What Is ULURP?

  • Made By CUP With:
  • Community Partners
  • Tags:
  • Land Use

This toolkit helps people understand the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process, and how they can have a say in the land-use decisions that impact their neighborhoods.

Community members role play as different government decision-makers, to help understand the many phases of approval in the ULURP process.

ULURP may sound like a monster (and some people think it is), but it stands for Uniform Land Use Review Procedure and it’s the process by which major land-use changes get reviewed and approved in New York City. It’s long, complicated, and involves lots of players, making it difficult for communities to understand how they can have a say in the land-use decisions that impact their neighborhoods.

To help community members understand ULURP — and make sure their concerns are heard during the process — CUP created the workshop and toolkit What Is ULURP? This kit includes a set of activities communities can use to learn about the ULURP process, the different players involved, and the role they play in decision-making.

Inside the toolbox are all the pieces you need to get hands-on with the process. A felt wall chart and player markers make it easy for all participants to see the different approval phases. The included 169-page guidebook uses simple diagrams and case studies to show how ULURP works — and how it sometimes doesn’t work — and provides step-by-step instructions on how to role play the ULURP process.

CUP designed the toolkit in collaboration with designers Lynn Kiang and Katie Lee of Dome, and with the help of dozens of community organizations, advocacy groups, and policy experts.

During the development of the toolkit, more than a thousand community members across NYC participated in What Is ULURP? workshops in community meetings, classrooms, labor meetings, staff trainings for organizers, and many other locations.

Community members participate in a What is ULURP? workshop.
The project team meets to review the design for the toolkit.

“Before, I was at a public hearing on behalf of the union, advocating for worker’s rights. I heard other people speak [but I didn’t know why they were there]. Now, after this workshop, I understand where the community members fit in.”

— Participant, SEIU 32BJ

Check out the Project

The toolkit includes a felt wall chart, player markers for the wall chart, a sandwich diagram, role cards, scripts, player background cards, tent cards, paddles, ULURP voting ballots, a Who’s Who handout, a ULURP process handout, and a 169-page guidebook.

Want A Workshop?

We can arrange workshops anywhere in the five boroughs with 3-4 weeks of notice. Some organizations may qualify for reduced rates depending on the ability to pay, audience reached, and level of customization.

Contact us to find out more.

Are You a Community Group?

CUP is committed to helping housing advocates, community boards, and others teach their constituents about land use and development. Get in touch to find out if you qualify for subsidized pricing.

Contact us to find out more.

Buy the Toolkit

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Buy the Guidebook $15

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Special Thanks

Clara Amenyo, Cassie Ang, Pema Domingo-Barker, Robert Michael Call, Braden Crooks, Ingrid Haftel, Deja Holden, Sam Holleran, Nick Johnson, Lize Mogel, Valeria Mogilevich, Ronald Morrison, Oscar Nuñez, Jazlyn Patricio-Archer, Frampton Tolbert, Jenn Anne Williams, Sandy Xu.

Product Details

168-page, 6-3/4″ × 4-3/4" book

Funding Support

Support for this project was provided by the Mertz Gilmore Foundation; the Nathan Cummings Foundation; the Surdna Foundation; Capital One; M&T Bank; the Neighborhoods First Fund for Community Based Planning; and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.