Community Board members consist of 50 volunteers who don't get paid with staff largely dedicated to running the meetings and ensuring adequate public notice. This leaves developers with projects in a very strong position with their teams of higher gun experts who can run circles around the community board. As a Council Member, Ben Kallos discovered the difference that having an urban planner could make for a community board. That's why Ben funded urban planners for the community boards he represents. Then Ben introduced legislation to guarantee every board an urban planner and when he couldn't get it passed took it directly to the voters who overwhelmingly supported the proposal. Since then Mayor de Blasio has failed to provide the urban planners.
As Borough President, Ben will work with the next Mayor to fulfill this promise and if they won't as an attorney he will sue to to provide urban planners for every community board.