New York (WRGB) — Gov. Hochul announced a new $5 million initiative aimed at supporting young people and continuing to drive down gun violence in New York City, with funding intended to create or expand trusted neighborhood “havens” in each of the city’s five boroughs.

The Havens of Opportunity, Peace and Empowerment (HOPE) initiative will provide awards enabling organizations to establish and enhance safe, supportive spaces with consistent, high-quality programming for youth and families in communities with high rates of gun violence. The initiative is administered by the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention, part of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Gov. Hochul said,

Public safety is my top priority, and our nation-leading gun laws and prevention programs are making real change across New York’s communities. In 2025, shootings fell to the lowest levels on record statewide. To build on that progress, we’re continuing to invest in the communities most impacted by gun violence. The HOPE initiative will create safe, supportive spaces for young people and families, helping break cycles of violence and making our state safer for all.

The HOPE initiative is designed to establish a new neighborhood haven or expand an existing one in each borough: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The sites are expected to offer culturally relevant, trauma-informed programming focused on healing, connection and skill-building, with an emphasis on serving individuals up to age 24 during high-risk evening hours from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends.

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said,

We thank Governor Hochul for her continued leadership in reducing gun violence and investing in the communities most impacted by it. These neighborhood havens will provide trusted spaces for youth and families, helping build stronger communities and stop violence before it starts.

Calliana S. Thomas, director of the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention said,

We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued leadership in advancing a public health approach to gun violence prevention. Through the HOPE initiative, we are investing in the communities most impacted by gun violence by creating trusted neighborhood havens that foster safety, healing, and opportunity. Just as importantly, this model builds the capacity of local grassroots organizations, ensuring that the leadership, resources, and solutions are rooted in the communities closest to the work. This is how we create lasting change.

The announcement builds on Hochul’s broader gun-violence strategy and budget proposals. The state said Hochul has invested $1.27 billion in gun violence reduction, interdiction and prevention initiatives since taking office. Her FY27 Executive Budget proposal continues record-level funding for several programs, including $36.4 million for the Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative, $21 million for SNUG Street Outreach programs, $20 million for Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower), and $42 million for the state’s Youth Employment Program.

The FY27 Executive Budget also includes proposals aimed at “the deadly threat of 3-D printed firearms, and illegal switches, the size of a Lego brick, that convert handguns into rapid-fire machine guns,” with the state noting that police and prosecutors support efforts to combat what it described as an emerging “plastic pipeline.”

Elected officials and law enforcement leaders praised the new funding, emphasizing prevention and youth programming alongside enforcement.

Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said,

We here in New York know that eradicating the scourge of gun violence needs to be a top priority. That is why over the last few years we have made major investments in initiatives to combat this ill in our society. Because of that, we’re seeing the fruits of that labor. Shooting Incidents in New York City have decreased dramatically since 2022. Last year New York City experienced the safest year ever for gun violence, with fewest shooting incidents and shooting victims in recorded history. That trend continues as New York City saw the fewest murders and shooting incidents for the first quarter of the year in recorded history. Although we should rightfully be proud of these statistics, there is still more work to do. Funding through the HOPE initiative will help those on the ground address gun violence for what it is, a public health issue, and promote youth well-being through community-driven solutions by providing safe, supportive spaces for youth and families.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said,

In Manhattan, we’ve seen firsthand that the safest neighborhoods are the ones where young people have real opportunities and support. In partnership with DA Bragg, we’ve focused on both accountability and prevention, but we know enforcement alone isn’t enough. During my time in the State Senate, I worked to strengthen New York’s gun safety laws and crack down on illegal firearms. That’s why Governor Hochul’s HOPE initiative is so important. It invests in the community-based organizations already doing the work on the ground, from Inwood to the Battery. By expanding mentorship, safe spaces, and programming for at-risk youth, we can break cycles of violence and keep Manhattan families safe.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said,

Gun violence continues to take an immense toll on our youth and families across our borough, and it is a public safety crisis that we must address with urgency and intention. Investments like the HOPE initiative recognize that true public safety starts with prevention, creating pathways for success, resources, and trusted spaces that support our youth and communities. The funding for this initiative will help expand the community-driven solutions that interrupt cycles of violence and keep our residents safe. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for her continued partnership and commitment to keeping our neighborhoods safe from crime and violence.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. said,

Gun violence remains a persistent threat to the safety and stability of our communities, and while shootings are down nearly 70% in Manhattan, continuing to drive down shootings requires sustained investment in prevention. The HOPE initiative delivers exactly that – targeted funding to expand safe, supportive spaces and programming for those most impacted by these senseless cycles of violence, particularly young people. By engaging youth early and strengthening community-based resources we can save lives, and I applaud Governor Hochul for her continued leadership and commitment to protecting New Yorkers.

Staten Island District Attorney Mike McMahon said,

While Staten Island and New York State as a whole witnessed record lows in shootings and violent crime last year, more must be done to protect our communities from the deadly scourge of gun violence. My office proudly maintains a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to gun violence and prosecute our cases accordingly, however, preventative and supportive programming are also critically important to defeating this public safety and health crisis. A multi-million-dollar investment in public safety, Governor Hochul’s HOPE initiative will bolster the efforts of local anti-violence organizations, create safe havens for the communities most impacted by gun violence, and help put an end to the cycle of violence and trauma plaguing far too many young people and families. I look forward to the opportunities and safer streets this initiative will foster and thank Governor Hochul for investing in community-based programming and prevention efforts which will help keep Staten Island the safest community of its size in the country.

Under the program, approximately $5 million will be available to support five nonprofit, community-based organizations-one in each borough. Qualified organizations in each borough are limited to submitting one application for up to $1 million to support a neighborhood-based haven, with contracts running for two years.

Additional details are posted on the DCJS funding webpage. Questions about the request for applications must be submitted to dcjsfunding@dcjs.ny.gov by Wednesday, April 29, and responses will be posted on or about Wednesday, May 13.