Submissions Open For Crown Heights District Participatory Budget

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — The time of year has come again for Brooklynites in Crown Heights' 40th District to decide how to spend more than $1.5 million in their neighborhoods.

The Participatory Budgeting process — which has residents brainstorm, pitch and vote on ideas for local funding — has opened in District 40, which covers Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Park and Prospect Lefferts Gardens.

This year, the process includes a new interactive platform that will let community members submit ideas and explore or comment on submissions.

The start of the budget process begins as Council Member Mathieu Eugene prepares to pass the reigns in District 40 to Council Member-Elect Rita Joseph at the end of the year.

Joseph said she is looking forward to continuing the participatory budgeting tradition.

“Direct democracy is beneficial for our communities, our city, and our state,” Joseph said. "For years, I've said that government must make decisions with working people, rather than for working people. Participatory budgeting allows for meaningful community governance, and I'm so excited to hear from my neighbors in Central Brooklyn about their priorities as we work to make District 40 cleaner, safer, greener, more affordable, and better educated."

Spearheaded by Council Member Brad Lander, participatory budgeting was first brought to New York City in 2011.

This year, 10 City Council Districts will participate in the interactive process, which has struggled to gain momentum in the full legislature since a pandemic pause in 2020. In Brooklyn, districts 34, 38 and 39 will also be participating this cycle.

In District 40, the council member will award $1 million for capital projects, or larger one-time expenses.

Once ideas are submitted, the new online platform will host a vote in the spring to decide winners for each district.

Find the District 40 page for this year's budget here.