This is a web analytics application created in Apache Spark and HTML for renters to access relevant but hard-to-acquire information on the neighborhoods and buildings that they are interested in renting in. The application provides users with a heat map view of New York City dwellings and neighborhoods based on statistics derived from our datasets. It also provides a query form for the user to lookup a specific building’s data regarding the crimes committed around it, housing violations, 311 service requests, a neighborhood score, a safety score, an investment/gentrification score and a quality of life score for the address provided. It is hoped that, upon using the application, a potential renter has an extensive picture of the housing option under consideration before making the final decision to rent.

The application is available at: https://storage.googleapis.com/renters-beware/welcome.html

From the landing page, you can go to either the map page: https://storage.googleapis.com/renters-beware/map.html

Or to the query form: http://35.196.172.188/querydata.html

Datasets used were NYC HPD Multiple Dwelling Registrations, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development violations, NYC Neighborhood Tabulation Areas, NYC Department of Buildings Violations, NYC Department of Buildings Permit issuance, NYPD Complaint Data, NYC 311 service requests, NYC PLUTO dataset. All references can be found in the final paper uploaded to the repo.