QBP RICHARDS RECEIVES NEARLY 850 COMMUNITY BOARD APPLICATIONS IN 2024
Just shy of 3,600 applications received during the Richards Administration
(March 11, 2024 at 9:30am)
QUEENS, NY – Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. today announced his office received 843 applications from a diverse group of civic-minded individuals seeking appointment to one of the borough’s 14 community boards this spring. Of the 843 applications received, 592 were submitted by individuals who are not already serving on a community board.
This continues the Richards Administration’s unprecedented run of wildly successful community board application processes, as his office has received well over 800 applications in every cycle since taking office in December 2020. The Queens Borough President’s Office had previously never received more than 600 applications in one year.
Combining all four application cycles under Borough President Richards, his office has received 3,596 applications to serve on one of Queens’ community boards — a result of the Borough President’s continued outreach efforts, his modernization of the application itself and his commitment to fostering an interest in community service among Queens residents of all backgrounds and identities
“The values of community service and civic engagement run deep in Queens. Yet again, it’s clear that in every neighborhood across this borough, there are so many people who are excitedly stepping up to make their communities better places to live, work and play,” said Borough President RICHARDS. “I’m grateful to all 843 applicants, and I’m thrilled that 70 percent of the applications we received came from individuals who were not already members of their community board. I’m certain the eventual 2024 group of appointees will be yet another strong and committed class of public servants.”
Borough President Richards opened the 2024 community board application portal on Wednesday, January 3, with a deadline of Friday, February 16. Applicants who are ultimately appointed to serve on their respective community boards will be notified prior to the start of their two-year term of service on Monday, April 1, 2024.
Borough President Richards will announce his 2024 class of community board appointees in early April.
In 2021, the Borough President enacted a series of community board reforms, such as digitizing the application, allowing residents to apply via an easily fillable online form. The simplified process led to a significantly more diverse pool of applicants, enabling Borough President Richards to select 110 new community board members in 2021, 94 new members in 2022 and a record 116 new members in 2023 — classes that helped address historic membership disparities as it pertains to age, race, gender identity and sexual orientation, among other factors.
Community boards are local representative bodies that have a variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to dealing with land use and zoning issues. The boards have an important advisory role and must be consulted on the placement of most municipal facilities in a community. Applications for zoning changes or variances must also come before the boards for review.
The boards hold hearings and issue recommendations about the City budget, municipal service delivery and numerous other matters that impact their communities.
All Queens community board members are appointed by the Queens Borough President, pursuant to the City Charter, with at least half of the appointees nominated by the City Council members representing their respective Community Districts. Each board has up to 50 unsalaried members who serve two-year terms.
All community board members who wish to continue serving on a board are required to reapply at the conclusion of their two-year terms and are subject to review and reconsideration.
Follow the Office of the Queens Borough President via @QnsBPRichards on Twitter and @QueensBPRichards on Facebook and Instagram
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