Senator Brad Hoylman Announces Selections For First-Ever "Community Board Budgeting"

NEW YORK—Today, State Senator Brad Hoylman (D/WF-Manhattan) announced the selections of the first-ever Community Board Budgeting (CBB) process for a New York State Senate office, offering Community Boards in the 27th Senate District the opportunity to advise how and where $1.5 million in state capital funding should be allocated.

Selected projects include gym equipment for a public school and new park fence in Community Board 2, improvements to a community center in Community Board 3, replacing sump pumps for NYCHA in Community Board 4, new laptops for a high school in Community Board 5, and playground improvements in Community Board 7.

Senator Hoylman said: “Nobody knows better how to spend our precious capital dollars than our local community boards. Empowering community boards to identify local capital needs enables them to have a direct impact on the future of their neighborhoods. I’m grateful to our community boards for the time and care they took to select the wide array of projects in public housing, schools, and parks that will benefit our neighborhoods for decades to come.”

Carter Booth, Chair of Community Board 2, Manhattan, said: “Thank you Senator Hoylman for your dedication to seeking local input and asking CB2 to provide direct recommendations for local capital projects.  The four projects selected in CB2 will have an immediate impact and directly help enhance our local schools, parks and libraries.”

Alysha Lewis-Coleman, Chair of Community Board 3, Manhattan, said: “Community Board 3 is extremely grateful for the opportunity  to participate in Community Board Budgeting and to be able to designate money for the Campos Community Center. This well-used center is home to Beacon, Cornerstone, and other programs that are very important to our youth and their families who  have been plagued for years with problems limiting the use of the facility. Senator Hoylman’s budgeting program empowers community boards who work in the community to direct the funds where they are needed and will have most benefit. CB 3 is very appreciative to Senator Hoylman for creating CBB.  This is an impactful program that gives voice to the community to direct funds to needed projects.”

Lowell Kern, Chair of Community Board 4, Manhattan, said: “CB4 is grateful to Senator Hoylman for the trust he puts in Community Boards and for the funding for these projects. The need to replace NYCHA infrastructure at Fulton Houses has been a long-standing issue for CB4. The buildings are in flood zones and this sort of capital improvement to public housing has been ignored for years. With hurricane season approaching, CB4’s priority is keeping the residents of public housing safe and we appreciate Senator Hoylman providing funding for this project. We are also grateful for the upgrades to the science labs at Manhattan Bridges because these students are our future."

Vikki Barbero, Chair of Community Board 5, Manhattan, said: "CB5 is thrilled and delighted that State Senator Hoylman has stepped in to provide funding for two very important needs that are crucial to the education of the children of our district.  We thank him for these essential items that we have been requesting on behalf of our schools and for his commitment to our children’s future.  We are beyond grateful for his boundless support of our community."

Mark Diller, Chair of Community Board 7, Manhattan, said: “We are extremely grateful to Senator Hoylman and his staff for reaching out to the community to find projects that will improve the safety and quality of life for children and families in our District.  We applaud the SAM grant program for creating an opportunity for such needs to be met.”

Senator Hoylman’s CBB program gives local community boards the opportunity to recommend worthwhile projects within his district to be funded through the State and Municipal Facilities Grant Program (SAM) administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). SAM funds provide reimbursement of costs for capital projects undertaken by eligible entities such as public schools, parks, libraries and public housing.

To participate in CBB, each community board within Senator Hoylman’s district was asked to submit formal recommendations identifying up to five eligible capital projects, each of which is at least $50,000, for a total of $250,000 per community board. Project eligibility guidelines were given to each community board. All grant recommendations from community boards were required to be for projects within the 27th Senate District and remain subject to final approval by DASNY.

Community boards selected projects in public housing, schools, and parks under the jurisdiction of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the New York City Department of Education (DOE), and the New York City Parks Department.

Senator Hoylman was inspired to create the $1.5 million Community Board Budgeting program by the allocation of $1 million of capital funding from many New York City Council members in the process known as Participatory Budgeting.

The list of selected projects is below:

Community Board 2

• JJ Walker Park ($62,500): Convert one handball court into a basketball court; repair or replace the netting atop the handball courts; repair or replace the scoreboard; install no smoking signs in the park.
• Time Landscape ($62,500): Replace the fence around the Time Landscape to make it more secure.
• Jefferson Market Library ($62,500): Replace, upgrade and modernize the lighting throughout the library.
• P.S. 3 ($62,500): Purchase of gymateria dividers to increase flexibility and use, library renovation and physical fitness, including playground equipment upgrade and enhancements to the roof playground.

Community Board 3

• Campos Plaza Community Center Improvements ($250,000)

  • Kitchen ceiling replacement
  • Fire suppression system
  • Gymnasium light fixture replacement
  • Gymnasium emergency exit doors replacement
  • Gymnasium entry door replacement
  • Gymnasium floor including border replacement

Community Board 4

• NYCHA-Fulton Development ($125,000): Upgrade the sump pumps at 401 West 16 Street, 420 West 19th Street and 434 West 17th Street
• Manhattan Bridges High School ($125,000): Refurbish two science labs at Manhattan Bridges High School located at 525 West 50th Street.

Community Board 5

• School of the Future ($125,000): New auditorium seats in aging and overused auditorium.
• Repertory Company High School for the Arts ($125,000): The school would like a one-to-one laptop program at Rep, paired with up-to-date classroom technology display systems and tablets for teachers. With this each student could have their own Chromebook for work in each class and could also check out and take home the Chromebook if needed. Each teacher would have access to live-grading and interactive display tools that would allow them to make their lessons even more engaging, rigorous and differentiated.

Community Board 7

• Little Engine Playground ($250,000) (Riverside Boulevard between West 67th-68th Streets): NYC Parks would replace and upgrade the safety surface and to apply any potential excess of funds to upgrading the play equipment at that Playground.

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