Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2019
London Calling: New York Should Take a Cue from London Mayor’s Cultural Infrastructure PlanLast month, the mayor of London released the Cultural Infrastructure Plan, an initiative to address the growing affordability crisis facing the city’s artists and creators. With similar challenges threatening New York City’s artists and venues, city leaders and local officials should consider taking a page from London’s sketchbook.
Commentary/Op-Ed - March 2019
State must prepare for its aging futureThe number of seniors statewide has jumped significantly over the last decade. Governor Cuomo and state lawmakers have proposed an increase in funding for services that help older New Yorkers stay in their homes, but they should take new steps to support this growing population.
Testimony - March 2019
A Call to Increase Support for New York City’s Growing and Diverse Older Adult PopulationIn this testimony before the NYC Council Committee on Aging, Christian González-Rivera, CUF's senior researcher, details the need for more support, matching the City's growing and diverse older adult population.
Testimony - March 2019
INVESTING IN PARKS TO BENEFIT NEW YORKERS FOR DECADES TO COMEIn this testimony before the NYC Council Committee on Parks and Recreation, Eli Dvorkin, CUF’s editorial and policy director, shares new data and findings about the city's aging parks infrastructure and outlines recommendations that urge new investment in parks maintenance and operations while developing additional revenue sources and addressing the broken capital construction process.
Report - February 2019
New York’s Older Adult Population is Booming StatewideOver the past decade the number of New Yorkers ages 65 and over increased by 26 percent, making up a larger share of the state’s population than ever before. This data analysis provides a new level of detail about the aging of the population in cities and counties across New York State and finds that the aging population is not only driving population growth statewide, but is more diverse than ever before.
Commentary/Op-Ed - January 2019
15 Ideas for Expanding Economic Opportunity in New York in 2019New York's State Legislature has passed major new legislation in the first days of 2019, beginning the year on a high note. Now lawmakers have an opportunity to take similarly bold steps to reduce income inequality statewide to help thousands more New Yorkers build the skills and educational credentials needed to get ahead in today's economy.
Commentary/Op-Ed - January 2019
Op-Ed: Seize the moment to fix NYC’s broken capital construction systemNew York City's capital construction process is plagued by delays and cost overruns—a longstanding challenge that DDC's new reform plan seeks to fix. But for these reforms to stick, every agency with a hand in the process will have to commit to the shared goal of improving project delivery.
Commentary/Op-Ed - January 2019
OP-ED: Support Remedial Education Reforms to Help More Students SucceedTraditional remedial education has become just another stumbling block on the road to a college credential. By investing in comprehensive remedial education reform, New York State can lift up underprepared students and put thousands more on track to a brighter economic future.
Report - December 2018
State of the Chains, 2018Our eleventh annual ranking of national retailers in New York City finds a year-over-year decrease in the number of chain store locations for the first time since this study began.
Report - December 2018
Deeper in Debt: For-Profit Schools Driving Student Loan Default in New York StateNearly a quarter of undergraduate students in New York State who take out student loans either default or are at high risk of default after five years, driven by disproportionately high default rates at the state’s for-profit schools. The data underscores the need to tackle the student debt crisis in New York and suggests that state policymakers should take steps to hold the most default-prone institutions accountable.
Testimony - November 2018
The Future of the Garment CenterIn this testimony before the New York City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles details his support for a more calibrated plan to preserve what’s left of the unique fashion ecosystem in Manhattan’s garment district.
Report - October 2018
Out of Reach: Too Few New Yorkers Are Earning a High School Equivalency DiplomaEarning a high school equivalency can open the door to better jobs, skills-building programs, and a postsecondary education for the nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers without a high school diploma. But the number of New Yorkers earning a high school equivalency is just half what it was in 2010, and overall trends are cause for concern.
Report - September 2018
The Promise of Apprenticeships in New YorkApprenticeships increase economic mobility for people without a college degree, help employers find diverse and qualified employees, and are an ideal training model for New York's fastest-growing industries. New York can do much more to realize their potential.
Report - September 2018
Starting Later: Realizing the Promise of Older Entrepreneurs in New York CityA growing number of New Yorkers over 50 are quietly but purposefully turning to entrepreneurship, boosting the city’s economy and helping scores of older New Yorkers become more financially secure. As the city's population ages, New York has a major opportunity to further expand encore entrepreneurship and support aspiring entrepreneurs who are starting later.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2018
Op-Ed: Creating Middle Class Jobs By Upgrading NYC’s Aging InfrastructureAn ambitious plan to revitalize public infrastructure can provide New Yorkers with well-paying jobs and lay the foundation for a stronger city.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2018
Op-Ed: Getting New York’s Excelsior Scholarship Program RightGovernor Cuomo is right to focus on college affordability, but his Excelsior Scholarship program is only reaching a small number of New Yorkers. With a few tweaks, New York can make Excelsior a powerful engine of educational opportunity.
Report - August 2018
Excelsior Scholarship Serving Very Few New York StudentsThe Excelsior Scholarship program promises free tuition at CUNY and SUNY colleges. But only 3 percent of public college students are able to take advantage of Excelsior, and students in New York City are especially neglected.
Commentary/Op-Ed - July 2018
Op-Ed: Getting Ahead of Automation in New YorkAbout 12 percent of New York State's workforce, more than 1.2 million jobs statewide, could be largely automated using technology that exists today. To get New Yorkers ready, policymakers and legislators must double down on a skills-building agenda.
Commentary/Op-Ed - June 2018
Op-Ed: Revitalizing New York’s Aging Parks InfrastructureWith more than 100 million parks visitors each year and the city’s population at a record high, New York’s 1,700 public parks have never been busier. But age and underinvestment in basic maintenance in has taken a toll. By investing wisely in parks' revitalization, these essential open spaces can continue to thrive into the next century and beyond.
Report - June 2018
A New Leaf: Revitalizing New York City’s Aging Parks InfrastructureNew York City's public parks are busier than ever. But the combination of advanced age and decades of insufficient maintenance means that parks across all five boroughs are facing serious infrastructure challenges.
