NYC Faces Affordability Crisis Amid Ongoing Racial Justice Challenges

The affordability crisis in New York City presents a disproportionately heavy burden on its residents, particularly those from marginalized communities. As historical and systemic inequalities shape the economic landscape, solutions must be developed with a keen awareness of the racial and economic disparities that define who is able to live, work, and raise families within the city.

In neighborhoods that have long suffered from the effects of redlining, gentrification, and inadequate investment, Black and Latino families face elevated economic pressures that are entrenched and multifaceted. The latest data highlights that the median incomes for Black and Latino households in New York are significantly lower than their white counterparts, earning only [or_text model=”openai/gpt-4o-mini” prompt=”Rewrite this article in the professional, objective style of top newspapers like NY Times, expanding to at least 350 words. Ensure it’s SEO-friendly, plagiarism-free, and replace the source with “Media News Source” and dont mention author name. When numbers are mentioned make sure they are reflected correctly. Do not include quotation marks or any code in the output.:

The affordability crisis gripping our city does not fall equally on New Yorkers, and solutions to it must confront the economic and racial inequities that shape who can afford to live, work, and raise a family here.

In neighborhoods long harmed by redlining, gentrification, and under-investment, Black and Brown families face economic pressures that are neither new nor incidental. These challenges are distinct from general affordability concerns and reflect decades of policy choices that have denied too many access to health, opportunity, and safety. 

In New York City, the median Black and Latino households earn just 53 and 49 cents, respectively, for every dollar earned by a white household. These New Yorkers experience the highest rates of poverty and face significantly higher eviction rates. The disparities contribute to a rising wealth gap and determine who can afford housing, access childcare, and remain in our city at all. It’s why our city’s Black population has declined by nearly 200,000 people over the past two decades. 

As affordability dominates public discourse, city leaders must pursue targeted solutions that account for these historical realities and advance justice. The affordability crisis is the cumulative effect of systems designed without — and often against — the interests of Black and Brown New Yorkers. 

The incoming mayor and Council cannot fall back to class- and race-neutral policymaking and expect it to close these divides. That approach has failed our communities for generations. 

Ensuring that policies are grounded in economic and racial justice requires building equity into the mechanics of government. Data analysis by race, ethnicity, and neighborhood must shape priorities and budget choices. Communities most affected by disparities need to be engaged, and their lived experiences must be incorporated into program design.

When government uses evidence, partnership, and accountability, justice becomes a core function — not an add-on. 

In 2021, the Racial Justice Commission advanced reforms to address how structural racism is embedded in city government. As a result, New York City is now required to examine how its policies, services, and investments affect different racial and ethnic communities, and develop long-term racial equity plans. The voter-approved True Cost of Living Measure can indicate what it costs to live with stability across boroughs and family types, and whether policies are improving affordability and economic security, for whom and where — and whether racial justice is being meaningfully advanced. 

While Mayor Adams has failed to release these required plans and measures, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani must prioritize releasing them and ensuring they spur action to confront disparities. 

In recent years, we have also seen what racial justice in government can look like. Since 2022, our most diverse, women-majority City Council has put equity and justice at the heart of its work.

We advanced legislation, policy, and budget investments to address stark racial disparities in maternal health, including launching the first city-funded guaranteed income program for expecting mothers facing housing insecurity — an intentional response as one in four New York City children lives in poverty and child homelessness is rising. 

We prioritized expanding full-day early childhood education seats for lower-income Black and Latino communities. 

This Council established our state’s first trauma recovery centers to ensure crime victims from communities of color were no longer disregarded and left without the victim services that make neighborhoods safer. 

And by launching CUNY Reconnect, we made it possible for more than 62,000 adults — mostly women and people of color — to return to college for degrees that advance their earning potential. 

It’s no accident that the most diverse Council in history was also the most pro-housing in generations, approving the creation of more new homes through city-initiated land use plans in four years than the previous 20 years. Our efforts also secured more than $8 billion for greater affordability, homeownership opportunities, tenant protections, and neighborhood investments for New Yorkers who need them the most. 

These are the types of equity-centered solutions needed. 

Racial equity must be a driving force in how we address affordability and opportunity, because the affordability crisis is fundamentally a justice crisis. New York is at risk of becoming a city where only those with privilege can thrive. Reversing that trajectory relies on government choices. 

The incoming mayor and City Council’s success in making the city more affordable depends on them directly confronting this truth: solving affordability requires advancing equity and justice. 

Racial justice is not an ancillary issue to advancing affordability. It is at its core.

Adams is the outgoing City Council speaker from District 28 in Southeast Queens. Jones Austin is the CEO and executive director of the Federation of the Protestant Welfare Agencies. 

“].53 and [or_text model=”openai/gpt-4o-mini” prompt=”Rewrite this article in the professional, objective style of top newspapers like NY Times, expanding to at least 350 words. Ensure it’s SEO-friendly, plagiarism-free, and replace the source with “Media News Source” and dont mention author name. When numbers are mentioned make sure they are reflected correctly. Do not include quotation marks or any code in the output.:

The affordability crisis gripping our city does not fall equally on New Yorkers, and solutions to it must confront the economic and racial inequities that shape who can afford to live, work, and raise a family here.

