Report - September 2022
City of Aspiration: 150 Ideas for Building a More Equitable NYCThere is growing consensus that New York City leaders should take new action to build a more equitable city. This report provides a roadmap for how NYC can get there, featuring 150 New York-based leaders and national experts each sharing a single policy idea for how to make progress toward a more equitable NYC.
Testimony - September 2022
Expanding employment opportunities for New Yorkers with disabilitiesIn this testimony before the NYC Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction, CUF researcher and multimedia specialist Melissa Lent outlines four key recommendations for the Council to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2022
Boost NYC’s Tech Sector to Ensure a Full Jobs Recovery and Stronger Future for New YorkersIn this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF’s Jonathan Bowles and Tech:NYC Executive Director Jason Myles Clark lay out the opportunity for Mayor Adams to invest in the city's tech sector to spark a more complete jobs recovery and get many more New Yorkers into well-paying tech jobs.
Commentary/Op-Ed - August 2022
Let’s overhaul the city’s capital process for the sake of our parks, playgrounds and librariesIn this Crain’s New York Business op-ed, CUF’s Jonathan Bowles and New Yorkers for Parks Executive Director Adam Ganser urge the Adams administration to reform the city’s notoriously costly and time-consuming capital process for parks, libraries, and other vital social infrastructure.
Commentary/Op-Ed - August 2022
Mayor Adams, it’s time to level up K-12 computing education across NYCIn this City & State NY op-ed, CUF Editorial & Policy Director Eli Dvorkin and Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund Director Amber Oliver urge Mayor Adams to strengthen and grow computing education in the city’s schools to expand access to well-paying tech careers and ensure that New Yorkers of color and women are fully represented.
Report - July 2022
New York’s New Jobs EngineThe tech sector has matured into New York City's single most dependable economic engine and reliable source of new well-paying jobs. However, New York will have to overcome new challenges and gathering headwinds to build a larger, more sustainable, and more inclusive tech ecosystem.
Data - June 2022
Greening City Buildings: More Progress Is Needed to Meet NYC’s Municipal Emissions Reduction GoalsWhile greenhouse gas emissions from city-owned buildings have decreased since 2014, this new analysis reveals 8 of 25 city agencies have seen emissions increase, including a 15 percent spike at CUNY. More progress will be needed to achieve the city’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Commentary/Op-Ed - June 2022
Strengthening pathways to entrepreneurship for formerly incarcerated New YorkersIn this Daily News op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles and Vice President of Global Philanthropy for JPMorgan Chase Jeanique Druses make the case for why city and state leaders should embrace the opportunity to strengthen pathways to entrepreneurship for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers.
Report - May 2022
Starting Up & Staying OutFor many formerly incarcerated New Yorkers, entrepreneurship provides a meaningful pathway to economic opportunity. Strengthening support for reentry entrepreneurship offers policymakers one vital, yet largely untapped, opportunity to help far more returning New Yorkers succeed in reentry and beyond.
Report - May 2022
In Good Company: What NYC’s Employers Should Do to Expand Access to Good JobsCreating a more equitable economy will require bold action by the city. But the private sector will also need to step up. This study provides a snapshot of six innovative employer-led initiatives to expand access to good jobs—with enormous potential for replication among other companies in New York.
Report - April 2022
Eliminating Discriminatory Fines & Fees: Learning From San FranciscoThe fifth edition of Economic Opportunity Lab, CUF's series spotlighting innovative policies from other cities and states that are helping to create a more inclusive economy, profiles San Francisco’s Financial Justice Project. A similar initiative in NYC could reform a system of fines and fees with disproportionate consequences for low-income New Yorkers.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2022
Make New York City a national leader in employment for people with disabilitiesIn this op-ed for City Limits, CUF Researcher and Multimedia Specialist Melissa Lent and Editorial and Policy Director Eli Dvorkin lay out the opportunity for the mayor and City Council to make New York City a national leader in employment for people with disabilities.
Report - March 2022
Scaling Minority-Owned Businesses: Adapting Cincinnati’s Accelerator for NYCThe fourth edition of Economic Opportunity Lab, CUF's series spotlighting innovative policies from other cities and states that are helping to create a more inclusive economy, profiles Cincinnati's Minority Business Accelerator. If replicated in New York, it could help small businesses grow and contribute to a more equitable economy for the long term.
Report - March 2022
Access Opportunity: Expanding Economic Opportunity for New Yorkers With DisabilitiesUnemployment and underemployment among people with disabilities long predated but was exacerbated by COVID-19. Policymakers have the opportunity in an economic recovery to make New York City a national leader in employment for people with disabilities.
Report - March 2022
New York’s Untapped Entrepreneurship OpportunityNew York City policymakers have an enormous untapped opportunity to create a more equitable economy by increasing rates of entrepreneurship among New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents. Strengthening this vital pathway can enable the many public housing residents already engaged in side hustles and home-based ventures to grow their businesses and build wealth.
Testimony - March 2022
Expanding and Improving NYC’s Workforce Development SystemIn this testimony before the NYC Council's Committee on Economic Development & Committee on Oversight & Investigations, CUF policy director Eli Dvorkin details four key steps that city government should take to make the city’s workforce development system stronger and more effective.
Commentary/Op-Ed - March 2022
Boost equity with TAP access for part-time studentsIn this op-ed for Times Union, CUF's Jonathan Bowles urges the State Legislature to support Gov. Hochul's proposal to expand the state's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to the nearly 200,000 SUNY and CUNY students who are enrolled on a part-time basis.
Commentary/Op-Ed - March 2022
Strengthening Natural Areas to Tackle Unemployment and Climate ChangeIn this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF Editorial and Policy Director Eli Dvorkin makes a case for the city to invest in NYC’s natural areas to spark thousands of green jobs while strengthening the city’s forests and wetlands.
Report - February 2022
Basic Income for Transition-Age Foster Youth: Adopting California’s ApproachThe third edition of Economic Opportunity Lab, CUF's series spotlighting innovative policies from other cities and states that are helping to create a more inclusive economy, profiles Santa Clara County, California's guaranteed income program for former foster youth, which may help this group establish financial independence and avoid crisis if replicated in New York.
Commentary/Op-Ed - February 2022
Eight Steps Mayor Adams Should Take to Expand and Improve Workforce DevelopmentIn this Crain's New York Business op-ed, CUF Editorial and Policy Director Eli Dvorkin outlines eight steps the Adams administration should take to make the investments and policy changes needed to help New Yorkers reenter the workforce while building ladders to economic mobility.
