June 30, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CITY HALL, NY — Council Member Eric Dinowitz today joined Speaker Julie Menin and his City Council colleagues to pass the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY ’27) Budget, securing key investments in students, housing, parks, and transit. Council Member Dinowitz announced over $27 million for District 11.

The $125.8 billion budget preserves a strong social safety net and expands a range of programs that directly serve families in District 11 and across the five boroughs. It was adopted after the city confronted one of its most significant budget deficits since the Great Recession.

For his constituents in the Bronx, Council Member Dinowitz delivered more than:

  • $15.6 million for parks
  • $4.5 million for schools
  • $410,000 for older adult programming
  • $381,000 for youth programming
  • $340,000 for neighborhood cleanup and beautification
  • $340,000 for after-school programming
  • $315,000 for cultural programming
  • $295,000 for community safety

“I am so proud to bring over $27 million in funding to the Northwest Bronx, delivering improvements to our parks, schools, neighborhood, seniors, community safety, cultural institutions, and our students and young people,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “I am grateful to work with Speaker Menin to bring funding and capital improvements to the Bronx, and as Chair of the Education Committee, to make sure our students and schools are part of every conversation about this city’s future.”

As Chair of the City Council’s Committee on Education, Council Member Dinowitz has made expanding access to quality public schools a central focus of his work. The FY ’27 budget includes:

  • The strongest funding for libraries in the city’s history
  • Student Success Centers
  • Restoration of cuts to restorative justice programming
  • Funding for Lehman College
  • Funding for CUNY, including ASAP, CUNY ACE, CUNY Disability Services, CUNY Reconnect, and Early Childhood Workforce Development

Alongside the leadership of Speaker Julie Menin, Council Member Dinowitz also helped deliver key investments citywide:

“This budget reflects our shared commitment to the issues that matter most to families across the Bronx and our entire city. We funded NYC RISE, early childhood education, and expanded support for students with disabilities from 2K all the way through CUNY. My colleagues and I funded our parks, including Van Cortlandt Park to ensure they remain our most reliable getaway. In this year’s budget, we are increasing funding for the Commission on Human Rights and the city’s ability to confront housing discrimination,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “I am proud to work alongside Speaker Julie Menin to deliver a balanced budget in the midst of fiscal constraints and preserve our strong social safety net for the millions of New Yorkers who call our city home.”

Expanding NYC Kids RISE: The Council secured a historic tenfold expansion of NYC Kids RISE, increasing children’s college savings accounts to $1,000 for every New York City public school kindergartner.

“NYC Kids RISE is an important foundational step to investing in the future of the education of our next generation,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “As a former high school teacher, I saw firsthand how finances are a key barrier to higher education for so many Bronx residents. I am proud to support the expansion of this program.”

CityFHEPS Funding: The Council secured a historic agreement to expand housing voucher access for New Yorkers facing eviction and homelessness, backed by $300 million over FY27 and FY28. As part of the agreement, the Council will immediately pass new legislation that codifies the expansion while adding guardrails to contain costs and ensure the program remains fiscally sustainable.

“Every month a child spends in a shelter is a month of disrupted learning, lost stability, and diminished opportunity,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “As Chair of the Education Committee and a former teacher, I see how the cost of housing instability shows up in our classrooms every day. We need to cut the red tape and make this program accessible to New Yorkers.”

The FY ‘27 budget comes after Council Member Eric Dinowitz brought tens of millions to his district since taking office in 2021. 

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