Addressing the increase in poverty in New York City is paramount to the economic recovery from COVID-19 and new threats to financial stability.

A recent survey conducted by Robin Hood and Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy has recorded a 12% increase in the poverty rate, which is double the average of the United States. Latino, Black and Asian communities have been disproportionately affected by the increase in poverty in New York.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has proposed several initiatives to tackle this issue. In January 2023, Adams announced the Working People’s Agenda, which aimed to alleviate economic and social hardships faced by New Yorkers during this time of recovery.

However, budget cuts proposed by the Mayor’s Office have downplayed the desired effect of these plans. In 2023 alone, Adams announced over $7 billion in cuts to the city’s budget.

These budget cuts mainly reduce funding for police, libraries and most importantly, education. The Department of Education faced a $2.1 billion cut in funding which has had impacts on school cafeteria menu options and staffing.

While schools are primarily learning centers for children, they also serve as childcare and provide food for students. Low-income parents rely on the public school system in order to provide for their children. If schools aren’t properly funded, how are parents expected to earn a living wage to support themselves and their children?

Moreover, further cuts have decreased the effectiveness of social services such as cash assistance programs, food stamp applications and NYCHA housing placement.

According to The New York Times, in 2023, “the city processed only 29 percent of applications for cash assistance on time, compared with 95 percent in 2019.” These delays aggravate the situation for New Yorkers who fall below the poverty line.

In 2022, Adams declared that New York would house migrants coming primarily from the US-Mexico Border. Many New Yorkers have since been critical of the decision primarily due to the costs of supporting the migrants.

The mayor stated that supporting the migrants would cost upwards of $12 billion within the next three years, which would require over half of what was cut from last year’s budget. The intake of migrants has diverted funding for low-income New Yorkers.

To compound this problem, Newsweek reported that migrant families receive roughly $350 per month while New Yorkers eligible for SNAP benefits receive just $291. Adams has called on the State and Federal legislatures to aid New York with this crisis to no avail.

Amid this chaos, the mayor has shifted his attention to issues he may deem more pressing such as hiring a “Rat Czar” with a $155,000 yearly salary to combat the city’s rodent problem. Additionally, he is regularly spotted mingling with celebrities rather than relieving economic pressures for his constituents.

The city government’s failure to recover from COVID-19 has significantly impacted the livelihoods of New Yorkers. The effects of this governmental inadequacy will only continue to exacerbate the situation with poverty-stricken New Yorkers for years to come.