Community

"> ">

Brooklyn Opens Applications for 18 Community Boards

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has opened applications for New York City residents interested in serving on Brooklyn's 18 community boards. The volunteer boards provide input on neighborhood issues including land use, liquor licenses, transportation projects and local development. Each board can include up to 50 members who live, work or have a significant interest in the community they represent. Residents age 16 and older are encouraged to apply before the February 8, 2027 deadline at 11:59 p.m. Reynoso said he wants the boards to reflect Brooklyn's diverse neighborhoods and has directed Borough Hall resources toward supporting their operations and long-term sustainability. Applications and additional information are available through the Brooklyn Borough President's Office.

"> ">

Mayor Mamdani Orders NYPD Use-of-Force Review

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has directed the NYPD to conduct its first comprehensive review of use-of-force policies in a decade, with community engagement planned over the coming months. The administration also announced measures addressing disciplinary cases involving officers who retire before proceedings are completed. The changes follow the retirement of an officer facing charges connected to the 2024 fatal police shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario. Additional measures include $2.6 million for the NYPD Inspector General, expanded retirement notifications, procedures for state decertification referrals and improved information sharing with families following critical incidents. The administration says the reforms are intended to strengthen oversight, accountability and public transparency.

"> ">

Queens' Lost Battalion Hall Reopens After $25.9M

Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center has reopened in Rego Park, Queens, following a $25.9 million reconstruction of the historic neighborhood facility. The improvements include renovated weightlifting, spin and fitness rooms, new exercise equipment, an updated basketball court and redesigned entrances and restrooms to improve accessibility. The project also upgraded fire protection, heating, cooling and other essential building systems. Built in 1939, Lost Battalion Hall originally served veterans before becoming an NYC Parks recreation center in 1960. The facility was once used by the New York Knicks for practices and helped develop local basketball talent, including former NBA player Kenny Smith. It also houses a historic Works Progress Administration mural commemorating its veterans' heritage.

"> ">

NYC Begins Brooklyn Bus Lane and Safety Redesign

New York City has started work on a major redesign of Bay Parkway and Cropsey Avenue intended to improve bus service and street safety for 35,000 daily riders in Brooklyn. The project will add offset and curbside bus lanes along Bay Parkway from Avenue J to Shore Parkway and Cropsey Avenue from Bay Parkway to 26th Avenue. The improvements will benefit riders of the B6 and B82, two of Brooklyn's busiest bus routes, as well as the X28 and X38. NYC DOT will also install 18 new median islands, pedestrian improvements and dedicated left-turn lanes at 14 intersections. Bus speeds currently fall as low as three miles per hour on portions of Bay Parkway, according to the city. New York City Government

"> ">

NYC Names 12 Districts for Affordable Housing Fast Track

New York City has identified 12 community districts where eligible affordable housing proposals will qualify for an expedited public review process beginning January 1, 2027. The Affordable Housing Fast Track targets districts with the city's lowest rates of affordable housing production, including areas of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. Under the new process, qualifying rezoning proposals that create permanently affordable housing can undergo a 90-day public review, cutting roughly four months from the traditional land-use process. The designated districts include neighborhoods such as Bay Ridge, Canarsie, the Upper East and West Sides, Corona, Bayside and Staten Island's South Shore. The city will recalculate the 12 districts every five years.

"> ">

NYC Artists Can Now Apply for Grants Up to $10,000

New York City is doubling the maximum amount available through city-funded grants for individual artists and small nonprofits, increasing awards from $5,000 to as much as $10,000 for the first time in nearly two decades. The Department of Cultural Affairs provides the funding through local partners in each borough, supporting filmmakers, musicians, dancers, writers, painters and other creative professionals. Applications are currently open in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens, while Staten Island's application cycle will begin in November. The city is also expanding support through Materials for the Arts, giving current artist grantees dedicated opportunities to obtain free supplies. Eligibility requirements and application deadlines vary by borough.

"> ">

NYC Begins $40M Box Street Park in Greenpoint

Construction has begun on the $40 million Box Street Park in Greenpoint, advancing a project envisioned for the North Brooklyn waterfront more than two decades ago. The 2.5-acre park will transform a former MTA facility along Newtown Creek into public green space featuring an elevated esplanade, ADA-accessible pathways, gardens, a lawn, basketball court, picnic area, dog runs and public restroom. The project will also connect with waterfront esplanades on either side of the site, helping close a gap along the northern Greenpoint waterfront. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2028. The park is planned to eventually expand by another half-acre following the relocation of an MTA facility.

"> ">

Bronx Recreation Center Reopens After $20.7M Upgrade

St. Mary’s Recreation Center in the Bronx has reopened following a $20.7 million renovation that upgraded the historic facility and expanded accessibility. Improvements include a reconstructed façade, entrance and lobby, a new elevator, widened doorways, updated mechanical and electrical systems and repairs to the center’s indoor swimming pool. The facility also received new fitness equipment, upgraded flooring and improved lighting. The city says 33 new staff positions have been funded to support programming, operations and maintenance at the center. St. Mary’s has served the South Bronx for generations and includes the only indoor public swimming pool operated by NYC Parks in the borough.

"> ">

Brooklyn Unveils Little Panama Way in Crown Heights

Brooklyn's Panamanian community has received permanent recognition in Crown Heights with the unveiling of Little Panama Way along Franklin Avenue. The ceremonial street co-naming honors generations of Panamanians who established families, businesses, institutions and cultural traditions in the neighborhood beginning decades ago. Panama 507 Roundtable Group organized the September 24 celebration with community organizations, elected officials and Panamanian dignitaries. The recognition comes as a related effort advances to establish a Little Panama Cultural District in the area, creating a framework for preserving Panamanian heritage while supporting cultural programming and economic activity. State legislation authorizing the cultural designation has passed both houses of the New York State Legislature