Reports

Prior to the pandemic, enrollment in the City’s cash assistance program had been on the decline, reaching a record-low level of 325,000 people in March 2020. Enrollment then grew sharply, by about 20 percent between February 2020 and September 2020, when the caseload peaked at 391,432 people, before beginning to decline. However, since September 2021, after federal extended unemployment benefits came to an end, enrollment has risen again

The Administration for Children’s Services has reported sharp declines in service levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools operated remotely, the number of abuse and neglect reports from school staff and other mandated reporters slowed, resulting in fewer investigations by the agency.

To alleviate population density during the pandemic, the City accelerated the release of some inmates utilizing reintegration hotels with support services run by non-profit organizations. However, more than 1,200 correction officers had been reportedly infected with COVID-19 through March 2021.

The pandemic required a shift in agency operations, initially changing traffic patterns and requiring a pause in construction and repair work. As the City began its recovery, adaptations were needed to expand outdoor public space to encourage economic activity amid the public health crisis. The agency managed the administration and enforcement of the Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs.

The City experienced significant growth in its fulltime workforce in the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of which was driven by new or expanded services. The pandemic, and the City’s efforts to manage the budgetary implications of its impact, have led to a decline in staffing which has undone much of this growth.

The pandemic impacted the delivery of some core public health services as agency resources were shifted to the COVID-19 response and fewer people sought health care. Responding to the mental health needs of people impacted by the pandemic, the Mayor launched Mental Health for All, a comprehensive website and public education campaign that coordinates mental health resources across City agencies, including the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Before the pandemic, the shelter population had been growing at a somewhat steady rate, peaking at 61,110 people in January 2019. Since February 2020, just before the start of the pandemic, however, those numbers had been on the decline, before rising slightly in recent months. The decline was due in part to the federal and state eviction moratoriums that were issued during the pandemic.

Consistent with the citywide trend from February 2020 to October 2021, the NYPD experienced a decline in uniformed staffing levels (of 6 percent, more than 2,000 employees) from February 2020 to September 2021, due to relatively higher rates of officers retiring or otherwise leaving the force.

The DSNY experienced a surge in medical leave during the first few weeks of the pandemic and has continued to experience spikes in employee unavailability. This factor, coupled with a FY 2021 hiring freeze which reduced uniformed staff by 9 percent (nearly 700 employees) between February 2020 and June 2021, has resulted in higher overtime costs.

Extraordinary emergency federal aid eliminated the most serious potential fiscal impacts of the pandemic. However, school closures, the necessary integration of remote learning, and the inability to provide in-person supplemental services to students have disrupted two consecutive school years, with significant negative impacts on student learning outcomes.

New York City Health + Hospitals initially experienced some challenges with staffing and supply shortages and capacity limitations. As the pandemic unfolded, the agency assumed a significant role in planning for and responding to New York City’s public health emergency, launched the largest test and trace program in the country and implemented a vaccine program. The agency managed financially early in the pandemic due to the receipt of federal COVID-19 relief funding but, with the rise of new variants and subsequent increase in hospitalizations, costs continue to grow.

NYCHA, like many landlords nationally, faced a significant decline in rent collections due to severe economic disruption and employment losses experienced as a result of the pandemic. The Authority has also seen increased delays in resolution times for non-emergency service requests, resulting from changes to work order guidelines on in-unit repairs during the pandemic.

Immediately following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, about one-fifth of firefighters and a quarter of EMS staff were unavailable for duty on medical leave. Meanwhile, medical emergency calls to 911 surged to the highest daily number in FDNY history (over 6,500).

The Municipal Water Finance Authority reports that drinking water quality, water supply, and wastewater treatment were not impacted by COVID, but the pandemic has negatively affected revenues. The System’s total operating revenues declined by nearly $164 million (4.3 percent) from FY 2019 to FY 2021.

New York City’s published financial plan includes funding for some recurring spending initiatives for only a limited period, creating additional risks to already identified budget gaps. The Office of the State Comptroller has created a tool to identify sources and uses of funds for City programs that are not fully funded during the remaining years of the City’s financial plan, through Fiscal Year 2025

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many businesses in retail trade, restaurant, and arts, entertainment and recreation closed. This report examines the damage the pandemic has inflicted on those sectors, and considers the distribution of federal funds for businesses in the City, particularly for businesses in low- and moderate-income communities and in historically underutilized business zones.

A look back at some of the major accomplishments of the Office of the New York State Comptroller in 2021, including achieving a record 33.5% investment return for the State pension fund, protecting the pension fund by divesting from coal and oil sands companies while investing in sustainable and low-carbon opportunities, tracking employment and economic trends while closely monitoring pandemic relief programs, returning $348 million in lost money to rightful owners, and more. 

New York City forecasts a surplus of $965 million in the fiscal year ending in June 2022, based largely on the receipt of $750 million in unrestricted federal aid, and projects outyear gaps to drop by nearly a third from earlier estimates. Despite the positive news, the Office of the State Comptroller has identified several risks that could pose challenges to the City’s budget in the future.

Flushing, and the surrounding neighborhoods that make up the greater Flushing area, enjoyed outsized employment and business growth from 2000 until Queens became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local challenges that existed before the pandemic, such as affordable housing and broadband access, have made recovery more difficult, but key positive indicators such as job recovery are reasons for optimism.

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is facing significant long-term financial challenges, including risks to its capital plan and pressure from escalating debt, while the impacts of climate change demand a sharper focus on preparation for and response to extreme weather events. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act offers a boost for the agency’s capital plan, but also heightens the need for appropriate prioritization of capital projects. This report uses the latest needs assessment to measure the progress in completing projects and making capital commitments, as of September 2021.