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Our 2025 Agenda for a Livable City is live! These are the policies we'll be working to get enacted before the year is through. Among a bunch of bills and bright ideas are five priorities we see as the biggest opportunities for making real change in 2025:

• Daylighting intersections (City and State bills)
• Creating a year-round outdoor dining program (City bill concept)
• Investing $25 million in pilot Public Space Teams for better, more equitable public space management (City budget item)
• Using automated curb lane enforcement (State bill concept)

In keeping with Open Plans' holistic and strategic approach, these priorities span a wide range of issues to tackle livability from many angles. The agenda also identifies priorities for City agencies, including:

• A pilot for New York City’s first Low Traffic Neighborhood
• Expanding Summer Streets in coverage and hours of operation
• Recommendations from Open Plans’ public space report, including appointing a Deputy Commissioner for Public Space Management and Creation, City indemnification for public space partners, and improving the public space permitting process
• Curbside trash containerization

Want to know more about what we're planning for 2025? Check out our full agenda for policies at the City, State, and agency levels.

As a member of your community board, you can make a big impact on how your neighborhood looks, feels, and functions! Join our webinar today to teach you about the role these boards play in NYC - what they are, why they matter, and how you can join yours to make your voice heard! 

Open Plans has released our Agenda for a Livable City — the policies we'll work hard to get passed and implemented in 2025 to make NYC a more livable place. Join us for an introduction to these priorities — for the City, State, and agency levels — at this free virtual event.

We are co-hosting two social hours with El Puente (Brooklyn) & Transportation Alternatives (Queens). These fun get-togethers will allow you to learn more about community boards and to mingle with current and prospective board members! 

We can, and should, make changes to our streets to ensure that our youngest NYers can get to and from school safely. This round-up of Streetfilms show how different cities have prioritized kids traveling to school with safety & independence. 

✍️ Community Board Applications are open in all five boroughs! This is your chance to get involved with how your neighborhoods looks, feels, and functions. Email cb@openplans.org for application support. Apply before the dates below, at the link for your borough:

• Bronx: March 9
• Brooklyn: February 14
• Manhattan: February 28
• Queens: February 14
• Staten Island: Accepted year-round

👀 Support safer NYC intersections! Join over 21 community boards, representing almost three million New Yorkers in backing universal daylighting to improve visibility at crossings. Sign our petition to keep intersections clear and pedestrians safe.

🍽️ NYC needs better outdoor dining rules! Support our campaign to improve the seasonal program and help local businesses keep their vital curbside spaces year-round.

🌳 Stand up for NYC Parks on Thursday, January 23, 10:30 AM! Rally at City Hall Steps with the #PlayFair coalition. Demand proper funding and staffing for our vital public spaces.

🏮 W.O.W Project is hosting a Lunar New Year lantern-making event on Thursday, January 23, 6-8 PM! Create lanterns and signs at Wing on Wo storefront (26 Mott St) for their February resistance walking tour. Register to participate.

🚸 Do you want to close the street outside your kid’s school to cars? And have students enjoy time outside playing, learning, and thriving? Applications are due by January 31st for Open Streets launching by June 2025. Get in touch with Sabina, our Schools planner for FREE guidance on applications, community support, and implementation.

🗣️ Advocate for the SAFE Streets Package on Tuesday, January 28 in Albany! Join us, Transportation Alternatives, Families for Safe Streets and other NYC advocates from Grand Central (6:30AM departure) or meet directly at Capitol (10AM). Help push for crucial street safety legislation.

🐍 Welcome Year of the Snake at Gotham Park's Lunar New Year Fair, February 7-9! Shop and dine with 17 vendors, including Chinatown legacy businesses. FREE entry at Rose St and Avenue of the Finest: Fri-Sat 11AM-7PM, Sun 11AM-5PM.

Open Plans |  377 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10013-3907

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