Big-Rig Training Program, Expanded Healthcare Coverage For City Workers, Legionnaires’ Cluster Investigation, New Workforce Development Director, OneLIC Plan Approved, City’s 1st HBCU Prep School, Chromebooks For Public School Students: Mayor Adams

Big-Rig Training Program, Expanded Healthcare Coverage For City Workers, Legionnaires’ Cluster Investigation, New Workforce Development Director, OneLIC Plan Approved, City’s 1st HBCU Prep School, Chromebooks For Public School Students: Mayor Adams

Editor’s note: Readers may remember our previous coverage of the healthcare programs for retired municipal workers, where unions and the city were trying to force retired workers into inferior Medicare Advantage plans instead of traditional Medicare.  In advance of the election, all candidates except the Democratic nominee have announced their intentions to protect retiree healthcare, promising to allow them to continue to have a choice.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES MAJOR EXPANSION OF BIG-RIG TRAINING PROGRAM FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED NEW YORKERS

Innovative Partnership Between MOCJ and Emerge Careers Produced Job Offers in High-Demand Trucking Industry for Every Graduate of Inaugural 2025 Program

Starting Salaries Range From $78,000 to $124,000 for Population That Typically Faces 60 Percent Unemployment Post Incarceration

Newly Announced Expansion Will Increase Participation 15-Fold from Inaugural Class, Putting 300 More New Yorkers on Pathways to New Careers and Financial Stability

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) Director Deanna Logan today announced a massive expansion of its successful Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program for justice-involved individuals. The multi-million-dollar investment with reentry workforce development partner Emerge Career will ensure hundreds of New Yorkers will benefit from the life-changing training, personalized coaching, and job placement offered through the program next year — a dramatic increase from 2025’s initial pilot program.

The innovative program addresses two critical needs: financial stability for individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement and filling workforce gaps in an industry facing significant labor shortages. The average unemployment rate for Americans getting out of incarceration is 60 percent — 12 times the overall national average. However, every single graduate of the 2025 program secured a full-time CDL job offer, with starting salaries ranging from $78,000.00 to $124,800, demonstrating both the program’s life-changing impact and its cost-effectiveness for the city’s workforce pipeline.

“One mistake should not destroy a person’s life because a bend in the road should not be the end of a road,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are driving second chances in New York City by expanding our Commercial Driver’s License training program. This innovative program provides formerly justice-involved New Yorkers with the skills they need to earn a CDL and connects them with meaningful employment opportunities in an industry facing significant labor shortages. By providing upstream solutions to downstream problems, we are shifting up a gear to prevent recidivism, keep our city safe, and put justice-involved New Yorkers on a path to build their American Dream in the greatest city in the world.”

“Research has taught us that one of the easiest ways to improve community safety is to help New Yorkers find financial stability,” said MOCJ Director Logan. “The data is also showing us that our investments in Emerge Career are paying immense dividends, in real second chances and wealth creation for some of our city’s most disadvantaged communities.”

“This partnership with the City of New York shows what’s possible when government embraces bold, human-centered technology to truly uplift its people,” said Zo Orchingwa, co-founder and co-CEO, Emerge Career. “We’re deeply grateful for the city’s trust in our vision and its commitment to those too often left behind. While this expansion marks a significant milestone, it’s only the start — our goal is to create lasting high-wage careers for every disadvantaged New Yorker and to transform reentry workforce development — establishing New York City as a leader in innovative, data-backed reentry workforce solutions.”

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“What sets Emerge apart is our deep collaboration with the broader community,” said Gabriel Saruhashi, co-founder and co-CEO, Emerge Career. “Our all-in-one workforce development platform gives case workers, emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, and supervision agencies real-time visibility into participants’ journeys — which is how our participants succeed at rates 50 percent higher than national averages and earn nearly twice as much as the typical graduate. This expansion will bring in $24 million in new wealth for their communities and the city.”

According to the American Trucking Association, the U.S. is facing a shortage of more than 60,000 drivers. CDL training provides a fast, accessible path to high-wage, stable employment in a critical industry that urgently needs talent — making it especially well-suited for ideal justice-impacted individuals who are often excluded from licensed professions.

After providing tuition-free training to 20 participants in 2025, MOCJ will expand the program to 300 participants in 2026, with additional expansions planned in the future. The announcement builds on the Adams administration’s broader commitment to investing in upstream solutions to public safety and economic mobility.

