initiative), government contracts from NYC municipal bodies for planning and engagement services, and donations/event sponsorships. Pricing was not commercially disclosed because services were delivered through partnership and contract structures rather than fee-for-service pricing. Operating from 113 Hester Street in New York with 11-50 employees, the organization announced on August 27, 2024 that it would sunset its current operations due to an unsustainable financial model, subsequently launching the "Hester Street Open Source" online archive to preserve its methodological tools for ongoing practitioner use.
Hester Street firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hester Street
- Legal name
- Hester Street
- Website
- https://hesterstreet.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hester Street was a New York City-based nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivered participatory urban planning, design, and community development services to government agencies, community-based organizations, and low-income communities of color before sunsetting operations in August 2024 due to financial unsustainability.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hester Street industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development and Urban Planning Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)
Keywords
Where Hester Street is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hester Street business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants: Received funding from foundations such as Surdna Foundation to support grant programs like the Radical Imagination for Racial Justice (RIRJ) initiative providing grants and technical assistance to community-based organizations.
- Government Contracts: Received funding from NYC City Council, Borough Presidents' offices, and municipal agencies for planning and community engagement projects.
- Donations: Accepted end-of-year donations and event sponsorships to support operations and mission.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Hester Street product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hester Street was an urban planning, design, and community development nonprofit that delivered community engagement, participatory planning, and technical assistance services to government agencies and community-based organizations. Its work centered low-income communities and communities of color, producing planning frameworks, environmental justice research and mapping tools, and capacity-building programs across New York City.
Product overview
Hester Street was an urban planning, design and community development nonprofit offering a portfolio of community engagement and planning services centered on ensuring neighborhoods are shaped by the people who live in them. The organization worked across three focus areas—Equitable Places and Spaces, Environmental Justice, and Thriving Communities—providing technical assistance in participatory design, neighborhood planning, data analysis, and strategic communications. Major programs included the District 35 Land Use Planning Framework, Environmental Justice for All (EJNYC) mapping initiative, Lincoln Center participatory planning, NYC Asylum Survey Reports, Renewable Ravenswood community engagement, the Radical Imagination for Racial Justice (RIRJ) grant initiative, and the Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn. The organization sunsetted operations in August 2024 after 20 years of operation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hester Street Open Source: An online archive created after the organization's sunset to preserve and share the methodological tools developed by Hester Street, intended to provide replicable models for practitioners and community leaders.
Products and services
- Community Planning and Engagement Services Comprehensive community engagement, participatory design, and planning services that center low-income communities and communities of color in shaping their neighborhoods, delivered to government agencies and community-based organizations.
- Environmental Justice for All: EJNYC A collaborative initiative with NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice that produced an environmental justice report and an interactive mapping tool analyzing disparities in environmental benefits and burdens citywide, fulfilling Local Laws 60 and 64 of 2017.
- District 35 Land Use Planning Framework A community-informed land use framework developed for Brooklyn's Council District 35 that engaged over 1,200 constituents to establish parameters for future development guided by community priorities under ULURP.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Participatory Planning Participatory planning and public engagement process to reimagine Lincoln Center's Amsterdam Avenue campus, gathering input from approximately 3,400 community members through surveys, focus groups, and community events.
- NYC Asylum Survey Report Community surveys and research reports designed with Make the Road New York to identify gaps in asylum seekers' access to resources and develop policy recommendations for local and federal government.
- Renewable Ravenswood Community engagement partnership with Rise Light & Power to ensure community voices are centered in the conversion of the Ravenswood Generating Station into a clean renewable energy hub, with a focus on environmental justice for surrounding communities.
- Radical Imagination for Racial Justice (RIRJ) A grant-making and technical assistance initiative in partnership with the Surdna Foundation that supports community-based organizations using arts and culture to advance racial and environmental justice across multiple cohorts.
- Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn Long-term boroughwide planning initiative with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to guide land use decisions and address public health and housing needs across Brooklyn.
- Bronx Community Foundation Strategic Planning Community-driven engagement process informing the Bronx Community Foundation's new strategic plan, collaborating with 23 community-based organizations and engaging over 1,000 Bronx residents through 18 community events.
- Jim Diego Fellowship An immersive 10-week fellowship program for graduate students of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, and other underrepresented voices in the fields of architecture, urban planning, and design.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported over 300 community-based partners
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hester Street
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hester Street technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Hester Street partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AfrikanacorePartnered with Hester Street and Make the Road NY to conduct a second survey of NYC migrants, specifically focusing on African migrants. Co-published follow-up asylum survey report.
- NYC Council Member Julie WoncorePartnered on comprehensive community planning for District 26 in Queens, specifically leading outreach and engagement for the Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue Study covering Astoria, Sunnyside, and Woodside neighborhoods.
- Lincoln Center for Performing ArtscoreHester Street partnered with LCPA to conduct participatory planning and public engagement for reimagining the Amsterdam Avenue side of Lincoln Center's campus. HST gathered input from approximately 3,400 community members through surveys, focus groups, and community events to inform the redesign plans.
- NADAAAcoreArchitecture and urban design firm partnered with Hester Street and Lincoln Center to gather community input for the campus redesign visioning process.
- Make the Road New YorkcoreLongtime partner collaborating on asylum seeker surveys in Queens. Distributed surveys to 766+ asylum seekers, analyzed data, and co-published reports 'Displaced and Disconnected' and 'Leaving Behind the Newest New Yorkers' with findings and policy recommendations.
- Bronx Community FoundationcorePartnered to design and implement a Bronx-wide community-driven engagement process for BxCF's new strategic plan. Collaborated with 23 CBOs to orchestrate 18 community events engaging 1,000+ Bronxites.
