“… the community board is an invaluable aspect of city government, they know they have a voice, that they can be heard on a local level, that they do not need to cross the harbor to city hall to be heard…”
Craig Hammerman – District Manager, Brooklyn Community Board 6
What started as Community Planning Councils in 1951 to facilitate communication between local residents and the government, has now evolved into a complex system of Community Planning Boards.
Each of the five boroughs of New York, namely Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island are divided into 59 community districts and are represented by their respective community planning boards.
Comprised of 50 volunteer members appointed by the Borough President, each community planning board acts as an advisory group that deals with land use, zoning, budget process, local community services, and any other issue that impacts the welfare of the district and its people.
Each board receives about $180 000 from New York City and generally, 90% is the salary for the district managers and two to three administrative staff.
The New York City Charter authorizes Community Planning Boards to propose plans for the development, growth, and improvement concerning land within their respective community districts.