MOCJ — and its Community Innovations team — relies on data to guide its outreach efforts. Research consistently shows that poverty and limited access to vocational training and education are major contributors to incarceration and recidivism. According to a 2018 Brookings study, more than 80 percent of incarcerated men were jobless and had no income in the year prior to their incarceration. After release, only 20 percent reported earning at least $15,000 in their first year back in the community. By contrast, newly employed graduates of the city’s CDL program have secured positions with starting salaries ranging from $78,000 to $124,800.

Today’s announcement continues to build off Mayor Adams’ different investments in diversion programs and upstream solutions, including through recent investments in the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget, which continues Mayor Adams’ ‘Best Budget Ever.’ Investments include:

• Funding to invest in alternatives to incarceration services, including case management, substance abuse programming, group counseling, housing placement assistance, health care, and other services for adults charged with a crime ($7.6 million).
• Covering the indirect rate for non-profits that provide re-entry services, indigent defense, supervised release, and other criminal justice programming that was previously funded with stimulus dollars ($6.5 million).
• Helping to stabilize recently decarcerated individuals with re-entry services, including job readiness training; mental, physical, and behavioral health care; counseling; housing assistance; and mentoring ($4.7 million).
• Supporting “Project Restore,” a community-based gang violence intervention program that addresses barriers to personal growth, including economic insecurity, disconnection from education and employment, a lack of role models, and unhealed trauma ($2 million).
• Funding to create the South Bronx Community Justice Center, which will provide programming for gun violence prevention initiatives, crisis intervention, and high school equivalency education ($2 million)

“Having a job is the pillar of living a productive life – and an essential component of rehabilitation and re-entry into society after a prison term,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “The expansion of this training program will afford this foundational opportunity to many more people returning from incarceration. This is exactly the type of intervention that helps reduce crime by offering people a better path, so I commend Mayor Adams and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice for this promising initiative.”

“Securing a job is key to avoiding recidivism,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “The city’s commercial driver’s license training program has proven to be a success in providing employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals. I thank Mayor Adams for expanding this valuable program that will provide gainful employment opportunities for those reentering the workforce.”

Mayor Eric Adams delivers remarks at the New York City Department for the Aging’s (NYC Aging) Healthy Aging Fair. Asphalt Green, Upper East Side Campus, Manhattan. Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

MAYOR ADAMS, COMMISSIONER CAMPION ANNOUNCE NEW CITY HEALTH PLAN MOVES TO NEXT STEP FOR MUNICIPAL LABOR COMMITTEE APPROVAL

Proposed Plan Would Provide Expanded Network of Doctors, More Coverage for
pre-Medicare Retirees Living Outside of New York City Area, While Maintaining
Premium-Free Coverage with Continued High-Quality Care for City Employees

Active Employees and Pre-Medicare Retirees to Have Expanded Network While Potentially Saving New York City Taxpayers up to $1 Billion Per Year

If Approved and Implemented, Plan Would Mark First Successful Procurement for New Primary Health Plan for City Employees in Over 40 Years

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Commissioner Renee Campion today announced the joint proposal from EmblemHealth and United Healthcare for a new health plan for active city employees, pre-Medicare retirees, and their dependents is being sent to the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) for ratification. The city, in collaboration with the MLC, has negotiated directly with Emblem and United since they were selected on June 2, 2025. The proposed plan would continue to provide high-quality, premium-free coverage along with an expanded network of doctors and mental health specialists across the nation. If approved by the MLC, and finalized through the city’s contracting process, the new plan would be effective on January 1, 2026.

The proposed plan is the product of a years-long procurement process — the first in over four decades — conducted in collaboration with the MLC, and would support 75 percent of the city’s workforce and their families, ensuring 750,000 employees, pre-Medicare retirees, and their dependents have the most high-quality, affordable, health care options available. Additionally, the proposed plan would cut the cost of the city’s primary health plan by more than 10 percent — saving taxpayers up to $1 billion — while simultaneously expanding, instead of reducing, benefits and coverage.

