About Us Target Population and Geographic Area Served
Target Population and Geographic Area Served
Amethyst targets the population of black/African-American, Hispanic, and Russian language speaking women and their intimate partners ranging from 18 to 55 years of age living in Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay and Gravesend. Coney Island has a resident population of 50,000; a number that can burgeon to 500,000 persons or more on a bright summer day. Coney Island attracts sex workers, hustlers, addicts, gang members, and the homeless, who are drawn to the area because of its natural beauty, exotic ambiance, transient population, opportunities for a fast buck, available street drugs, sex worker clientele, and the hoped for generosity of strangers.
According to the NYC Planning Commission (Dec. 2006), the neighborhoods that comprise Community District #13 (CD # 13) include a total of 31 census tracts that include all or part of Coney Island, Seagate, West Brighton, Brighton Beach, Homecrest and Gravesend. This is an area of approximately 3.4 square miles with a total population of 127,564 persons as of 2000. Of this total 57.6% are White, 13.6% are Black/African-American, 14.8% are of Hispanic Origin, 11.8% are Asian, and 2.2% are other. Additionally, the entire area is home to a large concentration of Russian speaking immigrant families mostly in areas of Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay.
Of the 31 census tracts in CD #13, 12 show high concentrations of Black/African-American and Hispanic populations. Seven of the 31 census tracts identified are contiguous and located in Coney Island, four are contiguous and located in West Brighton, and one is isolated in Gravesend where the Marlboro Houses, a large low-income housing project is located. What emerges are relatively small, isolated, densely populated neighborhoods of color where the most vulnerable populations live. Of the combined total of 35,485 Black/African-American and Hispanics living in the 31 census tracks of Community District #13, an incredible 87.4% live in the 12 census tracts previously cited.
The NYC Department of Planning census data shows that within the 12 census tracts cited exist the largest family sizes, the lowest median household incomes, and the highest rates of unemployment in Community District #13. This data supports the fact that in all of CD #13, the areas of greatest need are Coney Island, West Brighton and Gravesend.