University Settlement Society of New York | 3,871 followers on LinkedIn. University Settlement is one of NY's most dynamic social service institutions with services at over 30+ locations in NY. | University Settlement is one of New York's most dynamic social service institutions with deep roots on the Lower East Side. Each year, University Settlement's diverse programs impact more than 40,000 New Yorkers, helping them build better lives for themselves and their families. With an impressive legacy as the first settlement house in the United States, University Settlement has been an incubator for progressive ideas for over 130 years, offering pioneering programs in mental health, early childhood education, literacy, arts education, and adolescent development that set the standard.