Mayor de Blasio Releases Plan To Invest In New Yorkers From Harlem To Hollis

Mayor Bill de Blasio today released New York Works, a series of 25 initiatives to spur 100,000 jobs with good wages over the coming decade. To combat economic inequality, grow the middle class and adapt to ever-changing technology, the City will invest in industries with high wages and job potential, focusing on jobs that pay at least $50,000 per year or offer a clear path to that salary level.

The de Blasio administration will invest heavily in technology, particularly cybersecurity (30,000 jobs); life sciences and health care (15,000 jobs); industrial and manufacturing (20,000 jobs); and the creative and cultural sectors (10,000 jobs). It will support those sectors with physical space to expand, tax incentives to promote growth, business development investments for early-stage companies, and workforce training to connect New Yorkers to good jobs. These strategies will be supported by City actions to spur millions of square feet of new commercial office space (25,000 jobs).

“We have to take economic inequality head-on, and that means raising wages and launching more New Yorkers into the middle class. These are the fast-growing, high-paying industries that represent the future of our city, but only if we invest now in the places, the workforce and the infrastructure to compete,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Read the full plan here.

“We have a tremendous foundation right now, with safe streets, improving schools and technology animating our legacy industries. This plan positions our people and our city to actively respond to the changing economy with targeted interventions in our workforce, in key sectors and in early-stage companies. And together they’ll make the difference between people left behind by the new economy, and people who can compete for the good wages and careers that can support a family in this city,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen.

New York Works reflects $1.1 billion in currently allocated City spending, and a further $250 million the administration will apply in its November and January updates to the budget. The administration will report on the plan’s progress annually.

The plan accounts for specific City investments in City-owned buildings with private sector tenants, zoning actions to enable commercial growth, tax incentives through the City’s Industrial Development Agency, sector-specific programs to train workers or assist businesses, and infrastructure in our ports and distribution centers.

Its 25 initiatives include:

• Establishing NYC as the next global hub for cybersecurity through a $30 million investment in training New Yorkers, academic R&D labs, and the first business ‘accelerator’ dedicated solely to early-stage cybersecurity firms in New York City. The programs will directly create 3,500 good-paying jobs and catalyze another 6,500 in the industry.
• Freight NYC, a multi-pronged strategy for a citywide freight network that will create 4,000 good-paying industrial jobs by building more shipping and distribution infrastructure to connect NYC to the nation’s ‘Marine Highway,’ reducing regional truck traffic on our roadways and costs for NYC businesses and consumers.
• Doubling the number of CUNY’s Computer Science graduates to 2,000 per year within 5 years by investing in faculty, real world experiences for students through internships and work/study programs, and improved career advising. The shortage of trained, ready-to-work talent remains a significant challenge to the growth of NYC’s tech ecosystem, and increasing qualified candidates will enable local tech firms to fill positions faster and open up new career paths for New Yorkers.
• Appointing NYC’s first Nightlife Ambassador, a senior-level administration official tasked with supporting the nightlife and live music industry—a vital component of keeping NYC a creative and cultural capital.
• NYC’s first Digital Health Lab, a $5-million product testing ground for healthcare and tech companies ready to bring their products into a clinical setting that models real-world patient interactions, record-keeping terminals and consultations. More than 850 jobs will be generated by new and growing companies using the facility.
• Building the nation’s first Augmented and Virtual Reality Lab, a $6-million investment to position NYC as the center of this growing industry and provide space for its innovators to start and grow companies.
• Apprentice NYC, a new employer-partnership model that will provide 500 New Yorkers with good jobs in sectors that include tech, healthcare/life sciences, and industrial and manufacturing.
• Office Anchor, a new initiative to spur commercial buildings in the outer boroughs by leveraging City agencies as anchor tenants. An upcoming RFP for commercial development in East New York will include 250,000 square feet sought by the Human Resources Administration.

Learn more about the plan here.