“Our city employees dedicate their lives to making our city a better place and looking out for their fellow New Yorkers. They deserve the absolute best health care and benefits we have to offer, and, with this plan, we are giving them exactly that,” said Mayor Adams. “We are proud to enter the next phase in the process to deliver better quality health care to 750,000 employees, retirees, and their dependents. This will give enrollees more options in selecting their doctors, including for those living outside of New York City, while keeping health care affordable and saving the city as much as $1 billion. I want to thank Commissioner Campion and our union partners for coming together to tackle this dynamic issue, which only our administration was willing to take on.”

“I am excited to announce that, following intensive negotiations with EmblemHealth and United Healthcare, this proposed plan is being sent to the MLC for approval. This plan will leverage the city’s purchasing power to provide more doctors, more mental health providers, and a broad national network to 750,000 employees, pre-Medicare retirees, and dependents while saving up to $1 billion per year,” said OLR Commissioner Campion. “Thank you to MLC Executive Board members Harry Nespoli, Henry Garrido, Michael Mulgrew, Gregory Floyd, and Gloria Middleton for working with us during this negotiation, and we look forward to the MLC’s vote.”

Under Emblem and United’s proposal, city employees, dependents, and pre-Medicare retirees in the New York City area will have access to more primary care doctors, more specialists, more nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and more mental health providers. Additionally, over 80,000 covered members living outside the New York area — for the first time — will have access to a broad national network, especially benefitting pre-Medicare retirees who have moved out of the region and are often forced to go out of network for coverage or pay a premium for a plan that provides coverage where they live. Overall, over 200,000 covered members have used doctors who are currently out of network and will be in network under the proposed plan.

Emblem and United’s proposed plan leverages the 750,000 covered lives under this plan and is projected to save the city nearly $1 billion per year, stabilizing health care costs that have sharply increased in recent years.

The proposed plan would — also for the first-time ever — give New York City a self-funded insurance plan, the standard for all large employers, including the New York State Health Insurance Plan covering state employees, greatly reducing the costs of providing the plan with no effect on the quality of coverage.

The award of the contract is subject to the successful finalization and approval of a contract through the city’s procurement process.

Today’s news builds on the city and MLC’s collaboration over the past decade to continue to provide high-quality, premium-free health care coverage to city employees, retirees, and dependents, while simultaneously protecting taxpayer dollars by reigning in health care costs. These efforts have allowed city employees to continue to receive their health insurance at no premium cost to them, a benefit few other employers offer.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan today announcee that Brooklyn Community District 2 will be the second neighborhood in the city to have all its trash fully containerized in the Adams administration’s revolutionary Empire Bins, building on the incredible success of the containerization of all trash in West Harlem. DSNY will install stationary, on-street containers — known as Empire Bins — at schools in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill this fall and extend the popular program to all schools and high-density residential buildings in the community district next year on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

NEW YORK CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT CLOSES INVESTIGATION OF CENTRAL HARLEM LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE CLUSTER

Cluster Investigation is Complete and Residents and Visitors to Central Harlem Are Not at Increased Risk of Acquiring Legionnaires’ Disease 

Adams Administration Proposes Package of Reforms to Reduce Risk of Legionnaires

Molecular Analysis Matches Legionella Strain Found in Cooling Towers at Two Locations to Legionella Bacteria Found in Seven Patients in the Cluster

NEW YORK, NY — Today, the New York City Health Department announced that the Central Harlem community cluster of Legionnaires’ disease has ended. The last day that New Yorkers who live or work in the area began feeling symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease was August 9. As of yesterday, August 28, there have been 114 cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with this cluster; 90 people have been hospitalized; six remain hospitalized; and, unfortunately, seven people have died. In the Central Harlem cluster, at least 90 percent (104) of the people with Legionnaires’ disease had a known risk factor for severe disease, including being age 50 years and above, people who smoke, people with chronic lung disease or chronic conditions, or having a compromised immune system. All facilities with cooling towers in the cluster area fully cooperated with the Health Department, and those with Legionella positive test results completed full cleaning and disinfection as directed.

“Today marks three weeks since someone with symptoms was identified, which means New Yorkers should be able to breathe a sigh of relief that residents and visitors to Central Harlem are no longer at an increased risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease — but our job here is not done,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We must ensure that we learn from this and implement new steps to improve our detection and response to future clusters, because public safety is at the heart of everything we do, and we will never stop working to protect New Yorkers. This is an unfortunate tragedy for New York City and the people of Central Harlem as we mourn the seven people who lost their lives and pray for those who are still being treated. I am grateful to the frontline heroes at the New York City Health Department and Health + Hospitals, who undoubtedly saved many others.”

