Community board reviews FY2028 budget requests on health, youth programs and street enforcement

The board met June 9 to review several FY2028 budget requests for public health, youth services, streets and safety and heard that most requests cannot be accommodated under current agency budgets.

At the start of the meeting the chair read a request supported by Armando Ramos seeking increased access to pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis for STI/HIV prevention and expanded family-planning services. The request argued that broader access to PrEP and PEP could help end the HIV/AIDS crisis. The agency’s written response, as summarized by the chair, said further investigation is required and offered no immediate funding.

The chair also read a request from Naomi Pertton asking for more frequent graffiti removal and sidewalk cleaning along Gunhill Road. Agency staff signaled support for the request in principle but said the work cannot be funded in the current budget and advised residents to file complaints via 311 and engage the relevant city agencies.

On school-age programming, the chair read a request from Naomi Heberton to expand after-school STEM programs for kindergarten through fifth grade. The Department of Youth and Community Development reported that it has begun a three-year, 20,000-seat expansion of the Compass after-school program and indicated the request had effectively been addressed by that effort.

A request sponsored by Ryan Bartville proposed bias and discrimination training for community board members. The department responsible for training said, according to the board’s reading, that the request has already been completed from its perspective.

On public safety, a written request urging the hiring of additional traffic enforcement agents described widespread illegal parking, long 311 response times—reported in the board discussion as over four hours—and blocked bike lanes that reduce pedestrian and cyclist safety. The NYPD response, as reported at the meeting, said the agency supports enforcement goals but cannot add staff beyond its budgeted headcount and is focused on filling existing vacancies.

A resident who unmuted during the gallery session thanked the board for its work, described the district as heavily populated with unmet needs for lighting and street cleaning, and offered to volunteer. "It's very sad that the requests are actual needs and only a few are going to be taken care of," the resident said.

There were no other motions or items of old or new business. The chair moved to adjourn; another member seconded the motion, it passed, and the meeting ended.

Votes at a glance
The only formal action recorded was a motion to adjourn the meeting, which was moved by the chair and seconded by a committee member; the motion carried.