Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY
About Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn. The neighborhood sits between Crown Heights and East Flatbush to the west and East New York to the east. The area is predominantly residential, but shows its rich neighborhood life through many community gardens and community-led civic organizations.
Long notorious for its concentrated poverty and high crime, the neighborhood still faces challenges. Median income is less than half the city average and the neighborhood still has some of the city’s highest crime rates.
History of Brownsville
Dutch settlers used the area for farming and manufacturing stone slabs for buildings and the area remained rural into the 19th century. The inexpensive land - swampy and downwind of the glue factories on Jamaica Bay - was subdivided for modest workers’ housing in the mid-19th century. A developer named Charles Brown led the project and named the new neighborhood after himself. The first residents in the new development were Jewish factory workers who commuted to manufacturing jobs in Lower Manhattan or worked in new factories that were built up in the neighborhood. Into the early 20th century the population was predominantly Jewish, with more than 80 percent of the population Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe. Margaret Sanger established the first birth control clinic in the country in the neighborhood in 1916. Beginning in the 1930s, the demographics of the neighborhood shifted. New immigration laws limited the number of new Jewish arrivals and the more established second-generation families relocated elsewhere. Meanwhile, Black residents from the South arrived in large numbers (as part of the Great Migration). At the same time the neighborhood became predominantly Black and Puerto Rican in the 1950s, factories and stores in the neighborhood shuttered, which cut off economic opportunities for new residents. Poverty rates increased, as did crime. By the 1970s, general divestment and arson ravaged the physical structures of the neighborhood and the area became notorious for its concentrated poverty. From the 1980s through today, there has been considerable investment in new affordable housing and community improvement. However, the rate of poverty in the neighborhood is still double the city average. The neighborhood has largely not seen the gentrification that has transformed other Brooklyn neighborhoods over the past decades.
Demographics of Brownsville
Brownsville is home to about 75,000 residents. Compared to the citywide average, the neighborhood has more teenagers, but fewer young adults in their 20s and 30s. Three-quarters of residents in the neighborhood are Black and about a fifth are Hispanic or Latino (mostly Dominican and Puerto Rican).The median income in the neighborhood is less than half of the citywide average. A quarter of households get by on less than $10,000 a year and there are very few high-income-earning households.
Transportation in Brownsville
Brownsville is within reach of several subway lines. The 3 train passes right through the neighborhood, with stops at Sutter Ave., Saratoga Ave. Rockaway Ave. and Junius St. The L train marks the neighborhood’s eastern border and has stops at Atlantic, Sutter, Livonia, and New Lots Aves. The A and C line is just north of the neighborhood, including an express A stop at Broadway Jct. Several bus routes also traverse the neighborhood. For drivers, Atlantic Ave. and Linden Blvd. are the main routes through the neighborhood.
Housing in Brownsville
Brownsville is dominated by NYCHA public housing buildings, which make up about a third of housing units in the neighborhood. NYCHA has more units in Brownsville than any other neighborhood. In the northern portion of Brownsville limestone and brownstone rowhouses and older apartment buildings are common. In the southern portion, small brick rowhouses and duplexes are more common. Vacant lots are widespread in the area.
Neighborhood Life in Brownsville
The neighborhood is predominantly residential. Pitkin Ave., the historic commercial street, is lined with take-out restaurants and discount stores, as well as a number of vacant storefronts. Community life here is strong. Many vacant lots have been redeveloped as community gardens, block parties are popular throughout the neighborhood, and numerous grassroots groups are working to tackle challenges the neighborhood faces from long-term divestment. Betsy Head Park, which has a large pool and several ball fields, is the only major park in the neighborhood, but there are several small playgrounds and a few other green spaces.
Similar Neighborhoods to Brownsville, Brooklyn
Real Estate Trends in Brownsville
Average sale prices in Brownsville have been trending upward for several years, but prices are still considerably below the Brooklyn average. Some buyers see bargains with single family homes prices below $500,000. The overall number of transactions is still low, too (there were fewer than 40 sales in the neighborhood in 2019). Public housing makes up a large portion of the housing units in the neighborhood and much of the recent development has also been affordable homes for lower-income residents, so the neighborhood does not have the same development pressures on home prices as other areas of the borough.
The Truth About Brownsville
How Safe is Brownsville?
Crime in the area has decreased substantially since the 1990s (as it has across the city. However, Brownsville still has some of the highest crime rates anywhere in New York, including the highest rates of violent crime and assault. Gang-related gun violence is a persistent problem in the neighborhood.
Are the Schools in Brownsville Good?
Brownsville has several conventional public schools and charter schools which have widely varying performance. Brownsville Ascend Charter School, Leadership Preparatory Brownsville Charter School, and P.S. 189 Lincoln Terrace, all score high marks for student performance. P.S. 184 Newport, P.S. 150 Christopher, and P.S. 198 Dr. Betty Shabazz have posted disappointing results.
Popular Eateries in Brownsville
Things to Do in Brownsville
Taste West Indian food at several beloved neighborhood restaurants.
Jog the running track or swim in the large outdoor pool at Betsy Head Park.
Check out Writing on the Walls murals, just off Belmont Ave.
Practice your serve at the Lincoln Terrace Park Tennis Courts.
Is Brownsville Dog Friendly?
There are no official dog runs and relatively few parks of any sort in Brownsville. However, some homes in the neighborhood may be more dog friendly. Many houses in the neighborhood have small backyards; these units with outdoor access may have room for dogs to get outside. Check out the yard and streets around a potential home if you plan to bring a dog to your new home.
Is Brownsville Good for Cyclists?
Brownsville is not the most bike-friendly neighborhood. There are few dedicated on-street bike lanes, though most streets are residential and relatively quiet so may be comfortable for most riders. The neighborhood sits at the end of Eastern Parkway, whose 2.5 miles of tree-shaded bikeways lead to Prospect Park and connect to points across Brooklyn.
3 Things to Know Before Moving to Brownsville
New affordable housing is planned and under construction at several sites in the neighborhood. The city has promised to add 2,500 more affordable apartments in the neighborhood in the next several years. Many of these new buildings will fill in empty lots in the neighborhood.
Betsy Head Park - the only large park in the neighborhood - has some brand new renovations, including new turf fields, a fitness area, and a skate park.
Upgrades are planned at the Brownsville Recreation Center. The proposed design would add new classrooms and space for after-school classes and also renovate the pool and gym.