councilverse

Councilverse is a set of packages that work in tandem to help us do our work quickly, consistently, and seamlessly (like tidyverse but for the NYCC Data Team). Councilverse currently includes the councildown and councilcount packages.

Councildown implements NYCC Data Team brand styling defaults for R Markdown documents, ggplot2 plots, and leaflet maps.

Councilcount gives easy access to population data for over 100 demographic groups across NYC’s different geographies.

Getting Started

Install Package

# install the first time
remotes::install_github("newyorkcitycouncil/councilverse",build_vignettes = TRUE)

Load Package

library(tidyverse)
library(leaflet)
# load councilverse as the last package
# councilverse also loads councildown and councilcount
library(councilverse)

Example Project Using Councilverse, Councildown, and CouncilCount Functions

We will use councilcount data in our example of how to make plots and maps using councilverse functions.

# use councilcount::get_census_variables to check available variables
census_vars <- get_census_variables()
# use councilcount::get_geo_estimates to read in council district data for '% work from home' using 2013 council boundaries
# borough, communitydist, councildist, nta, policeprct, schooldist geographies are available
council_geo <- get_geo_estimates("councildist", var_codes = "DP03_0024E", boundary_year = "2013")  

Visualize Data and Determine Map Breaks

# check distribution of data (basic plot, without councildown)
wfh_hist <- ggplot(data = council_geo, aes(percent_work_from_home_workers_16_and_older)) + geom_histogram(bins = 30)
# use fisher-jenks natural breaks after visualizing data
nat_intvl = classInt::classIntervals(council_geo$percent_work_from_home_workers_16_and_older, n = 5, style = 'fisher')

# visualize breaks using councildown functions and styling
ggplot(data = council_geo, aes(percent_work_from_home_workers_16_and_older)) +
  # use second color from nycc_palette "double" for the histogram bars
  geom_histogram(bins = 30, fill = pal_nycc("double")[2], color = pal_nycc("double")[2]) +
  # use first color from nycc_palette "double" for the breaks
  geom_vline(xintercept = nat_intvl$brks, color = pal_nycc("double")[1]) +
  labs(
    x = "% Work From Home",
    y = "Count",
    title = "Histogram of Work From Home Data",
    color = ""
  ) +
  # use councildown::theme_nycc() for ggplot styling
  theme_nycc() +
  # remove the legend
  theme(legend.position="none")

Make Palette for Map

# the function councildown::colorBin has default options for palette, bins, and na.color
pal_council = colorBin(
  # use nycc_blue, which is also the default palette for councildown::colorBin
  palette = "nycc_blue",
  # round to make sure data in the bottom and top bin are not left out
  bins = round(nat_intvl$brks,2),
  domain = council_geo$percent_work_from_home_workers_16_and_older,
  # use the default NA color from councildown::colorBin
  na.color = "#FFFFFF"
)

Create Map

map <- leaflet() %>%
  # use councildown::addCouncilStyle() for leaflet styling
  addCouncilStyle() %>%
  # use the councildown::addPolygons default smoothFactor and weight
  addPolygons(data = council_geo,
              fillColor = ~pal_council(percent_work_from_home_workers_16_and_older),
              fillOpacity = 1,
              # use councildown::councilPopup to style popups
              label = ~lapply(councilPopup(
                paste0("<h3>", paste0("CD: ",councildist13), "</h3>",
                       "<p>", paste0("Work From Home: ", percent_work_from_home_workers_16_and_older, "%"), "</p>")),
                htmltools::HTML)) %>%
  # use councildown::addLegend_decreasing to reverse the ordering of the legend
  addLegend_decreasing(position = "topleft", pal = pal_council,
                       title = paste0("% Work From Home"),
                       values = c(0,1), opacity = 1, decreasing = T,
                       labFormat = labelFormat(suffix = "%"),
                       na.label = "NA") %>%
  # use councildown::addSourceText to add source text on bottom right of map
  addSourceText(lat = -73.75, lon = 40.53, "Source: NYCC Data Team")

map

# can add 2013 or 2023 council district boundaries to the map
map_w_dists <- map %>%
  # use councildown::addCouncilStyle to add the boundaries to the existing map
  addCouncilStyle(add_dists = T, dist_year = "2023")

# note: can access council district shapefiles directly through the package
councildown::nycc_cd_13 # 2013 council district lines
councildown::nycc_cd_23 # 2023 council district lines

Save Map

# save the map as static png 
# use councilverse::file_name_generator to create standardized name for file
map_png <- file_name_generator(description = "council_district_percent_work_from_home", date_year = 2022, file_extension = ".png")
# save the map using councildown::mapshot default zoom, vwidth, vheight, remove_controls
mapshot(map, file = glue::glue("visuals/{map_png}"))

# save the map as html
map_html <- file_name_generator(description = "council_district_percent_work_from_home", date_year = 2022, file_extension = ".html")
# save leaflet html (this function is not a part of councilverse)
htmlwidgets::saveWidget(map, file=glue::glue("visuals/{map_html}"), selfcontained = T)

Reference

• CouncilVerse
• CouncilCount
• CouncilDown

Graphs and Tables

encodeGraphic() – Graphics to raw HTML

gt_table() – gt table to raw HTML helper function

Misc

file_name_generator() – Helper function for creating file names using accepted guidelines

unzip_sf() – Helper function for loading in shapefiles that come zipped

Population Estimates

get_bbl_estimates() – Generates a dataframe that provides population estimates at the point level (there are also columns for various other geographies, like council district)

get_census_variables() – Provides information on all of the ACS demographic variables that can be accessed using get_geo_estimates() via variable codes

get_geo_estimates() – Creates a dataframe that provides population estimates for selected demographic variables along chosen geographic boundaries (e.g. council district, borough, etc.)

Plots

theme_nycc() – A ggplot2 theme that uses Council fonts and style guidelines to produce plots

scale_fill_nycc(), scale_color_nycc() – Color and fill scales for ggplot2 plots. Used to replace scale_color_discrete(), scale_color_continuous(), scale_fill_discrete(), and scale_fill_continuous()

Colors

pal_nycc() – Makes a color palette using Council colors

nycc_pal() DEPRECATED. Use pal_nycc instead

Maps

addCouncilStyle() – Adds Council styles including tiles, council district outlines, and fonts to a leaflet map

addSourceText() – Adds Council “Source” note in the bottom right of leaflet map

addPolygons() – The leaflet function addPolygons with default smoothFactor and weight

colorBin() – The leaflet function colorBin with default palette, bins, na.color

councilPopup() – Basic styling for leaflet popups

mapshot() – Saves leaflet maps as a static png image and defaults map saves with standardized width, height, and zoom

addLegend_decreasing() – The leaflet function addLegend but with the option for the highest number to be at the top of the legend

Data

nycc_cd_13 – 2013-2023 NYC Council District sf collection

nycc_cd_23 – 2023-2033 NYC Council District sf collection

Templates

council_html() – Render a Council HTML report

council_pdf() – Render a Council PDF report

Misc

pretty_date – Make a pretty date