NYC Residents Select $25M Participatory Budget Projects

New York City residents just finished one of the city’s largest rounds of participatory budgeting since the program began in 2011. On May 22, Speaker Julie Menin and the City Council said nearly 130,000 people voted in the Fiscal Year 2027 cycle, directing almost $25 million in capital funding to neighborhood projects across 22 Council districts. The voting ran from April 11 through April 19, according to the council. The winning proposals include school air conditioning, park upgrades, library accessibility work and other local infrastructure projects. The result matters because participatory budgeting is one of the few places where residents directly choose capital spending before projects enter the city’s implementation pipeline. The council said this year’s vote total was the highest since the program launched. Ballots were offered online and on paper at more than 100 in-person voting sites, and the council said materials were available in English and 11 additional languages. ### How big was this year’s vote? Nearly 130,000 New Yorkers took part in the 2026 vote, according to the City Council’s May 22 announcement. The council said that was the highest turnout in the 15 cycles it has run since launching participatory budgeting in 2011. The April 11-19 voting period covered 22 Council districts and allocated almost $25 million in capital funding. The money is meant for long-term physical improvements — the council describes these as capital projects — rather than general operating expenses. ### Who was allowed to vote? Residents age 11 and older in participating districts could cast ballots, the council said. The program is designed to widen access to local budget decisions, and the council said voting was available both online and at more than 100 physical sites. Ballots were translated into 12 languages total, including English, Spanish, Chinese, Bangla, French, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Punjabi, Russian, Polish and Yiddish, according to the council. That multilingual setup was part of the city’s effort to reach voters across participating neighborhoods. ### What kinds of projects won? Schools, parks, libraries and other public spaces accounted for much of the funding, according to the council’s announcement. In District 1, represented by Council Member Christopher Marte, winning projects included a $350,000 commercial dishwasher for Gouverneur Hospital and a $1 million playground and track field project at Battery Park City School. District-level pages show how varied the selections were. In Brooklyn’s District 39, Council Member Shahana Hanif’s office said winning capital projects included $500,000 for more accessible paths in Prospect Park, $400,000 for air conditioning in a school cafeteria and gym, and $250,000 to make Pacific Library fully accessible. The council’s press release also noted that some districts funded expense projects in addition to capital work. In District 2, represented by Harvey Epstein, the listed winners included several $15,000 community programs, with the council noting that Epstein funded expense projects through participatory budgeting this cycle. ### How are these projects chosen before they reach the ballot? Neighborhood residents first propose ideas at local assemblies and budget delegate meetings held through the fall and winter, the council said. Those proposals are then refined with city agencies and participating Council members’ offices before a final ballot is assembled. That screening step is important because the projects must be feasible for city implementation. The council said proposals are crafted in partnership with relevant agencies, which helps determine whether a school upgrade, park renovation or library improvement can actually move into the capital budget. ### What happens after the vote? Winning proposals do not get built immediately. City agencies now have to carry the projects through design, procurement and construction steps, typically in coordination with the sponsoring Council member’s office. The next formal milestone is the Fiscal Year 2027 budget process, where the selected projects move from resident vote totals into funded city work. The City Council has posted the FY2027 participatory budgeting results and district-by-district winners on its participatory budgeting pages, and individual Council offices are also publishing local project lists as implementation begins.