Mayor Eric Adams. Dec. 7, 2023.
Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
After we got here into workplace in January 2022, New York Metropolis was on the brink. The pandemic was nonetheless raging. Our economic system was in dangerous form. Crime was on the rise. And our mission from day one was to struggle for the individuals who make New York Metropolis the best metropolis on the planet.
We went to work to construct again our economic system and start the lengthy highway to restoration. And we did this by specializing in public security, investing in public areas, and supporting working individuals.
Twenty-four months later, due to the efforts of our metropolis, our individuals, and throughout metropolis authorities, we have now turned issues round.
Jobs are up, crime is down, our streets are cleaner, and every single day we’re delivering for working New Yorkers.
Due to our efforts, 2023 noticed total crime go down, with a drop in 5 of the seven main crime classes. We’ve got taken greater than 6,200 unlawful weapons off our streets this yr, and greater than 13,000 unlawful weapons for the reason that begin of the administration. Moreover, we have now pumped the brakes on auto theft and have taken on retail theft head on.
As we have now introduced crime down, we have now made our economic system stronger. In 2023, we regained all the personal sector jobs we misplaced throughout the pandemic — greater than a yr forward of predictions — and we have now created good paying jobs for working individuals. Over 282,000 personal sector jobs and greater than 44,000 companies have been created for the reason that begin of our administration — with one in seven New York Metropolis companies opening this yr alone.
However we all know extra can and have to be performed for working households. Elevating a household on this metropolis might be laborious. That’s the reason we’re serving to extra individuals discover reasonably priced baby care. After we got here into workplace, a household incomes $55,000 a yr was paying $55 every week for baby care. At present, they’re paying simply $4.80.
We’re additionally investing in our younger individuals at each stage of their schooling. This yr, we launched “New York Metropolis Reads,” a historic curriculum shift, enabling our public faculties to change to a studying curriculum primarily based on confirmed science-of-reading strategies. And the numbers converse for themselves. Mixed with initiatives we put in place throughout yr one of many administration, studying numbers elevated by virtually 3 p.c and math scores improved by virtually 14 p.c in comparison with the identical interval final yr.
Whereas schooling is essential to financial alternative, so is housing. And we’re delivering extra reasonably priced housing for all New Yorkers.
Our historic “Metropolis of Sure for Housing Alternative” plan is concentrated on “constructing somewhat extra housing in each neighborhood.” Over the past yr, we created practically 27,000 reasonably priced properties, broke floor on the most important 100% reasonably priced housing challenge in 40 years at Willets Factors in Queens and helped amplify the voices of our public housing residents with the historic vote for the NYCHA Belief.
Now, we all know {that a} protected and affluent New York Metropolis can be a clear metropolis. And we’re profitable our conflict on rats. At present, we obtain fewer rat complaints, rubbish sits out on the road for much less time, and all of our industrial waste is now positioned in containers. New Yorkers not should dodge black rubbish luggage on their technique to work or college.
We’re additionally eradicating longstanding and ugly sidewalk sheds from our streets whereas returning sidewalk house to New Yorkers. And we have now created new public areas throughout all 5 boroughs and strengthened avenue security by daylighting streets and creating extra protected bike lanes.
Whereas we have now achieved a lot this yr, we all know our metropolis nonetheless faces challenges. We proceed to satisfy the nationwide asylum seeker disaster with compassion. Our metropolis has helped the greater than 157,000 migrants who’ve arrived at our doorways searching for shelter. It is a metropolis constructed by immigrants and we’re targeted on resettlement and serving to individuals take the subsequent steps of their journeys. However we have now been very clear that in an effort to proceed to handle this disaster going ahead, we want extra assist from the state and federal governments.
Our metropolis is safer, cleaner, and extra affluent than it was two years in the past. As 2023 attracts to a detailed, there may be a lot to be optimistic about. In 2024, we’re going to construct on our historic wins and proceed to Get Stuff Accomplished so all New Yorkers can share in our prosperity. Glad Holidays!
