Mayor Eric Adams and senior administration officials deliver an update on initiatives created to support working-class New Yorkers | Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.
When we came into office in January 2022, New York City was on the brink. The pandemic was still raging. Our economy was in bad shape. Crime was on the rise. And our mission from day one was to fight for the people who make New York City the greatest city in the world.
We went to work to build back our economy and begin the long road to recovery. And we did this by focusing on public safety, investing in public spaces, and supporting working people.
Twenty-four months later, we have turned things around thanks to our city, our people, and the city government’s efforts.
Jobs are up, crime is down, our streets are cleaner, and we deliver for working New Yorkers daily.
Thanks to our efforts, 2023 saw overall crime drop, with a decline in five of the seven major crime categories. We have taken more than 6,200 illegal guns off our streets this year and more than 13,000 illegal guns since the start of the administration. Additionally, we have pumped the brakes on auto theft and have taken on retail theft head-on.
As we have brought crime down, we have made our economy stronger. In 2023, we regained all of the private sector jobs we lost during the pandemic — more than a year ahead of predictions — and have created good-paying jobs for working people. Over 282,000 private sector jobs and more than 44,000 businesses have been created since the start of our administration — with one in seven New York City businesses opening this year alone.
But we know more can and must be done for working families. Raising a family in this city can be hard. That is why we are helping more people find affordable child care. When we came into office, a family earning $55,000 a year paid $55 a week for child care. Today, they’re paying just $4.80.
We also invest in our young people at every stage of their education. This year, we launched “New York City Reads,” a historic curriculum shift, enabling our public schools to switch to a reading curriculum based on proven science-of-reading techniques. And the numbers speak for themselves. Combined with initiatives we put in place during year one of the administration, reading numbers increased by almost 3 percent, and math scores improved by nearly 14 percent compared to last year.
“Our city is safer, cleaner, and more prosperous than it was two years ago. As 2023 draws to a close, there is much to be optimistic about. In 2024, we will build on our historic wins and continue to Get Stuff Done so all New Yorkers can share in our prosperity.”
While education is critical to economic opportunity, so is housing. And we are delivering more affordable housing for all New Yorkers.
Our historic “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” plan is focused on “building a little more housing in every neighborhood.” Over the last year, we created nearly 27,000 affordable homes, broke ground on the largest 100 percent affordable housing project in 40 years at Willets Points in Queens, and helped amplify the voices of our public housing residents with the historic vote for the NYCHA Trust.
We know that a safe and prosperous New York City is also clean. And we are winning our war on rats. Today, we receive fewer rat complaints, garbage sits on the street for less time, and all of our commercial waste is placed in containers. New Yorkers no longer have to dodge black garbage bags to work or school.
We also remove longstanding and unsightly sidewalk sheds from our streets while returning sidewalk space to New Yorkers. We have created new public spaces across all five boroughs and strengthened street safety by daylighting streets and creating more protected bike lanes.
While we have achieved so much this year, our city still faces challenges. We continue to meet the national asylum seeker crisis with compassion. Our city has helped the more than 157,000 migrants who have arrived at our doors seeking shelter. This is a city built by immigrants, and we are focused on resettlement and helping people take the following steps in their journeys. But we have been very clear that to continue managing this crisis in the future; we need more support from the state and federal governments.
Our city is safer, cleaner, and more prosperous than it was two years ago. As 2023 draws to a close, there is much to be optimistic about. In 2024, we will build on our historic wins and continue to Get Stuff Done so all New Yorkers can share in our prosperity. Happy Holidays!