In neighborhoods long harmed by redlining, gentrification, and under-investment, Black and Brown families face economic pressures that are neither new nor incidental. These challenges are distinct from general affordability concerns and reflect decades of policy choices that have denied too many access to health, opportunity, and safety. 

In New York City, the median Black and Latino households earn just 53 and 49 cents, respectively, for every dollar earned by a white household. These New Yorkers experience the highest rates of poverty and face significantly higher eviction rates. The disparities contribute to a rising wealth gap and determine who can afford housing, access childcare, and remain in our city at all. It’s why our city’s Black population has declined by nearly 200,000 people over the past two decades. 

As affordability dominates public discourse, city leaders must pursue targeted solutions that account for these historical realities and advance justice. The affordability crisis is the cumulative effect of systems designed without — and often against — the interests of Black and Brown New Yorkers. 

The incoming mayor and Council cannot fall back to class- and race-neutral policymaking and expect it to close these divides. That approach has failed our communities for generations. 

Ensuring that policies are grounded in economic and racial justice requires building equity into the mechanics of government. Data analysis by race, ethnicity, and neighborhood must shape priorities and budget choices. Communities most affected by disparities need to be engaged, and their lived experiences must be incorporated into program design.

When government uses evidence, partnership, and accountability, justice becomes a core function — not an add-on. 

In 2021, the Racial Justice Commission advanced reforms to address how structural racism is embedded in city government. As a result, New York City is now required to examine how its policies, services, and investments affect different racial and ethnic communities, and develop long-term racial equity plans. The voter-approved True Cost of Living Measure can indicate what it costs to live with stability across boroughs and family types, and whether policies are improving affordability and economic security, for whom and where — and whether racial justice is being meaningfully advanced. 

While Mayor Adams has failed to release these required plans and measures, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani must prioritize releasing them and ensuring they spur action to confront disparities. 

In recent years, we have also seen what racial justice in government can look like. Since 2022, our most diverse, women-majority City Council has put equity and justice at the heart of its work.

We advanced legislation, policy, and budget investments to address stark racial disparities in maternal health, including launching the first city-funded guaranteed income program for expecting mothers facing housing insecurity — an intentional response as one in four New York City children lives in poverty and child homelessness is rising. 

We prioritized expanding full-day early childhood education seats for lower-income Black and Latino communities. 

This Council established our state’s first trauma recovery centers to ensure crime victims from communities of color were no longer disregarded and left without the victim services that make neighborhoods safer. 

And by launching CUNY Reconnect, we made it possible for more than 62,000 adults — mostly women and people of color — to return to college for degrees that advance their earning potential. 

It’s no accident that the most diverse Council in history was also the most pro-housing in generations, approving the creation of more new homes through city-initiated land use plans in four years than the previous 20 years. Our efforts also secured more than $8 billion for greater affordability, homeownership opportunities, tenant protections, and neighborhood investments for New Yorkers who need them the most. 

These are the types of equity-centered solutions needed. 

Racial equity must be a driving force in how we address affordability and opportunity, because the affordability crisis is fundamentally a justice crisis. New York is at risk of becoming a city where only those with privilege can thrive. Reversing that trajectory relies on government choices. 

The incoming mayor and City Council’s success in making the city more affordable depends on them directly confronting this truth: solving affordability requires advancing equity and justice. 

Racial justice is not an ancillary issue to advancing affordability. It is at its core.

Adams is the outgoing City Council speaker from District 28 in Southeast Queens. Jones Austin is the CEO and executive director of the Federation of the Protestant Welfare Agencies. 

“].49 for every dollar earned by white households, respectively. This economic gap translates into alarming rates of poverty among these demographics, further compounded by notably higher eviction rates.

As public discussions around housing affordability gain momentum, it is critical for city leaders to embrace targeted measures that address these historical inequities. The current affordability crisis is not merely an economic issue but one rooted deep within the fabric of social justice, perpetuated by a system that has historically marginalized Black and Latino citizens. Recent statistics indicate a dramatic decline of nearly 200,000 Black residents in New York City over the past two decades, a stark illustration of the city’s ongoing demographic shifts driven by affordability challenges.

Moving forward, it is imperative that policy decisions reflect an understanding of these disparities rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. The new administration must prioritize economic and racial justice, employing data-driven analysis to inform budget priorities and community engagement. Recent reforms, including required assessments of how city policies impact racial and ethnic communities, signal a path toward greater accountability within governance.

The incoming mayor and City Council have an opportunity to build upon these reforms and must prioritize the implementation of racial equity plans to actively address disparities. The past has shown that relying on race-neutral policies has failed to alleviate the burdens faced by these communities. Instead, adopting an equity-centered lens in policy-making will be essential as the city strives to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to housing, healthcare, and other vital resources.

Initiatives taken by previous administrations reflect the potential for progress, as demonstrated by significant investments aimed at addressing racial disparities in critical areas such as maternal health and early childhood education. These examples underscore the necessity of pursuing dedicated investment strategies tailored to communities most in need.

For New York City to avoid becoming a locale where only the privileged can thrive, tackling affordability through the framework of social justice is essential. The responsibility to confront these truths rests with the city’s leadership, which must understand that the pathway to a more affordable future is inherently tied to advancing racial justice. Failure to acknowledge this connection will perpetuate the cycles of inequality that have long plagued the city.

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