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Your Community Board Is Shaping Your Street This April: What CB3 Manhattan and CB14 Brooklyn Are Deciding

Who This Helps: Residents of the Lower East Side, East Village, Chinatown, Two Bridges, Flatbush, Midwood, Kensington, and Prospect Park South — anyone who wants a say in how their neighborhood is developed, designed, and governed.

Community boards are the closest most New Yorkers ever get to direct democracy. They are not just advisory bodies — when a board votes on a liquor license, a bike lane, a zoning variance, or an open streets application, that recommendation carries real weight with city agencies and elected officials. Yet most New Yorkers have never attended a single meeting. This month, two active boards are taking up issues that will shape the streets, transportation, and quality of life in their neighborhoods for years to come. Here is what is on the table — and how you can make your voice heard.

Manhattan Community Board 3: Bike Lanes, Open Streets, and the Future of Your Block

Manhattan Community Board 3 represents the East Village, Lower East Side, Two Bridges, and a significant portion of Chinatown — one of the most densely used and culturally vital sections of the city. This April, CB3 has a packed schedule with two meetings directly relevant to how residents move through the neighborhood.

The St. Marks Place Bike Lane Proposal

The NYC Department of Transportation has brought a proposal to CB3 for a new bike lane on St. Marks Place, running from 4th Avenue to Avenue A. The Joint Transportation Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at BRC Senior Services Center, 30 Delancey Street (between Chrystie and Forsyth Streets). The meeting is also available via Zoom as a hybrid session.

This proposal is part of a larger DOT initiative that includes a continuous, parking-protected two-way bike lane along Lafayette Street and 4th Avenue, connecting SoHo at Prince Street all the way to Union Square at 15th Street. The DOT is also relocating a Citi Bike station from a crowded stretch of the Lafayette sidewalk (between 8th and 9th Streets) into the roadway, freeing up pedestrian space and addressing sidewalk cycling — a persistent complaint in the area. According to the NYC DOT announcement, St. Marks Place would gain marked bike infrastructure for the first time, giving cyclists a clear eastward connection toward Tompkins Square Park. Work is planned to begin this spring, timed in part to street repaving schedules and in part to prepare for increased summer foot traffic ahead of the World Cup.

Residents and business owners have strong opinions on both sides. If you live or work on St. Marks Place or use this route, this committee meeting is your chance to speak directly before any formal board vote.

2026 Open Streets Applications

The same April 16 committee meeting will also take up 2026 Open Streets applications for the CB3 district. Open Streets closes blocks — fully or partially — to vehicle traffic for pedestrian and community use. If you want your block designated as an Open Street this summer, or have concerns about an existing or proposed Open Street designation, this is the meeting to attend.

Full Board Meeting — April 28

CB3 holds its Full Board Meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at PS 20, 166 Essex Street (at E. Houston and Stanton Streets). This is where the full board votes on resolutions, liquor license applications, and committee recommendations debated throughout the month. Public comment is taken at the start of full board meetings.

Brooklyn Community Board 14: Flatbush, Midwood, and the Interborough Express

Brooklyn Community Board 14 covers the neighborhoods of Flatbush, Midwood, Kensington, and Prospect Park South — a diverse, largely working-class and immigrant community. According to CB14 planning data, 57 percent of renters in Flatbush and Midwood are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. That rate is higher than both the citywide and Brooklyn-wide averages, making housing stability a central ongoing concern for this board.

Brooklyn Community Board 14 held its April Board Meeting on Monday, April 13, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at East Midwood Jewish Center, 1625 Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn. If you missed it, the board’s next regular meeting will be in May — check the CB14 website for the updated date and agenda.

The Interborough Express: A Transit Transformation on the Horizon

One of the most consequential infrastructure questions before Brooklyn community boards right now is the Interborough Express (IBX) — a proposed transit line that would connect underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens using existing rail corridors, without routing through Manhattan. Currently in the engineering and design phase, the IBX would run approximately 14 miles with 19 planned stations. For CB14 neighborhoods including Midwood, Flatbush, and Kensington, this line could provide direct borough-to-borough transit connections that do not currently exist, reducing commute times and opening up job access without requiring a detour into Manhattan.

Community boards along the proposed route have been formally engaged in the MTA’s planning process. If you have opinions on station locations, service design, construction impact, or community benefits, attending CB14 meetings and submitting comments to the MTA are your most direct channels of influence right now — before the design is finalized.

How to Take Action

Attend CB3 Meetings (Lower East Side / East Village / Chinatown)

  • Transportation Committee (Bike Lane / Open Streets): April 16, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. — BRC Senior Services Center, 30 Delancey Street. Also available via Zoom (check the CB3 website for the link).
  • Full Board Meeting: April 28, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. — PS 20, 166 Essex Street
  • Website: nyc.gov/site/manhattancb3
  • Phone: (212) 533-5300
  • Email: mcb3@cb.nyc.gov

Attend CB14 Meetings (Flatbush / Midwood / Kensington)

  • Website: cb14brooklyn.com
  • Phone: (718) 859-6357
  • Email: bk14@cb.nyc.gov
  • Check the website for the May 2026 meeting date and agenda

Find Your Own Community Board

Submit Written Comments

If you cannot attend in person, most community boards accept written public comment submitted by email before the meeting date. Request that your comment be read into the record. Even a few sentences from a constituent can influence a vote.

Apply to Become a Board Member

Community board members are appointed by the Borough President based on recommendations from City Council Members. Membership is volunteer, but it is one of the most direct ways to shape your neighborhood. Applications are typically accepted in spring. Contact your Borough President’s office for information on the 2026 application cycle:

Community boards meet monthly, their meetings are open to the public, and public comment is your legal right. The best-run neighborhoods in New York City are the ones where residents show up. Your presence at these meetings is not just welcome — it is essential to how this city actually works.

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