BlockAvenue is a new social networking site that lets people rank neighborhoods based on their livability. Some are comparing it to to Yelp, a site that allows users to rate and review businesses and services. BlockAvenue uses millions of data points, including user reviews, and recently launched in New York City, Washington D.C. and Boston.
The site was founded by Anthony Longo, who says they will soon expand to other urban areas in the U.S. BlockAvenue’s searchability is powered by Google Maps, and when a user searches for a neighborhood, a “BlockScore” pops up on the map. These scores are roughly the same as a report card, with the best neighborhoods receiving “A” grades while the worst receive an “F.” Currently, crime data, school data, sex offender databases and user reviews, among other data points, comprise the letter grades.
Since the website is still in its beta testing stage, some information is missing, including the ability to see all block rankings at every zoom level. Longo says BlockAvenue is also working to integrate with other social media platforms soon, in addition to boosting their revenue via licensing and traditional advertising methods.
