DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING GETS EARLY START ON COMMUNITY BOARD CAPITAL NEEDS PROCESS - DCP

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For Immediate Release
June 8, 2023

Contacts:
Casey Berkovitz, Joe Marvilli – press@planning.nyc.gov (212) 720-3471

DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING GETS EARLY START ON COMMUNITY BOARD CAPITAL NEEDS PROCESS

In response to community requests, this year’s Community District Needs process is now starting in June, two months earlier than in previous years

All New Yorkers are encouraged to contact local Community Board and share input

NEW YORK – Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick today announced the early start of the annual Community District Needs (CD Needs) process, where New York City’s 59 Community Boards prepare statements of need and identify funding priorities for their districts. A vital step in the City’s annual budget process, these statements help inform neighborhood and infrastructure planning and the equitable and efficient delivery of services to communities citywide.

“Residents and Community Boards are essential to planning for the needs of our diverse communities — that's why, beginning now and moving forward, we will be getting this process started two months earlier. We encourage all New Yorkers to be involved through their local community board so that your City budget priorities are reflected – and even funded,” said DCP Director Dan Garodnick.

“Community is core to everything we do at Parks, and the success of our open spaces relies on being responsive to the needs and desires of people who use them,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “The Community District Needs process empowers New Yorkers to be part of planning the future of our City, and we applaud the Department of City Planning for extending the process to reach even more people.”

“Our 59 Community Boards are vital to the success of the 220,000 small businesses that call New York City home,” said Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “The Community District Needs process is a valuable tool to inform SBS about how best to deliver the necessary resources and services to the businesses that need them most. By starting the process earlier, the Adams Administration gives more businesses the opportunity to have their voices heard.”

"Community engagement is integral to our work at NYC DOT—and it’s important to continue building more inclusive, equitable outreach to ensure all New Yorkers’ voices are heard,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This decision to extend the Community District Needs process is an important step in improving outreach in neighborhoods across the City and we thank DCP Director Garodnick for his efforts to build a better city.”

“I applaud the Department of City Planning for prioritizing transparency, equity and inclusion by extending the timeline to their Community District Needs process to ensure the greatest amount of local participation,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “Adopting this model can work to better assess the needs of our residents, particularly those living in under-served neighborhoods. I want to thank Mayor Adams and Chair Dan Garodnick for creating an initiative aimed at enhancing public trust, fairness, and confidence in city government.”

“By significantly extending the Community District Needs process, we help return decision-making power to New Yorkers,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Extensions like this help build a government that is truly responsive to our communities’ needs and provide critical help to the people that need it most. I encourage other city agencies to evaluate how simple changes to processes and timeline extensions can better work with and engage New Yorkers. Thank you to the Department of City Planning and Mayor Adams for extending the CD Needs process.”

Every year, Community Boards are required to submit their budget requests by October 31, with city agencies responding to the requests in the City’s Preliminary Budget, released in January. Throughout the year, the boards gather data to assess local conditions and get input from the public on neighborhood needs, then hold public meetings in the early fall to finalize and vote on priorities. In an effort be more inclusive, transparent, and collaborative with Community Boards, DCP is following through on its commitment to open this process earlier, starting in June this year, rather than August. This change, which helps to fulfill Mayor Eric Adams’ goal to make government work better, will give boards more time than ever before to collect input, prioritize requests, and submit before the deadline.

Since 2015, DCP has worked with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to streamline and simplify the submission work for all 59 community boards. It’s also worked to provide resources, including training sessions, to support Community Boards in the preparation and submission of needs statements and budget requests. DCP remains committed to further improving our online submission form and connecting boards with agencies to advance budget request proposals.

A key part of annual Community Board submissions is their “top 3 pressing issues,” which helps to inform Mayor Adams’ administration and the public of community needs, such as affordable housing, street improvements, park upgrades, and more.

Last year’s final budget submissions for each Community Board can be found on DCP’s Community District Profiles. To view a Board’s Statement of Community District Needs for Fiscal Year 2024, select a District and click on the “Community Board” tab. The budget submissions for Fiscal Year 2025 are expected to be posted early next year.

"Bronx Community Board 7 is engaging residents in the conversation around district needs and funding priorities at all our committee meetings, and we will heavily promote the survey through the summer. We look forward to seeing the data informed by the community residents who are experts in what the district needs and should be prioritized,” said Karla Cabrera Carrera, Bronx Community Board 7 District Manager.

“Shifting the beginning of the District Needs process from August to June is a well-thought out improvement to the overall process. Doing so enables community boards, their staff and volunteers more time undertake their segment of the process. This will result in better structure to process and stronger outcomes for the communities we represent,” said Max Vandervliet, Manhattan Community Board 7 District Manager.

The Community District Needs process is separate and apart from New York City’s Participatory Budgeting, which is an opportunity for New Yorkers to directly decide on how to use a specific amount of funds for neighborhood enhancement projects. Community District Needs play a part in setting the next overall budget, while Participatory Budgeting sets aside funds from the existing budget.

For New Yorkers to get involved in this conversation on neighborhood priorities, contact your local Community Board by visiting the Community Affairs Unit’s website.

Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City.

In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.