Community Board 3 (Manhattan)

Community Board 3 (Manhattan)
Name	Community Board 3 (Manhattan)
Settlement type	Community board
Official name	Manhattan Community Board 3
Area total sq mi	2.44
Population	198981
Population as of	2020
Leaders	Chair: Gigi Li; District Manager: Gigi Li
Website	Manhattan CB3

Community Board 3 (Manhattan) Community Board 3 serves as the local advisory body for Manhattan's Lower East Side, East Village, and surrounding neighborhoods, interfacing with the New York City Council, Manhattan Borough President, and Mayor of New York City. It advises on land use, zoning, city services, and budget priorities while engaging with residents, business groups, and cultural institutions such as the Tenement Museum, New Museum, and St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery. The board's work intersects with city agencies including the New York City Department of City Planning, NYC Department of Transportation, New York Police Department and nonprofit stakeholders like the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and Coalition for the Homeless.

Overview

Community Board 3 is one of twelve Manhattan community boards that provide advisory recommendations on applications before the New York City Planning Commission and the Landmarks Preservation Commission, review permitting matters involving the New York City Department of Buildings, and set local priorities for the City of New York budget process. The board convenes monthly full-board meetings, committee hearings, and public forums attended by representatives from the Office of the Mayor, New York City Council members, and advocates from organizations such as Picture the Homeless, Chinatown Working Group, and The Cooper Square Committee.

Geography and neighborhoods

The board's jurisdiction covers the Lower East Side, East Village, Alphabet City, Nolita, Bowery, Chinatown fringe areas, and parts of the Lower East Side's waterfront adjacent to the East River. Boundaries abut Manhattan Community Board 2 (Manhattan), Manhattan Community Board 6 (Manhattan), and the Brooklyn crossings near the Williamsburg Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. Notable streets and landmarks within or near the area include Houston Street, Canal Street, Tompkins Square Park, Seward Park, Delancey Street, and cultural nodes like Bowery Ballroom, Katz's Delicatessen, and the New Museum of Contemporary Art.

Governance and composition

The board consists of up to 50 volunteer members appointed by the Manhattan Borough President with input from local New York City Council members representing districts such as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Council Districts. Leadership roles include a Chair, District Manager, and committee chairs covering land use, housing, transportation, and public safety. The board interacts with elected officials including past and present figures like the Manhattan Borough President officeholders, Councilmember Carlina Rivera, Councilmember Margaret Chin, and representatives from the Mayor's Office of Operations. Committees coordinate with agencies such as the New York Police Department, FDNY, NYC Department of Sanitation, and advocacy groups like Urban Justice Center.

Roles and responsibilities

The board issues advisory opinions on applications before the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the New York City Planning Commission, drafts statements for Uniform Land Use Review Procedure reviews, and evaluates alcohol license applications from the New York State Liquor Authority. It reviews proposals for affordable housing projects financed through programs like the New York City Housing Authority and tax incentives such as the 421-a program, and advocates for capital improvements funded by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. The board coordinates with public health bodies including the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and social service providers like Coalition for the Homeless on issues of shelter and outreach.

Major initiatives and issues

CB3 has tackled neighborhood change driven by rezoning proposals, preservation fights before the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and contentious developments reviewed by the New York City Planning Commission. Major issues include affordable housing campaigns involving organizations such as Tenants & Neighbors and Metropolitan Council on Housing, small business preservation linked to groups like the Lower East Side Business Improvement District and SCORE (New York City), and public safety debates engaging the New York City Police Department and civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union. Transportation and streetscape projects coordinate with NYC Department of Transportation initiatives such as bike lane installations promoted by Transportation Alternatives and pedestrian safety programs connected to the Vision Zero initiative. Public space management around Tompkins Square Park and Seward Park has involved partnerships with the Trust for Public Land and local arts organizations like La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club.

History and development

The board evolved amid waves of immigration and urban change tied to institutions like the Tenement Museum and historic events such as the 1977 New York City blackout and the 1980s fiscal crisis (New York City). It has been active during periods of urban renewal contested by community groups including the Cooper Square Committee and advocacy campaigns against demolition led by preservationists who engaged the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The board engaged in debates over rezonings during mayoral administrations from Ed Koch to Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams, shaping projects like the redevelopment of the Delancey Street corridor and responses to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Cultural shifts involving venues like CBGB and demographic changes connected to artists from the New York School (art) era and institutions like The Kitchen influenced policy priorities on arts space protection and small business resiliency.

Category:Manhattan community boards