District 39 PB Vote: Mobile Showers For The Homeless, More Trees, Or A/C For Students

Voting for Participatory Budgeting begins this Saturday, March 25.

Below is a list of the 18 project proposals on the ballot for Council Member Brad Lander’s District 39 (Borough Park, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Kensington, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace).

With new online voting, it’s easier than ever to participate in the project that City Council Member Brad Lander calls “about as pure as democracy comes,” giving neighbors the chance to brainstorm, research, and develop projects to improve the community.

Many of the projects focus on schools, green spaces, the arts, and housing, and are led by neighbors and community leaders who can see directly what needs improving block-by-block.

Residents aged 14 and up are eligible to vote, either online or at locations throughout your district, between March 25 and April 2 (midnight to midnight).

For 2017, ten Brooklyn city council members have opted in, including Jumaane Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, and Midwood); Brad Lander (Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Kensington, and Gowanus); and Mathieu Eugene (Ditmas Park, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Midwood, and Crown Heights). (Check out the full list here)

District 39 Ballot

Arts, Culture, & Community

CHiPS Mobile Showers For Homeless Neighbors
Budget: $59,560
Location: In front of CHiPS building, 200 4th Avenue, Park Slope
The CHiPS soup kitchen will purchase a two-stall shower trailer that provides its homeless neighbors with access to hygiene.

Tech For Immigrant Families & After-School Programs
Budget: $16,000
Location: Imani House, 76A 5th Avenue, Park Slope
Help hundreds of women, children, and immigrant families thrive! Upgrade the tech at Imani House, a non-profit organization providing youth and family development programs.

Sharing Theater Arts With Developmentally Disabled New Yorkers
Budget: $20,000
Location: Dream Street Theatre Company, Park Slope
Produce a storybook and videos by and for developmentally disabled New Yorkers

Creative Engagement For Alzheimer’s Patients And Training for Caregivers
Budget: $7,500
Location: Cobble Hill Health Center, 380 Henry Street, Cobble Hill
Local artists will enrich the lives of elders with Alzheimer’s by visiting them weekly and training caregivers.

Start-up Support For New Tenant Union
Budget: $11,000
Location: Southwest Brooklyn Tenant Union, 201 Columbia Street, Columbia Waterfront
Provide tech equipment and bilingual outreach support to help tenants in southwest Brooklyn organize.

Empower Immigrant Workers By Supporting Local Cooperative
Budget:$10,000
Location: Hopewell Care Worker Cooperative Serving Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront & Gowanus
Start-up support for co-op owned & operated by immigrant women dedicated to providing quality jobs and care.

Education

FabLab For MS 442 Project-Based STEM Learning
Budget: $200,000
Location: MS 442, 500 19th Street, Windsor Terrace
Wiring upgrade to support innovative FabLab with 3D printer, laser cutter, and other equipment to teach and develop tech-savvy kids.

Air Conditioning For Sweltering PS 230 Cafeteria
Budget: $300,000
Location: PS 230, One Albemarle Road, Kensington
School seeks to make 3,400-square-foot cafeteria comfortable to enable year-round use as an educational and community space.

Repavement Of PS 130 Schoolyard
Budget: $500,000
Location: PS130 Lower School, 70 Ocean Parkway, Kensington
Schoolyard in dire need of new pavement and drainage. Floods and ice are big safety issues. The yard is the school’s only gym space.

STEM Robotics Kits For PS 133 Science Club
Budget: $9,000
Location: PS 133, 610 Baltic Street, Park Slope
Provide PS 133, a Title 1 elementary school, with iPads and kits to design, build and operate their own robots!

Talking About Race And Equity In District 15 Schools
Budget: $6,000
Location: MS 448/PS 146, 610 Henry Street, Carroll Gardens
Four (4) workshops led by Border Crossers will train educators and parents in strategies for addressing race and promoting equity.

Environment

More Street Trees Throughout The District
Budget: $70,000
Location: Streets in Kensington, Gowanus, and Borough Park
Add 35 trees with guards to provide shade and beautify to the neighborhoods, especially where few or no trees exist.

#GetOrganizedBK

#GOBK Bystander Intervention Trainings
Budget: $5,000
Location: #GOBK meetings
Trainings by the Center for Anti-Violence Education that will teach community members how to respond to increased harassment and hate crimes.

Parks

Renovate Beloved, Busy, And Bare-Bones Dog Run
Budget: $400,000
Location: Washington Park, near J.J. Byrne Playground, Park Slope
Upgrades include resurfacing, installation of benches, fencing, shade trees, and water for drinking and cleaning.

Install Quarter-Mile Markers On Prospect Park Drive
Budget: $60,000
Location: Along the East & West Drive in Prospect Park
Place distance markers every ¼ mile to serve runners and help visitors find landmarks in the park.

Bring Water To Thomas Cuite Park (“Froggy Park”)
Budget: $250,000
Location: 11th Avenue & 19th Street, Windsor Terrace
Restore service to the playground’s only water-fountain, loved by locals and used by 500 preschoolers from PS K280.

Streets & Transit

Realtime Bus Arrival Info Near Subway Stops
Budget: $200,000 for 8 clocks
Location: Near F, G R stops
Install countdown clocks at bus stops near subway exits.

Safer Street Crossing For Middle School Students
Budget: $524,000
Location: 5th Avenue and 4th Street, SE corner, Park Slope
Extend the curb between J.J. Byrne Playground and MS 51 for increased safety.

There are more projects on the Participatory Budgeting map by district here.