“As the city’s doctor, my thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by the spread of Legionella, and our hearts are with the families who lost a loved one,” said NYC Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “Thank you to the residents of Central Harlem, the elected officials, and community leaders who worked with the agency to keep New Yorkers informed. After an extensive investigation, we were able to identify two cooling towers that had a genetic match with patient specimens. We are working with building owners on next steps to protect the health and safety of Harlem residents and to prevent future clusters.”

“Harlem Hospital faced a surge of patients and rose to the occasion, and I want to thank them for their long hours and deep commitment to their patients,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “I also want to recognize our Engineering team, who run a robust cooling tower maintenance program that exceeds requirements by the NYC Health Department, treating the cooling towers each day with chemicals to minimize harmful microbes. Thanks to them, we know that the cooling tower at Harlem tested negative for Legionella in March and June, and as part of routine maintenance, was fully disinfected on July 2, three weeks before the first case in the cluster. We are grateful to our partners at the NYC Health Department and City Hall for their support.”

New York City has among the most rigorous and protective laws and regulations in the country that aim to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease from cooling towers. Building owners with cooling towers are required to implement steps, including but not limited to registering the cooling tower, developing and implementing an operating protocol, and monitoring water quality at least three times a week. Health Department scientists (water ecologists) conduct inspections to promote compliance with these requirements.

Today, the Adams administration is proposing a package of resources and policy changes to further reduce the risk of future clusters. These proposals include:

• Expanding the Health Department’s capacity to inspect the city’s cooling towers, including hiring additional water ecologists to conduct inspections and building system engineers to assess building mechanical systems and plumbing.
• Expanding sampling capacity to conduct proactive sampling of building cooling tower systems and maintain contracts to surge capacity when faced with novel issues during future clusters.
• Establishing a community engagement team staffed by community health workers based in the Health Department’s neighborhood health action centers to be rapidly deployed to provide information and education to neighborhood residents during an emergency and focus on improving the health of New Yorkers year-round.
• Requiring building owners to test for Legionella every 30 days during the cooling tower operating period instead of the current 90-day requirement.
• Increasing the fines for violations for failure to comply with cooling tower local laws and regulations.

In addition to these proposals, the Health Department is undergoing a full review of the city’s cooling tower rules to further strengthen city regulations.

After extensive investigation that included cutting-edge molecular analysis of Legionella bacteria from human and cooling tower specimens, the Health Department’s Public Health Laboratory matched the Legionella strain found in cooling towers located at two locations: NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem (Harlem Hospital), located at 506 Lenox Avenue, and a nearby construction site overseen by NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and construction contractor Skanska USA located at 40 West 137^th Street with the strain found in seven patients. The Health Department received seven clinical specimens in this cluster. The Health Department typically receives culture specimens for 6-9% of all reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease.

On July 25, the day the investigation began, the Health Department sampled the Harlem Hospital cooling towers. On July 30, Harlem Hospital disinfected the cooling tower. Also on July 30, the Health Department inspected the cooling tower as part of the cluster investigation and found it to be in full compliance with regulations. On August 7, after the Health Department’s sample came back positive on the culture test, Harlem Hospital drained, disinfected, and refilled the cooling tower.

Skanska USA is currently managing the construction at 40 West 137^th Street. The Health Department sampled the cooling tower on July 28, which showed a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and the construction contractor completed a full remediation on August 1.

Both buildings have complied with all directives from the Health Department and are working with the Health Department on their long-term management programs.

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by the bacteria Legionella, which grows in warm, stagnant water. Symptoms resemble other types of pneumonia and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, and cough. In some cases, Legionnaires’ disease can be traced to contaminated water systems, particularly where conditions favor the growth of Legionella, such as cooling towers. People can get sick by breathing in water vapor containing Legionella bacteria, which may be emitted by cooling towers.  It is not transmitted from person to person. Legionnaires’ disease is not caused by drinking water.  During a community cluster, the elevated risk from a contaminated cooling tower is to the surrounding neighborhood. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams meets with Jewish community leaders and walks through local businesses in Borough Park ahead of the upcoming High Holidays on Monday, September 15, 2025. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

MAYOR ADAMS APPOINTS DOUG LIPARI AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF TALENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CELEBRATES HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN WORKERS

