Manhattan Community Boards Get New Members

NEW YORK, NY — Manhattan's 12 community boards — advisory bodies that discuss and vote on neighborhood issues such as education, hosing and land use policy — are set to receive an influx of fresh blood.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer announced her appointments for 328 community board positions for the 2017-2019 term. Of the 328 appointments, 87 are people who have never served on a community board before.

"Community Board members sit across the table from the most powerful real estate interests and city and state officials, negotiating for the public and shaping the future of their neighborhoods," Brewer said in a statement. "We had more than a thousand applications this year, the most we’ve ever had. While that made the job of selecting members tougher than it’s ever been, I’m excited that so many Manhattanites want to be civically involved."

In total, 1,030 people applied for spots on one of Manhattan's 12 community boards, according to the borough president's office. The high volume of applications represents a 31 percent increase from 2016.

In February, Brewer's office decided to extend the community board application deadline due to a wave of anti-Trump sentiment in New York City. Manhattan's 12 community boards wanted to channel that outrage into community activism, so the window to apply to get involved politically in the city's neighborhoods was widened.

"The presidential election shook a lot of New Yorkers, but it's also awakened an urgent interest in civic involvement," Brewer said in February. "The volunteer Community Boards play an essential role in our city."

The 2017-2019 community board appointments will be displayed on this website.

Photo by Patch