Which Fort Greene And Clinton Hill Projects Should The City Fund? Vote For New Benches, Bus-Proof Streets, More

BROOKLYN, NY — Seems like just yesterday every red-blooded New Yorker over age 14 was racing to the polls for Participatory Budgeting Vote Week 2016, making controversial neighborhood decisions like whether to divert taxpayer money toward a "Lake Mess Monster" aquatic weed harvester for Prospect Park or a fleet of roving "mobile studios" for starving artists in Gowanus.

JK. Only a few thousand residents (at most) in each of the city's 51 districts ever bother to vote in these things. The vast majority probably don't even know they exist.

Considering how much of our own cash is on the line, though, that's kind of a shame. And some of the proposals can be pretty rad — this year, for example, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill residents have the chance to fund a full irrigation system, a bunch of metal benches and new lighting at the Ingersoll Houses.

So what do you say we make 2017 the year Participatory Budgeting became the cool thing to do? You know, over a beer with a neighbor on a Friday night.

Scroll down for a list of projects in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill vying for $1 million to $2 million in city funds this year.

If you're not familiar with any of them (and aren't much of an irrigation person), this whole process may seem like a waste of time. But think what a difference your vote could make for, say, a local school seeking to upgrade its auditorium so it can host shows, films and student performances.

Now that we've guilted you into some good, old-fashioned community involvement: Before you vote, you'll have to figure out which City Council district you live in.

Fortunately, unlike the many NYC neighborhoods split between districts, the entire Fort Greene-Clinton Hill area is pretty well contained within Laurie Cumbo's 35th City Council district. Just to be sure you're in the 35th, though, plug in your address here. Or, if you like to live on the edge, do your best to geolocate yourself on this map of the district:

Once you know your City Council district — feels kinda good, doesn't it? — you can browse nearby projects in need of city funds. We've listed them below.

And once you've decided which ones you want to support, you can vote for your 5 favorites online between Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, April 2, or in person at one of these polling sites.

That's pretty much it. Get to democratizing, you crazy kids:

Auditorium Renovation P.S. 67 and Community Roots

• Remove and install new seats with row numbers. Install lighting and audio equipment and projection system.
• 51 St. Edwards Street, Fort Greene
• $493,000

Ingersoll Houses Garden Improvements

• Improvements include installing an irrigation system, metal benches and lighting.
• Ingersoll Houses, Fort Greene/Vinegar Hill
• $500,000

Bus Pads on Fulton Street

• Bus pads are durable roadway surfaces that address the common issue of asphalt distortion at bus stops.
• Fulton Street between Vanderbilt and Clermont Avenues, Fort Greene
• $300,000

Note: Partly because Cumbo's district is so funny-shaped and stretches all the way down to Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, many of this year's projects are located a long way from Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. So if you aren't too jazzed on the hyperlocal options, check out the projects seeking funds in Prospect Heights and Crown Heights. You can choose any of those, too — just as long as they're within your City Council district. Solidarity, yo!