“The increase in security attacks and breaches has catapulted cybersecurity conversations from IT departments to boardrooms, for start-ups and Fortune 500 companies alike,” said Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy, CEO and Co-Founder of SecurityScorecard, a leading security rating platform located in New York City where the Mayor made today’s announcement. “The growing complexity of breaches and hacks, coupled with the increased demand for viable solutions, makes it important to continuously recruit and train cyber security professionals. I commend Mayor de Blasio and his team for taking the initiative to make cybersecurity a priority for New York City businesses.”

“New York City’s economy is as strong as it’s ever been, and with New York Works we’re going to leverage that growth and investment to create good-paying jobs that are truly accessible,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President James Patchett. “We’re investing in some of the newest sectors of our economy, like cybersecurity. And we’re modernizing traditional infrastructure to create 21st century blue collar jobs, through initiatives like FreightNYC. With this roadmap, we will meet Mayor de Blasio’s unprecedented commitment and provide a pathway to the middle class for tens of thousands more New Yorkers and their families.”

“It’s exciting that in a period of near ‘full employment’ the Mayor would continue to focus on good jobs, not just any job, for New Yorkers. We have to tackle this city’s affordability issue on many fronts, and the creation of 100,000 good jobs will help New Yorkers stay in the city they love, while pursuing a career in one of several industries that is growing and that needs skilled talent,” said Barbara Chang, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development.

“Mayor de Blasio is delivering on his promise to build a local economy that works for all New Yorkers,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services. “The 100,000 jobs plan outlined today shows what government can do to foster the creation of good, middle class jobs. By investing in key growth industries and initiatives, we are positioning NYC as a leader in job creation and upward mobility for New Yorkers.”

Department of City Planning Director Marisa Lago said, “From state-of-the-art office space in East Midtown, to regional office hubs like Downtown Brooklyn and Long Island City, to neighborhood spaces for industry and innovation, our economy requires a diversity of workspaces that matches the diversity of our neighborhoods and our residents. New York Works lays out a road map for creating the workspaces that will help grow the jobs of tomorrow, bringing jobs closer to where people live and connecting New Yorkers in all neighborhoods to economic opportunity.”

“From the robust expansion of the city’s TV and film industries to our $20 billion music sector, media and entertainment in New York City are thriving as never before,” said Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin. “The investments announced today by Mayor de Blasio will go a long way towards connecting New Yorkers with high-quality employment opportunities in these fields, and towards ensuring that New York’s cultural and creative scene remains diverse, vibrant, and successful.”

“The creative sector is the soul of this city, providing hundreds of thousands of jobs in all five boroughs,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. “To help creative New Yorkers thrive, we need a diverse set of jobs and affordable places to present and create art. This plan will strengthen the entire cultural ecosystem.”

“Undeniably, the most important part of cybersecurity is a highly trained workforce—professionals who know how to defend critical data and infrastructure in an ever-evolving threat landscape,” said Anne Roest, Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. “Companies know this, and demand for those skills will only increase. Now, thousands more New Yorkers will be ready to answer the call, possessing the skills to get a good job and grow our economy at the same time.”

“Significant investment in tech jobs ensures a stronger future for New Yorkers and our City,” said Miguel Gamiño, Chief Technology Officer of the City of New York. “Cybersecurity and emerging technologies are growing fast, creating many good-paying jobs that will be critical for years to come. We are positioning tech as an opportunity for thousands of New Yorkers to do those jobs, while strengthening equality and diversity in New York City’s tech economy.”

“New York Works lays out an innovative path to dramatically increase the number of high-quality, accessible jobs for New Yorkers,” said David Ehrenberg, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “At the Navy Yard, we work day in and day out to create exactly these types of opportunities in the industrial sector, so we are thrilled to play a part in this critical initiative. It is thanks to the support of the City and Mayor de Blasio that we will add 10,000 jobs at the Yard in the next few years.”