Lipari Brings Over a Decade of Government Experience to New Role, Previously Served as Inaugural Executive Director of Office of Community Hiring 

Since Launching Community Hiring in 2024, Over $3.3 Billion in
City Contracts Subject to Community Hiring Requirements, Unlocking Job and
Apprenticeship Opportunities for Low-Income New Yorkers and NYCHA Residents

Adams Administration Will Also Launch New Digital Labor Compliance Tool to Bolster Enforcement of Wage and Labor Requirements on Building Service and Construction Projects

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today appointed Doug Lipari as the executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent) and celebrated historic efforts by the Adams administration to create a more equitable New York City workforce. Lipari previously served as the acting executive director of NYC Talent as well as the executive director of the Office of Community Hiring (OCH) within NYC Talent. As executive director of NYC Talent, Lipari will help lead the city’s extensive workforce development system to prepare New Yorkers for and connect them to good-paying careers. Mayor Adams launched the Office of Community Hiring to work with contractors to identify promising local talent and create job and apprenticeship opportunities for low-income New Yorkers. Since launching in 2024, over $3.3 billion in city contracts have been subject to community hiring requirements, including construction and building services contracts that require a significant portion of labor hours be performed by people who live in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing or in a ZIP code where at least 15 percent of the population lives below the federal poverty threshold. Finally, Mayor Adams announced a new digital tool that will track building and construction contracts with prevailing wage requirements, transitioning away from the city’s outdated paper-based process and allowing the city to better enforce wage and labor requirements. Mayor Adams’ appointment of Executive Director Lipari and his additional updates on workforce development efforts come in anticipation of National Workforce Development Month, a nationwide celebration held annually in September to highlight the importance of workforce development to both local cities’ and the nation’s economy.

“Making New York City the best place to raise a family means making sure that every New Yorker can find a good-paying job. From city agencies to private employers to job seekers, we’re helping align our city’s workforce development system, unlocking opportunity, and creating an economy where everyone can thrive,” said Mayor Adams. “There is no one better to continue leading these critical efforts than Doug Lipari. Doug has the experience, dedication, and skill to keep breaking down silos across our workforce development system and lead ambitious initiatives that help New Yorkers find a job. From making sure that low-income New Yorkers and NYCHA residents are able to find a good job through our Office of Community Hiring to helping lead project labor agreements that make sure New Yorkers are paid a fair wage, Doug has been on the frontlines of the fight for a more equitable economy for a decade, and I know he is the right person to help lead at this moment.”

“Making New York City the best place to live, work, and raise a family has always been the priority and North Star of the Adams administration,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “Doug Lipari’s dedication to that mission and successful track record overseeing the Office of Community Hiring make him the perfect leader to continue the great work at the Office of Talent and Workforce Development. I am excited to continue working with Doug in this new capacity and am confident that his leadership will continue to move this important work forward.”

“I am honored to lead the Office of Talent and Workforce Development on behalf of the City of New York and am grateful to Mayor Adams for his trust and ongoing commitment to the career success of all New Yorkers,” said NYC Talent Executive Director Lipari. “I’m excited to continue working alongside the dedicated NYC Talent team to deliver meaningful improvements across the workforce system, through close partnerships with industry, government, labor, nonprofits, education, and philanthropy, so that our local economy thrives.”

Mayor Adams originally created the Office of Community Hiring in 2023 to use the city’s purchasing power to bolster economic opportunity and connect city vendors with a pipeline of talent. Through community hiring, the city sets workforce goals for vendors to provide employment and apprenticeship opportunities for low-income individuals and those living in low-income communities. Since launching the office, 66 projects worth over $3.3 billion have been released with community hiring goals, helping connect low-income New Yorkers and NYCHA residents to a broad range of careers from construction to building services to social services and more.

Additionally, to help make sure that workers on city construction and building services projects are paid what they deserve, Mayor Adams announced a new digital tool that will allow the city to more effectively monitor labor and wage requirements, including New Yorkers contracted through community hiring. Starting next year, city agencies administering contracts with prevailing wage requirements will receive and analyze payroll records on a new digital platform, transitioning away from a paper-based process and bolstering the city’s efforts to track and enforce compliance. The digital tool will increase publicly available wage data through a public dashboard and enable the city to track community hiring goals on construction and building service projects.