- NYC Council Member Crystal HudsoncorePartnered to develop Planning Together for our Future: Development Framework for Council District 35. HST engaged over 1,200 constituents through surveys, public meetings, focus groups, and advisory committees to create a community-informed land use framework.
- NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental JusticecoreCollaborated with MOCEJ and Buro Happold to support research and development for the NYC Environmental Justice for All (EJNYC) Report and Mapping Tool. The report and tool fulfill Local Laws 60 and 64 mandate to study environmental justice citywide.
- Buro HappoldcoreEngineering and design firm collaborated with Hester Street to research, draft sections of the EJNYC Report, and design and develop the interactive mapping tool.
- Rise Light & PowercorePartnered on Renewable Ravenswood initiative to embed deep community engagement into the process of converting Ravenswood Generating Station into a clean renewable energy hub. Focused on ensuring benefits accrue to communities bearing environmental justice burdens.
- Attentive EnergycorePartnered with Hester Street and Rise Light & Power on the Renewable Ravenswood community engagement process.
- Brooklyn Borough President Antonio ReynosocoreContracted by the Borough President's office as comprehensive plan outreach and community engagement partner for The Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn, a long-term boroughwide plan addressing land use, public health and housing needs.
- Regional Plan AssociationcoreCollaborated with RPA and New York Academy of Medicine on The Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn planning process.
- New York Academy of MedicinecorePartnered with Brooklyn Borough President and Regional Plan Association on The Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn, contributing health expertise to the planning process.
- WE ACTcoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) focused on building community solar networks in Hunts Point, Bronx.
- The Point CDCcoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) advancing racial and environmental justice through arts and culture in the Bronx.
- El PuentecoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) supporting cultural and environmental preservation efforts.
- Casa PueblocoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) supporting community solar networks in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.
- RISE RockawaycoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) supporting environmental preservation efforts in Rockaway communities.
- GLITScoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) advancing racial and environmental justice.
- Futures IgnitecoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) expanding access to green space in Washington Heights.
- Parceleras AfroCaribeñascoreFirst cohort RIRJ grantee (2021-2022) supporting local cultural preservation efforts.
- Centro para la Reconstrucción del HábitatcoreThird cohort RIRJ grantee (2023) working in Piñones, Loíza, Puerto Rico on transforming vacant properties into community assets for housing, environmental, and cultural resiliency.
- Chhaya CDCcoreThird cohort RIRJ grantee (2023) engaging Richmond Hill's South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities to create the Richmond Hill Community Art Hub.
- Little Manila Queens Bayanihan ArtscoreThird cohort RIRJ grantee (2023) exploring connections between textile waste, climate justice, colonialism, and immigration through public space activations for the Filipino diaspora.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hester Street competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development with planning and policy capabilities. Comparable in mission but operates at portfolio scale across many geographies rather than NYC-focused participatory planning.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI providing financing, capacity building, and technical assistance for community development. Overlaps with Hester Street's CBO technical assistance model but operates at much greater scale and as a financial intermediary rather than planning consultant.
Direct peers
- Regional Plan Association: Independent nonprofit regional planning organization serving the NYC tri-state region. Directly comparable to Hester Street in mission around inclusive, research-driven urban planning and policy, though RPA operates at a regional rather than neighborhood scale.
- UPROSE: Brooklyn-based community development organization integrating environmental justice, climate resilience, and youth-led participatory planning. Comparable to Hester Street's neighborhood-scale environmental justice and community engagement work.
- NYC Environmental Justice Alliance: NYC-wide membership coalition advancing environmental justice through policy advocacy and community-driven planning. Directly comparable to Hester Street's EJNYC work and environmental justice engagement with frontline communities.
- Pratt Center for Community Development: NYC-based nonprofit affiliated with Pratt Institute providing community development planning, policy research, and technical assistance to low-income neighborhoods. Closest direct peer to Hester Street in combining planning expertise with community-led practice.
- Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development: NYC coalition of 100+ community groups working on housing, neighborhood preservation, and equitable development. Comparable as an intermediary organization supporting CBOs on planning, land use, and policy advocacy in NYC.
- Center for Urban Pedagogy: NYC nonprofit using design, art, and pedagogy to increase equitable civic participation in urban planning and policy. Closely comparable methodology to Hester Street's participatory design and engagement toolkit approach.
Others
- Make the Road New York: NYC immigrant-led community organizing group that partnered with Hester Street on asylum seeker surveys. Not a direct competitor—functions as an ecosystem partner and CBO constituency rather than a planning service provider.
Regional players
- WE ACT for Environmental Justice: Northern Manhattan-based environmental justice organization with comparable community-led and EJ mapping work in NYC. Functions more as an advocacy organization than a planning consultant but shares overlap in EJ tools and frontline community partnerships.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hester Street social profiles
Digital presenceHester Street financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hester Street leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Hester Street funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hester Street M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hester Street
What does Hester Street do?
Hester Street was an urban planning, design, and community development nonprofit that delivered community engagement, participatory planning, and technical assistance services to government agencies and community-based organizations. Its work centered low-income communities and communities of color, producing planning frameworks, environmental justice research and mapping tools, and capacity-building programs across New York City.
Is Hester Street a public or private company?
Hester Street is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently closed.
When was Hester Street founded?
Hester Street was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hester Street based?
Hester Street is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hester Street make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Contracts and donations.
Who are Hester Street's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Enterprise Community Partners and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Direct peers are Regional Plan Association, UPROSE, NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, Pratt Center for Community Development, Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development and Center for Urban Pedagogy. Make the Road New York is listed as an others. WE ACT for Environmental Justice is listed as a regional player.
Does Hester Street have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hester Street.
What industry is Hester Street in?
Hester Street's product category is Community Development and Urban Planning Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAD, Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning), with a secondary code of BPAIANAE, Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives). Its NAICS code is 541320.