USANewsOnline.Com Desk, New York : May 4, Council Member Shahana Hanif announced the winning project proposals of the 2024-2025 Participatory Budgeting (PB) Cycle, which saw the highest participation in the district’s 14-year PB history. This year, the office partnered with two local public high schools to deepen youth civic engagement and expand democratic participation. The $1.5 million in funding will go toward the following six community-driven projects that reflect the district’s deep commitment to civic engagement and local democracy.
Capital Projects
Renovate 3 Bathrooms at PS 282 ($450,000) – 4,004 votes
Prospect Park Historic Willink Restroom Restoration ($500,000) – 3,690 votes
Revamp Neglected John Jay Library into Media Hub ($450,000) – 3,639 votes
Expense Projects
Free Summer Arts Program for Low-Income Kindergartners ($10,000) – 3,466 votes
Youth Voice For Justice: Training Students in Conflict Resolution ($20,000) – 2,588 votes
Launch Women-Owned Businesses in Kensington ($12,000) – 2,540 votes
Of the total 8,374 votes, 4,282 ballots were submitted online, giving District 39 the highest digital turnout among the 25 City Council districts participating this year. Additionally, 4,092 votes were cast using paper ballots.
This record-breaking turnout was made possible thanks to the dedication of dozens of community volunteers, PB Delegates, and Steering Committee Members, led by Hannah Henderson-Charnow, the office’s Organizing and Budget Director. Under her leadership, Participatory Budgeting continues to grow across the district.
In this PB Cycle, Council Member Hanif piloted a partnership with district high schools—Brooklyn Collaborative Studies and the John Jay Educational Complex—to involve student leaders in every step of the process. Students identified community needs within their schools, collaborated with city agencies to turn ideas into ballot proposals, and conducted voter outreach to bring their peers into the decision-making process.
This year’s turnout surpassed all previous records, including 2019, which saw 7,683 total votes (5,739 online and 1,944 paper) and 2017, with 7,156 total votes (4,651 online and 2,505 paper).
PB was introduced in New York City 14 years ago, beginning in City Council District 39, and has since expanded to 25 Council Districts. At a time when trust in government is declining and federal funding for democracy initiatives is under threat, PB offers a powerful, local vision of democracy, serving as both an educational tool and a meaningful way to engage residents in decision-making.
To learn more or get involved in next year’s PB cycle, visit this website. You can view photos from this year’s cycle here. Attribute to Office of Council Member Shahana Hanif.
“I’m overjoyed by this year’s record-breaking voter turnout in Participatory Budgeting for the district. In my decade-long involvement in PB—first as a volunteer, then as the Participatory Budgeting Director in my predecessor’s office, and now as Council Member—I’ve seen firsthand how the initiative brings together people of all ages, languages, neighborhoods, and immigration status,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “Participatory Budgeting continues to thrive as a powerful pathway to civic leadership. I’m deeply grateful to the District 39 PB Delegates and Steering Committee for their hard work developing this year’s ballot.”
“The Participatory Budgeting process has been deeply grounding and meaningful for me and PS 282 students, staff, and parents,” said Christina, PS 282 Parent. “I've loved getting to know my neighbors, and I'm grateful for their support of our project. It's amazing that this elementary school building will be getting some much-needed renovation to be more student-centered, and even more so that the community voted for it and is behind the project. That means the world to us.”
"We are so grateful to the constituents of District 39, who have shown so much love for Prospect Park over the years, for their ongoing support of the park and its care," said Deborah Kirschner, Vice President for External Relations, Prospect Park Alliance. "The restoration of the Willink Restroom is a much needed overhaul to be able to provide accessible and welcoming restroom facilities in the park. This funding, together with previous allocations from Council Members Crystal Hudson and Rita Joseph, will enable us to start work on this important project."
"The Circle Keepers are honored and grateful to be able to serve our D39 community through our winning project: "Youth Voice For Justice: Training Students in Conflict Resolution” in the upcoming school year through our Youth Participatory Action Research Hub in collaboration with BHS,” said Martin Urbach, Founder and Founder & Director of Artivist Education at the Circle Keepers. “The Participatory Budgeting process centers not only civic engagement but also positions the people closest to the problems as the ones who are also closest to the solutions! The experience participating in this endeavor, led by Council Member Shahana Hanif, was second to none! Her vision and commitment to justice and bettering the lives of their constituents shined through with all the support we received throughout the whole process. The Circle Keepers is elated to have won this year and are looking forward to continuing the work of Youth Led Restorative Justice training in D39."
“Participatory Budgeting is the only program I know where constituents can directly decide how their tax dollars are spent,” said Jared Rich, Esq., PB Delegate. “It’s civics in action and a chance for communities to fund projects that would otherwise be out of reach.”
“I met so many cool people through the PB process, new people in the community, even though I have been here for 20 years,” said Nick Nyhan, Park Slope Resident, Founder of the City Sponge, and PB Delegate. “People want to talk about things they care about. For me, it’s how we work together to reduce flooding. But I also saw a lot of passion projects that were great ideas. I wish we could do them all. PB helps connect people with a passion to a community that cares about it. Even if you don’t win the funding, you feel better about where you live.”
“At Brooklyn Collaborative Studies (BCS), Vote Week was an exciting and empowering moment for all students and staff to get involved and share their voice on the ideas that impact their community,” said Justin, President of the BCS Student Union. “I’m proud to say that the turnout from members of our community sharing their voice shows how much they care about their community and improving shared spaces for everyone to have an amazing experience.”
"This experience has opened my eyes to the authenticity of the District 39 community,” said Katherine, Youth Leadership Council Member and Vote Week Volunteer. “I often don't think about how many people around me want to be engaged in the community. This has shown me how people will engage when given the chance."
“I recommend the PB volunteer committee to anyone looking for a hands-on way to help distribute 1.5 million dollars back into the local community in a very thoughtful way,” said Marilee, Park Slope Resident and PB Volunteer. “Being on the PB volunteer committee gave me a window into our local government. I felt empowered to develop robust projects to benefit my local community in a very hands-on way that I hadn’t experienced before.” Press Release.