NYC Talent works to align the city’s extensive network of agencies, employers, and educational institutions around shared priorities and better connect New Yorkers to good-paying careers. NYC Talent’s work includes:

• Implementing community hiring, which incorporates goals into city contracts to ensure that job and apprenticeship opportunities are made available to low-income New Yorkers, NYCHA residents, and those living in low-income ZIP codes. Once fully implemented, Community Hiring will be the nation’s largest program of its kind.
• Setting young people up for career success by coordinating and championing record investments across agencies in programs like the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s Summer Youth Employment Program and New York City Public Schools’ Summer Rising, as well as institutionalizing career-connected learning via initiatives like New York City Public Schools’ FutureReadyNYC and the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative, New York City Public Schools’ Summer Rising, as well as institutionalizing career-connected learning via initiatives like New York City Public Schools’ FutureReadyNYC and the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative.
• Strengthening partnerships with employers through a reinvigorated New York City Workforce Development Board and a new complementary advisory council to make sure the city’s talent development system is preparing New Yorkers for in-demand skills and occupations, with focused partnership and investment in critical economic sectors such as tech, health, and in other areas where careers will build a more future-focused, more resilient city and infrastructure.
• Making historic progress towards Mayor Adams’ moonshot goal of connecting New Yorkers to 30,000 apprenticeships by 2030, so that proven learn-and-earn models can support diverse, new sectors and occupations and create new good career pathways for students and young people.
• Connecting job seekers to career opportunities and working closely with public and private stakeholders to strengthen New Yorkers’ access to workforce services through deeper community engagement, stronger interagency partnerships, and improved technology solutions, especially for job seekers who face historic employment barriers.

“The appointment of Douglas Lipari as executive director signals a continued commitment to advancing the mission of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City. “We value our strong partnership with the city and are proud to collaborate in building a workforce system that is responsive to industry needs and expands opportunity for New Yorkers.”

“Doug Lipari is a proven leader who is deeply dedicated to connecting hardworking New Yorkers with good-paying, union careers, making him an incredible choice for executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Gary LaBarbera, president, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “As the Mayor’s Office unveils more plans to ensure that blue-collar workers, like our tradesmen and tradeswomen, are given fair and dignified opportunities to pursue the middle class, Doug will offer the leadership and counsel necessary to implement these tools effectively. The Building Trades congratulates him on this new role and looks forward to continuing our collaboration moving forward.”

“We’re proud to know and work with Doug and see this well-deserved recognition of his leadership,” said Grace C. Bonilla, president & CEO, United Way of New York City. “At a time when our city needs it most, Doug’s stewardship of the NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development has been instrumental in helping New Yorkers achieve shared prosperity, a goal we share at United Way of New York City, as we unite the power of community with citywide possibility.”

“On behalf of the entire NYC Workforce Development Council, we enthusiastically support the appointment of Douglas Lipari to lead the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Michelle Adams, senior managing director of external relations and business development, Tishman Speyer. “Doug’s energetic leadership and proven track record within city government, particularly with the successful launch of Community Hiring, have already created significant opportunities for New Yorkers. The Council is eager to partner with Doug to continue strengthening our city’s talent pipelines and building a more dynamic economy.”

“I’m thrilled to congratulate Douglas Lipari on his well-deserved appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development. Doug’s deep commitment to collaboration, innovation, and the use of effective, evidence-based practices makes him the right leader at the right time,” said Adria Powell, co-chair, New York City Workforce Development Board; president & CEO, Cooperative Home Care Associates. “I’ve had the privilege of working with him through the New York City Workforce Development Board, and I know firsthand how dedicated he is to building a more agile and equitable workforce system. I look forward to continuing our partnership as we strengthen government coordination, improve service delivery, and sustain the public-private partnerships essential to driving inclusive economic growth for all New Yorkers.”

“JobsFirstNYC congratulates Doug Lipari on his appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Marjorie D. Parker, president and CEO, JobsFirstNYC. “Doug’s leadership will be critical to ensuring that all New Yorkers — especially young adults — have access to career pathways and economic opportunity. We look forward to building on our strong partnership to further strengthen the city’s workforce ecosystem, which supports residents, employers, and the economy.”

