Jose Torres is a Project Director with Neighborhood Safety Initiatives at the Center for Justice Innovation, where he leads place-based public safety strategies rooted in community partnership, participatory design, and youth development. With over 20 years of experience in program development, strategic planning, and community engagement, Jose has led multi-site initiatives across New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) communities, managing multimillion-dollar budgets, directing cross-sector partnerships, and implementing high-impact public safety and public space interventions. His work centers on translating resident voice into actionable design, programming, and policy solutions that advance equity, belonging, and long-term community resilience.
Prior to his current role, Jose held multiple leadership positions within the Center for Justice Innovation, including Director of Logistics, Deputy Director, and Associate Director, where he oversaw large-scale public programs, citywide engagement efforts, and complex operational systems. Earlier in his career, he served as Associate Director of a Young Adult Borough Center, leading workforce development and reentry programming for justice-involved young people, and as a housing organizer with UHAB, supporting tenant organizing and the development of community-controlled housing. Jose is a Coro Leadership New York Fellow and holds a Master of Arts in the Study of the Americas from the City College of New York, with a concentration in Political Economy and Governance. His approach integrates systems thinking with grounded community engagement, advancing innovative models for public safety that are both locally responsive and structurally informed.