Commentary/Op-Ed - May 2021
Tech Jobs in the City are Growing; Here’s How to Make Sure New Yorkers Can Fill ThemIn this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF's Eli Dvorkin and Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund's Amber Oliver urge the city's next mayor to take several steps to ensure that every New Yorker is equipped with the skills, tools, and opportunities they need to thrive in a digital world.
Report - May 2021
Preparing New Yorkers for the Tech Jobs Driving NYC’s Pandemic EconomyDespite widespread job loss and economic turmoil due to the pandemic, demand for tech occupations has remained strong. In this report, CUF examines which roles are in demand and what it will take to get more New Yorkers access to the quality tech jobs fueling NYC's economic recovery.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2021
Building big without breaking the bank: How New York City should fix a broken capital constructionIn this New York Daily News op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles and New Yorkers for Parks Executive Director Adam Ganser argue that reforming the city’s broken capital construction process is a huge opportunity to help the city realize significant cost savings during a period of protracted fiscal uncertainty.
Report - April 2021
Stretching New York City’s Capital DollarsInvesting in libraries, parks, and other social infrastructure will be essential to the city’s recovery, but inefficiencies that plague the capital construction process have led to unacceptable cost inflation. This report details how reforming this process could help the city potentially save hundreds of millions of dollars while enabling continued support for vital social infrastructure.
Report - April 2021
New York’s Safety Net in JeopardySince the start of the pandemic, NYC's human services nonprofits have stepped up to face the coronavirus crisis and meet new levels of demand for frontline services. But an alarming number of these nonprofits now are on the precipice of financial catastrophe—and their mounting fiscal problems have been compounded by city and state government.
Report - March 2021
Upskilling for an Equitable Recovery: Hardest-Hit New Yorkers Most Vulnerable to AutomationMany of the New Yorkers who have been hit hardest by job losses in recent months are also the workers most vulnerable to automation. New York City's next mayor should create an automation preparation plan to ensure an inclusive economic recovery.
Report - March 2021
First Out, Last Back: The Economic Impact of the COVID Crisis on New Yorkers With DisabilitiesNew Yorkers with disabilities are suffering among the steepest economic losses and hardships from the coronavirus pandemic and face an especially challenging path back to employment, while the organizations that serve them have sustained millions in lost revenue.
Commentary/Op-Ed - February 2021
Supporting NYC’s immigrant arts ecosystem through crisis and beyondIn this City Limits op-ed, CUF urges city policymakers and cultural leaders to do more to help immigrant artists and arts organizations survive the current crisis and weave new strength into the cultural fabric of New York City.
Commentary/Op-Ed - February 2021
New York City Should Start Preparing Now for a Biden Infrastructure PlanIn this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF makes the case that New York City should start preparing for an increasingly likely major new federal infrastructure investment this year and seize this opportunity to get the economy going and confront the climate crisis
Testimony - February 2021
Supporting the Governors Island Zoning AmendmentIn this testimony before the City Planning Commission, CUF policy director Eli Dvorkin details his support of the proposed Governors Island zoning amendment, which will help realize the island’s full potential as a vibrant, year-round resource for all New Yorkers.
Report - January 2021
Building an Inclusive Economy in NYC: Boosting College AttainmentIncreasing the number of New Yorkers with a college credential will be key to creating a more inclusive economy in New York, concludes this new analysis, which reveals striking racial and ethnic disparities in college attainments rates across NYC.
Report - December 2020
State of the Chains, 2020Our thirteenth annual ranking of national retailers in New York City finds by far the largest overall decline in the number of chain stores as the national retail market experienced unprecedented contraction due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent shutdowns and store closures.
Report - December 2020
The Changing Face of Creativity in New York: Sustaining NYC’s Immigrant Arts EcosystemImmigrant artists are increasingly essential to the creative landscape of New York City. But now the livelihoods of countless immigrant artists—and the survival of the cultural organizations that champion their work—are facing major threats.
Report - December 2020
A Green Public Works Program for NYC: 40 Ideas from ExpertsTo understand how New York might take advantage of federal investment to create jobs and help the city mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, CUF asked city leaders in coastal resilience, environmental justice, urban agriculture, renewable energy, and more for sustainability and resiliency project ideas.
Commentary/Op-Ed - November 2020
Op-Ed: Making the gig economy work for New YorkersIn this Times Union op-ed, CUF Editorial and Policy Director Eli Dvorkin and Winston C. Fisher argue that New York’s leaders should bring together workers and industry to establish a bold plan to ensure that independent workers in all sectors can access universal, portable benefits, gaining financial security without losing flexible work.
Report - November 2020
CUNY’s Key Role in Expanding Access to Tech CareersPart of our ongoing research on how to create a more inclusive economy in NYC, this data brief shows that CUNY has made crucial progress in producing STEM grads. Tapping this talent pool, and making further gains in the years ahead, will be key to closing the opportunity gap for tech careers.
Report - October 2020
Surviving the Winter: Helping NYC’s Small Businesses in the Months AheadOpen streets and outdoor dining gave the city's small firms a lifeline, but with just a few weeks left until winter, it's time for the city and state to step in with new set of creative solutions to give shops and restaurants a crucial boost. CUF asked over twenty city leaders and experts for ideas and insights on how policymakers can help sustain restaurants and other small businesses through the colder months.
Testimony - October 2020
Supporting the Recovery of New York State’s Arts and Cultural CommunityIn this testimony before the NY State Senate Standing Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation, CUF editorial and policy director Eli Dvorkin outlines what New York State will need to do to lay the groundwork for a long-term recovery for the state’s cultural sector.
Testimony - September 2020
Supporting the Recovery of New York City’s Tourism EconomyIn this testimony before the NYC Council Committee on Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations, CUF data researcher Charles Shaviro and policy director Eli Dvorkin outline what the city will need to do to help lay the groundwork for a long-term tourism recovery.
Testimony - September 2020
Why I Support the Industry City RezoningIn this testimony before the NYC Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, CUF executive director Jonathan Bowles details his support for the Industry City rezoning, which can help New York build both a larger and a more inclusive innovation economy.
