New York City nonprofits recommend ways city, state can help address cost of living
NEW YORK -- Two New York City nonprofits released a policy brief Tuesday recommending ways the city and state can address the cost of living after a report last year found half of working age New Yorkers can no longer make ends meet.
The 2023 True Cost of Living report, released last April, estimates 3 million New Yorkers cannot afford to cover basic needs.
The Fund for the City of New York and United Way of New York City released a joint report outlining ways governments on the local, state and federal levels can increase incomes and reduce expenses to help ease the burden on New Yorkers.
"Today the state can raise the minimum [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefit from $23 to $100. The city can make sure that [Human Resources Administration] has enough staff to enroll people into SNAP. Our federal government could implement and enhance child tax credit to make sure that we have enough to feed our children," said Jerome Nathaniel, City Harvest's director of policy and government relations.
The report proposes raising the minimum wage, increasing wages in the human services sector and improvements to tax credits for low-income New Yorkers.
The nonprofits also recommended ways for low-income residents to build financial assets and gain access to well-paying jobs through workforce development training programs.
Additionally, the policy brief outlines ways the government can help reduce expenses for New Yorkers in five major categories: housing, child care, food, health care and transportation.
"By implementing these policy measures, policymakers have the opportunity to create a more supportive environment that empowers New York's families, ensuring that economic and social well-being are not isolated factors but integral components of a thriving and inclusive community," the report concludes.