Page 13 - The Indian EYE 010524

COMMUNITY OP-ED JANUARY 05, 2024 | The Indian Eye 13

A Year of Getting Stuff Done for

working-class New Yorkers

Jobs are up, crime is down, our streets are cleaner, and every day we are delivering for working New Yorkers

ERIC ADAMS

hen we came into office in
January 2022, New York
WCity was on the brink. The
pandemic was still raging. Our econ-
omy was in bad shape. Crime was on
the rise. And our mission from day Thanks to our efforts, 2023 saw overall crime go down, with a drop in five of the seven major crime categories (File photo)
one was to fight for the people who
make New York City the greatest city ahead of predictions — and we have pared to the same period last year. created new public spaces across all
in the world. created good paying jobs for working While education is key to eco- five boroughs and strengthened street
We went to work to build back people. Over 282,000 private sector nomic opportunity, so is housing. safety by daylighting streets and cre-
our economy and begin the long jobs and more than 44,000 business- And we are delivering more afford- ating more protected bike lanes.
road to recovery. And we did this es have been created since the start able housing for all New Yorkers. While we have achieved so much
by focusing on public safety, invest- of our administration — with one Our historic “City of Yes for this year, we know our city still faces
ing in public spaces, and supporting in seven New York City businesses Housing Opportunity” plan is fo- challenges. We continue to meet the
working people. opening this year alone. cused on “building a little more hous- national asylum seeker crisis with
Twenty-four months later, But we know more can and must ing in every neighborhood.” Over the compassion. Our city has helped the
thanks to the efforts of our city, our be done for working families. Rais- last year, we created nearly 27,000 more than 157,000 migrants who
people, and across city government, ing a family in this city can be hard. affordable homes, broke ground on have arrived at our doors seeking
we have turned things around. That is why we are helping more peo- the largest 100 percent affordable shelter. This is a city built by immi-
Jobs are up, crime is down, our ple find affordable child care. When housing project in 40 years at Willets grants and we are focused on reset-
streets are cleaner, and every day we came into office, a family earning Points in Queens and helped amplify tlement and helping people take the
we are delivering for working New $55,000 a year was paying $55 a week the voices of our public housing res- next steps in their journeys. But we
Yorkers. for child care. Today, they’re paying idents with the historic vote for the have been very clear that in order to
Thanks to our efforts, 2023 saw just $4.80. NYCHA Trust. continue to manage this crisis going
overall crime go down, with a drop in We are also investing in our Now, we know that a safe and forward, we need more support from
five of the seven major crime catego- young people at every stage of their prosperous New York City is also a the state and federal governments.
ries. We have taken more than 6,200 education. This year, we launched clean city. And we are winning our Our city is safer, cleaner, and
illegal guns off our streets this year, “New York City Reads,” a historic war on rats. Today, we receive fewer more prosperous than it was two
and more than 13,000 illegal guns curriculum shift, enabling our pub- rat complaints, garbage sits out on years ago. As 2023 draws to a close,
since the start of the administration. lic schools to switch to a reading the street for less time, and all of our there is much to be optimistic about.
Additionally, we have pumped the curriculum based on proven sci- commercial waste is now placed in In 2024, we are going to build on our
brakes on auto theft and have taken ence-of-reading techniques. And containers. New Yorkers no longer historic wins and continue to Get
on retail theft head on. the numbers speak for themselves. have to dodge black garbage bags on Stuff Done so all New Yorkers can
As we have brought crime down, Combined with initiatives we put in their way to work or school. share in our prosperity.
we have made our economy stron- place during year one of the admin- We are also removing longstand- Happy Holidays!
ger. In 2023, we regained all of the istration, reading numbers increased ing and unsightly sidewalk sheds from
private sector jobs we lost during by almost 3 percent and math scores our streets while returning sidewalk Eric Adams is the Mayor of
the pandemic — more than a year improved by almost 14 percent com- space to New Yorkers. And we have New York City, NY

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