Here Are The Key Takeaways From Brooklyn’s State Of The Borough Address

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso delivered his 2026 State of the Borough address before more than 1,000 attendees at the Brooklyn Museum, outlining new investments in education, immigrant services and cultural programs.

“If you talk to just about any family in this country, chances are someone in their story passed through Brooklyn,” Reynoso said. “People from every corner of the planet, every walk of life, belong in this borough.”

Here are the key takeaways from the address:

School Investment Targets Specialized Learning Needs

Reynoso announced a $9.25 million capital investment to build sensory rooms at District 75 elementary school sites across Brooklyn, beginning with 18 schools serving students with significant disabilities.

“As a father to a child with autism, I know just how important sensory rooms are for the students who need them,” Reynoso said. “Sensory rooms help students regulate, focus, and reset so they can stay engaged in their learning.”

District 75 programs serve students with autism, cognitive delays, and other specialized needs. The new funding brings the borough president’s total school-related investments to $76 million.

Immigration Initiative Expands Outreach And Legal Resources

Reynoso introduced “Our City, Our Sanctuary,” a campaign combining in-person outreach with a digital hub offering legal resources and reporting tools for discrimination and misconduct.

The program will include Know Your Rights and immigration enforcement awareness trainings across Brooklyn.

The initiative follows the borough’s earlier effort to open Borough Hall as a satellite asylum application help center, which officials said assisted nearly 6,000 people in applying for work authorization.

New Borough Historian Named

Reynoso appointed Asad Dandia as Brooklyn’s borough historian, succeeding Ron Schweiger.

Dandia, a Brooklyn native and educator, teaches city history at CUNY Guttman Community College and works as a guide at the Museum of the City of New York.

“I have been a loyal Brooklynite since the day I was born,” Dandia said. “To be tasked with preserving, interpreting, and shepherding the history of the County of Kings is a privilege and honor.”

Student Design Highlights Brooklyn Identity

Reynoso also announced the winner of the borough’s first pin design competition, selecting a submission by a South Brooklyn student that features a subway car with “Brooklyn” displayed in graffiti-style lettering, reflecting the borough’s transit system and street art culture.

Funding Secured For Mermaid Parade

The borough will allocate discretionary funding to Coney Island USA to support the annual Mermaid Parade after organizers warned of a financial shortfall that could threaten the event.

Four-Year Investments Highlighted

Reynoso pointed to major spending across several areas:

• $45 million to renovate labor and delivery units at Woodhull Hospital, Kings County Hospital, and South Brooklyn Health
• More than $30 million toward housing construction and preservation
• Approval of more than 12,000 affordable housing units
• Launch of a boroughwide planning framework recognized by the American Planning Association