FAQ & Resource
What is GOAT?
GOAT stands for the Geographic Online Address Translator and is an application developed by the Department of City Planning’s Information Technology Division. GOAT allows a user to enter a New York City geographic location, such as an address or street intersection, and returns back related geographic information, such as cross streets, side of street, tax block and lot (AKA Parcel –ID), five-digit ZIP code, census tract and block, police precinct, community district and City Council district.
What internet browsers support the GOAT application?
GOAT should be accessible via any browser and has been tested in IE, Firefox and Chrome. However, if running IE, it is recommended to use IE version 8.0 or higher.
What kind of geographic information is available in the GOAT?
Geosupport processes data in a variety of inputs: street names (with or without addresses), intersections, intersection names, non-addressable place names (such as “City Hall”), tax lots, building identification numbers (BINs), street segments (defined by two consecutive cross streets), and street stretches (defined by two consecutive or non-consecutive cross streets). The geographic information returned as output varies with each type of input processed. Such output may include: zip codes, address ranges, cross streets, census tract and block, tax block and lot, election district, police precinct, number of structures and x-y coordinates.
How often is the data in GOAT updated?
In general, GOAT is updated 4 times a year.
I have several geographic locations I would like to geocode, does GOAT allow for batch processing?
No, GOAT is an interactive geographic retrieval system only. However, you can download a copy of the Geosupport Desktop Edition and use GBAT to submit large input files in a variety of formats.
What happens if I find any data errors?
Feedback is always appreciated and may be submitted via the Send Feedback link located at the bottom of the GOAT screen, or from the data screen after any successful or unsuccessful GOAT transaction. Please note however, that due to the amount of feedback we receive, we do not reply to each inquiry. However, we kindly request that you supply us with your contact information in case you inquiry requires further clarification. If we find that your claim is substantiated, the corrected data should be reflected in a future release of GOAT. (P3)