Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a process through which local residents can decide how to allocate $1 million in city funding toward projects that improve their community. No one knows what our communities need best than the folks who live there. The entire PB process is transparent, equity-oriented, and community-driven, as community members propose ideas, decide what makes the ballot, and ultimately vote on which proposals to fund. Projects can include improvements to everything from schools to libraries to public housing to other public spaces. By participating, you determine the future of our community, our district, and our home.

Winning Projects

We’re happy to announce this year’s PB winners! We are honored that District 35 residents turned out even more than last year, with a 19% jump in voter turnout, and placing us well within the top 10 across the entire Council for community participation. If you voted, thank you! If you didn’t vote, we hope you’ll join this exciting process next year!

After weeks of anticipation, we finally received the official results from the Council. This year’s winning PB projects are listed below.

Because of our neighbors’ eager participation, our community will see an investment of more than $1 million ($1.15m to be exact), providing vital improvements to three of our local schools and the planting of dozens more trees! Over the next few months, the procurement process for these projects will begin with construction starting in the next few years!

In the meantime, we hope you’ll share some feedback with us. Even if you didn’t vote this year, we want to hear from you! We want to make sure we’re taking the steps we need to make the Participatory Budgeting process as robust and inclusive as possible, ensuring more people submit ideas, volunteer, and vote than each year prior. The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete, and your responses will be kept confidential. This form will be closed by EOD Friday, June 7, 2024.

Thank you for your participation, and we appreciate your valuable input!

PS 11 Sink and Faucet Replacement ($150,000)

PS 11 is a public elementary school in Clinton Hill with 724 students, 85 percent of whom are students of color and 39 percent of whom are economically disadvantaged. The school’s classroom sinks and faucets have not been replaced since the building was originally constructed in the 1950s and are broken & leaky. Research shows that functional classroom sinks increase handwashing and reduce the transmission of diseases. With a $150,000 allocation, PS 11 students will benefit from reduced classroom disruptions and bolstered health and wellness.

PS 287 Bathroom Renovation ($300,000)

Dr. Bailey K . Ashford School PS 287 is a public elementary school based in Fort Greene with 103 students, 98 percent of whom are students of color and 88 percent of whom are economically disadvantaged. The school’s bathrooms are in a state of severe disrepair, with broken stall doors, smashed tiles, and malfunctioning toilets. As such, many students avoid using the bathrooms while at school. With a $300,000 allocation to PS 287 for a bathroom renovation, students will benefit from much-needed improvements to their learning environment.

PS 9 HVAC Upgrade ($450,000)

PS 9 is a public elementary school based in Prospect Heights with 612 students, 72 percent of whom are students of color and 41 percent of whom are economically disadvantaged. Currently, the PS 9 school gym has no air conditioning, resulting in students overheating and experiencing asthma attacks. This proposal — submitted by five current fifth graders — would expand PS 9’s air conditioning system to the school gym. With a $450,000 allocation to extend the school’s air conditioning system to the school gymnasium, PS 9 students will enjoy gym class once again.

District 35 Street Tree Planting & Care ($250,000)

Street trees provide critical environmental services to our neighborhoods — absorbing floodwater, providing shade, trapping air pollution, and providing shelter for wildlife. According to Spatial Equity NYC, District 35’s tree canopy ranks 14th out of 51 Council districts. Our district has many empty tree beds and live trees that could be protected with new tree guards. With a $250,000 allocation to plant new trees and care for existing ones, District 35 residents can enjoy a more robust tree canopy and reap the benefits that more trees provide.