File #: Int 1316-2025    Version: Name: Establishing an office of community board support.
Type: Introduction Status: Laid Over in Committee
Committee: Committee on Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation
On agenda: 6/11/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to establishing an office of community board support
Sponsors: Lincoln Restler, Farah N. Louis, Tiffany Cabán, Frank Morano, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
Council Member Sponsors: 5
Summary: This bill would establish an Office of Community Board Support within the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) or another agency the mayor deems appropriate. The office would be required to assist community boards with finding accessible public meeting spaces and permanent office spaces. The office would also be required to conduct regular assessments regarding the physical needs of community board offices and help with any needed repairs or upgrades to the offices. The bill would also remove a requirement that borough presidents provide community boards with meeting places upon request since this would now be DCAS or the designated agency’s responsibility.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1316-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 1316, 3. Int. No. 1316, 4. June 11, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Committee Report 6/16/25, 6. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 7. Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 8. Proposed Int. No. 1316-A - 6/20/25, 9. Hearing Testimony 6/16/25

Proposed Int. No. 1316-A

 

By Council Members Restler, Louis, Cabán, Morano and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)

 

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to establishing an office of community board support

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new section 20-r to read as follows:

§ 20-r. Office of community board support. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the term “accessible” means that a space complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws relating to accessibility for persons with disabilities.

b. Establishment of office. The mayor shall establish an office of community board support within the department of citywide administrative services or any other agency the mayor deems appropriate. Such office shall be headed by an individual who shall be appointed by the head of such agency. Such office shall assist community boards with:

1. Locating accessible public meeting spaces;

2. Locating accessible permanent office space as needed and supporting lease negotiations for such spaces; and

3. Conducting regular physical needs assessments of community board offices and assisting with necessary repairs and upgrades.

§ 2. Subdivision h of section 2800 of the New York city charter, as amended by local law number 63 for the year 1996, is amended to read as follows:

h. Except during the months of July and August, each community board shall meet at least once each month within the community district and conduct at least one public hearing each month. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a community board shall be required to meet for purposes of reviewing the scope or design of a capital project located within such community board's district when such scope or design is presented to the community board. Such review shall be completed within thirty days after receipt of such scope or design. Each board shall give adequate public notice of its meetings and hearings and shall make such meetings and hearings available for broadcasting and cablecasting. At each public meeting, the board shall set aside time to hear from the public. [The borough president shall provide each board with a meeting place if requested by the board.]

§ 3. This local law takes effect 90 days after it becomes law.

REC/JG

LS #18660

06/18/25 2:57 PM