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Hinge Neighbors Inc
Rochester, NY · EIN 824683673 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE S22 · Community Improvement · Micro (<$100K) · hingeneighbors.com
revenue
$9K
expenses
$12K
net assets
$41K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

We use a place led approach to create a profitable neighborhood development and housing master plan. We are committed to following a community-driven process to connect two distinct neighborhoods. This approach will leverage the assets of each to build one growing community. The power of placemaking is demonstrated by forging community partnerships and collaborations countering community skepticism, ensuring neighborhood maintenance and sustainability. We organize, empower and involve residents and community partners currently separated by the Inner Loop to create a cohesive neighborhood using an engaged, transparent and inclusive planning process for executing the Inner Loop North plan. Our values of community, communication, creation, compassion & equity will guide this work. The result will be an interconnected community of residents and business owners working together to create and sustain a thriving neighborhood.

profile · synthesized from sources

Hinge Neighbors Inc is a Rochester, NY-based nonprofit focused on community-driven urban development, specifically reconnecting neighborhoods divided by the former Inner Loop highway. The organization uses placemaking, public engagement, and advocacy to empower residents and guide equitable redevelopment. It works to amplify community voices in planning processes and foster inclusive, walkable urban spaces.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Composers’ Crossing
Community beautification project that transformed a downtown intersection into an interactive, piano-key-themed crosswalk using public art and technology.
Inner Loop North Transformation
Community-driven initiative to remove the elevated Inner Loop highway and reconnect Rochester neighborhoods through walkable, mixed-use development and public spaces.
Lewis Street Mural Project
Community-wide public art initiative celebrating the history and residents of the Lewis Street neighborhood through a large-scale mural.
Live on the Loop
Community design and activation event series that temporarily repurposes highway infrastructure for public use, featuring music, art, food, and participatory planning activities.
Scio Street Talks
Public dialogue series led by artist and Vice President Shawn Dunwoody to engage residents in discussions about urban development and community identity.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Neighborhood Civic Engagement 2 activities
    • Facilitate community-driven planning for the Inner Loop North transformation
      Organizes residents and community partners separated by the Inner Loop to co-develop land use plans, engage with city consultants, and influence street design and zoning through inclusive, transparent processes. This includes developing a community-informed general plan and neighborhood development master plan.
    • Host community engagement events to strengthen neighborhood cohesion
      Regularly hosts events such as community clean-ups, garden spruce-ups, public celebrations, and thought exercises to foster connection among neighbors and support active civic participation in Rochester.
  • Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 1 activity
    • Advocate for the Inner Loop North Transformation project
      Engages in sustained advocacy efforts to advance the removal and redevelopment of the Inner Loop highway infrastructure in Rochester, promoting equitable urban redesign and community reconnection.
  • Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
    • Implement public space improvements through community collaboration
      Designs and installs human-centered public space enhancements such as murals, fruit trees, picnic tables, benches, sanitization stations, and interactive art installations (e.g., piano-key crosswalks) in collaboration with residents, youth, and local artists.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$9K
Contributions & grants$9K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$12K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$41K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$41K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -16.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 7
  • Annabelle Kleist — Director
  • Debora McDell-Hernandez — Director (Through June 2025)
  • Heidi Zimmer-Meyer — Director
  • John Rodriquez — Director
  • Kathryn Kleist — Director
  • Kevin Graham — Director
  • Mimi Freund Tilton — Director (Beginning May 2025)
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • AARP Partner — Collaborated with Hinge Neighbors to close the Scio Street Bridge and host a community event celebrating the Inner Loop North highway removal.
  • AARP Partner — Provided major support for the Live on the Loop community design initiative.
  • Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Partner — Community partner supporting Hinge Neighbors' mission.
  • City of Rochester Partner — Collaborates with Hinge Neighbors on the Inner Loop North Transformation project.
  • Congressman Morelle Government — Recognized for efforts in securing federal funding for the Inner Loop North Transformation.
  • ESL Credit Union Partner — Partner that highlighted Hinge Neighbors' work in community discussions about the Inner Loop North Project.
  • ESL Federal Credit Union Partner — Community partner supporting Hinge Neighbors' mission.
  • Inner Loop Partner — Collaborates with stakeholders associated with the Inner Loop to connect communities and execute the Inner Loop North plan.
  • Inner Loop North Partner — Community area with which Hinge Neighbors engaged residents and stakeholders prior to road demolition and reconstruction.
  • Lewis Street Committee Partner — Collaborated to develop presentations for the City of Rochester, City Council, and the Mayor of Rochester.
  • Mayor Malik D. Evans Government — Recognized for vision and commitment to the Inner Loop North Transformation project.
  • New Bethel Church Partner — Collaborated with students and community members to develop presentations for city officials.
  • PathStone Corporation Partner — Collaborates with PathStone Corporation through board member Kevin Graham, who serves as Deputy for Energy Programs there.
  • Residents and community partners separated by the Inner Loop North Partner — Collaborates with residents and community partners affected by the Inner Loop North to amplify neighborhood voices in city planning discussions.
  • Rochester Area Community Foundation Partner — Community partner supporting Hinge Neighbors' mission through strategic grantmaking.
  • Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Partner — Partnered through W. Michelle Harris, Associate Professor at RIT’s School of Interactive Games and Media, to integrate interactive technology into the Composers’ Crossing piano-key crosswalk.
  • School 58 Partner — Collaborated with students to develop presentations for city officials.
  • Senator Gillibrand Government — Recognized for leadership in securing federal funding for the Inner Loop North Transformation.
  • Senator Schumer Government — Recognized for leadership in securing federal funding for the Inner Loop North Transformation.
  • U.S. Department of Transportation Government — Awarded a $100 million grant to the City of Rochester for the Reconnecting Communities Project.
  • experienced volunteers Partner — Volunteers with relevant expertise collaborated with Hinge Neighbors to develop a community planning tool.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Low-Barrier, Inclusive Community Stewardship
    methodology: inclusive_stewardship
    By offering low-barrier, drop-in opportunities for volunteer engagement, we produce broader participation and neighbor-to-neighbor connection because removing skill, experience, or commitment requirements enables wider inclusion and fosters organic community ownership.
  • Place-Led, Community-Driven Development
    methodology: place_led_community_development
    By centering resident voices and local assets in neighborhood planning and infrastructure changes, we produce more inclusive, sustainable, and unified communities because local ownership fosters trust, reduces skepticism, and ensures long-term engagement.
  • Public Art and Interactive Design as Community-Building
    methodology: public_art_for_community_building
    By using public art and interactive urban design, we transform infrastructure into spaces that foster connection, creativity, and belonging because shared aesthetic and participatory experiences build trust and collective identity across divided neighborhoods.
  • Reconnecting Divided Communities Through Equitable Urban Redesign
    methodology: reconnecting_communities
    By redesigning urban infrastructure—especially highways—we produce more equitable, walkable neighborhoods and stronger social cohesion because reconnecting physically divided communities enables collective action and access to opportunity.