Funding Headed Toward UWS, Morningside Heights’ District 7 in New Budget, Including $6M Playground Upgrade

By Gus Saltonstall

Last week, the New York City Council approved the $116 billion budget for the new fiscal year, which began on July 1, 2025, and will run until June 30, 2026.

There are thousands of budget items in the 469-page document, dubbed the “The Best Budget Ever” by the mayor’s office, which include funding going toward social services, health, public safety, the arts, parks, and much more.

Within that sprawling budget, each councilmember throughout the five boroughs gets funding specifically allotted to their district. On Friday, West Side Rag covered portions of the money headed to Gale Brewer’s District 6 on the Upper West Side in the new budget.

Here are the highlights of the funding headed toward Shaun Abreu’s District 7, which includes the Upper West Side north of around 92nd Street, the entirety of Morningside Heights, and then a large chunk of Harlem.

The list below does not include every item secured by Abreu, but you can look at the budget yourself — HERE.

Expense Funding

• DOROT, $10,000: Social isolation programming
• Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty, $7,500: Social services programming
• Morningside Retirement and Health Services: $12,500
• West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, $33,000: Red Oak Senior Center & Frederick Douglass Senior Center
• Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, $5,250: Food pantry
• Goddard Riverside Community Center, $20,000: Law Project funding
• Jewish Museum, $20,000: Programming for students at Book T. Washington School
• Ballet Hispanico, $40,000: Programming for students at The Bloomingdale School and the Robert E. Simon school
• Bloomingdale School of Music: $5,000
• Jewish Home Lifecare Manhattan: $10,000
• Manhattan Community Board 7: $5,000
• Morningside Heights Community Coalition, $12,500: Affordable housing advocacy
• Douglass Houses Tenant Association: $5,000
• Mobile Pantry in District 7: $14,000
• Riverside Hawks Community League: $5,000
• Symphony Space, $6,750: Cultural literacy & heritage program
• Upper West Side Cinema Center, $10,000: Pop-up film series
• West 95th Street Block Association, $5,000: Beautification & tree pit care
• Broadway Mall Association, $20,000: Beautification program
• Riverside Park Conservancy, $25,000: Riverside Park equity program

Capital Funding

• West Prep Academy Roof Recreation: $500,000
• P.S. 165 Manhattan Gymnasium: $425,000
• Booker T. Washington School Bleachers and Sports area upgrades: $500,000
• NYPD security cameras in District 7: $261,000

Capital Funding in Partnership with the Council Speaker

• P.S. 333 Manhattan School for Children playground upgrade: $6,434,000
• Symphony Space Public Theater renovation: $900,000

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