Get Involved! Participatory Budgeting Returns to Williamsburg and Greenpoint

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — If you're a resident of the 33rd District and there's a project you believe deserves funding, the first of six 2017 participatory budgeting meetings is Saturday, Sept. 10, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wythe Community Center located at 80 Clymer St.

New York City Councill Member Stephen Levin is hosting six meetings in September for PB in the 33rd District, which includes the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Boerum Hill and parts of Bed-Stuy.

Now in its sixth year, participatory budgeting is growing across NYC to include a number of districts. Twenty eight districts are participating in 2016-17, same as last year, but up from 24 in 2014-15.

This is the fifth year that the 33rd district is participating. A list of the projects that gained funding is available here.

Over the past four years 7,800 residents of the 33rd District voted to award funding for 20 projects with $5,801,000 in funding.

Last year 67,690 ballots were cast, funding 132 projects with $38,295,700 according to the official NYC Council results.

Approximately one million dollars is available for community projects in each district this year.

Six upcoming public meetings in the 33rd District are scheduled for September, during which project ideas can be pitched and discussed. Once the projects for the final ballot have been selected this fall, final voting by the district will take place next spring. Here's the meeting schedule:

• Meeting 1: Wednesday, Sep. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at 80 Clymer St.
• Meeting 2: Friday, Sep. 16 at 6:00 p.m. at 114 Taylor St.
• Meeting 3: Monday, Sep. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at 161 S 3rd St.
• Meeting 4: Tuesday, Sep. 20 at 6:00 p.m. at 107 Norman St.
• Meeting 5: Thursday, Sep. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at 160 Schermerhorn St.
• Meeting 6: Monday, Sep. 27 at 6:30 p.m at 195 Montague St.

Contact CM Levin's office at district33pb@gmail.com for more information.

Lead image courtesy of the Participatory Budgeting Project.