“Douglas Lipari is a steady hand in New York City’s workforce development efforts, and his leadership has already helped deliver real progress through community hiring and the expansion of equitable pathways into quality jobs,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC). “His appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development comes at a pivotal moment for our city. On behalf of our 220+ members who serve more than half a million New Yorkers each year, NYCETC looks forward to partnering with Doug and his team to ensure that our workforce ecosystem continues to grow stronger, more impactful, and more inclusive. Together, we can advance an agenda that delivers lasting opportunity, economic mobility, and prosperity for every New Yorker.”

“The Adams administration has made a very wise choice in appointing Doug Lipari as executive director at NYC Talent,” said David Fischer, interim executive director, New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP). “Doug is a thoughtful, conscientious, and highly effective public servant who brings a deep understanding of workforce development and its vital importance to the City’s economy. NYATEP celebrates Doug’s appointment and looks forward to continuing our work with him and his team.”

“Doug Lipari is the right leader for NYC Talent at the right moment. He has already shown what effective coordination can deliver for both job seekers and employers, and as executive director, he will scale those successes with collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based solutions,” said Tom Grech, president and CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce. “Doug’s focus on measurable results and strong public-private partnerships will strengthen New York City’s workforce system, advancing equity, supporting employers, and keeping our city competitive in a rapidly changing economy.”

“The Jobs Council is proud to partner with the city and welcome Doug Lipari as the new executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Kiersten Barnet, executive director, New York Jobs CEO Council. “Doug’s commitment to public-private partnerships and industry engagement will strengthen our shared efforts to connect New Yorkers to meaningful career opportunities. We look forward to continued collaboration with the NYC Talent team under Doug’s leadership.”

“I am very happy to congratulate Douglas Lipari on his appointment as the new executive director of NYC Talent. Here at the NYU School of Professional Studies, one of our missions is to prepare our students to be leaders in their industries. With Doug’s appointment today, we have gained an invaluable partnership toward that endeavor,” said Angie Kamath, Harvey J. Stedman dean, NYU School of Professional Studies. “As the rise of artificial intelligence creates a moment of change across a multitude of workforces, I am excited to partner with Doug, who I have known to be a skillful leader and responsible steward of workforce development.”

“We at WPTI warmly congratulate Doug on this appointment. His vision and commitment to collaboration and innovation come at a pivotal moment for New York’s workforce,” said Sherazade Langlade, CEO, Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI). “We are excited to partner in building a stronger, more coordinated system that delivers equity, opportunity, and shared prosperity for all New Yorkers.”

“The BTEA is pleased to see the appointment of Douglas Lipari as executive director of NYC Talent. Mr. Lipari has played a key role in ensuring that New Yorkers from diverse communities benefit from access to skilled, unionized jobs,” said Elizabeth Crowley, president and CEO, Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA). “Our contractors, who build and continue to rebuild New York City, applaud his promotion and look forward to collaborating further to create meaningful opportunities that connect vulnerable New Yorkers with strong, sustainable career pathways in the building trades.”

“NYC Talent plays a critical role for the city, helping to ensure that public-private partnerships work efficiently and effectively for both New Yorkers and employers,” said Saskia Traill, president and CEO, ExpandED Schools. “We are thrilled that Doug Lipari, a seasoned city leader, has been appointed executive director, and we look forward to working with him in this important role.”

“As a member of the New York City Workforce Development Board, I know how essential strong leadership is to building a responsive and inclusive workforce system,” said Linda Baran, president and CEO, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. “Doug’s appointment as executive director of NYC Talent is an important step in advancing collaboration and creating pathways that connect New Yorkers with opportunity.”

“Mayor Adams has made an excellent choice in appointing Doug Lipari. He is the right leader to ensure New York City’s workforce development strategy meets the needs of our modern economy,” said Jessica Walker, president and CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. “His commitment to innovation and collaboration is clear, and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with him to connect New Yorkers to meaningful careers and power our city’s economic engine.”

“Subcontractors Trade Association congratulates Doug Lipari on his appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development. Doug has been a true partner to the construction industry: accessible, collaborative, and deeply committed to ensuring that workforce programs meet the needs of all stakeholders,” said Felice Farber, executive director, Subcontractors Trade Association. “His leadership in launching community hiring has shown how government and industry can work together to create opportunity, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with him to strengthen both New York’s workforce and its construction sector.”

About Doug Lipari

Before being appointed executive director of NYC Talent, Lipari was the inaugural executive director of the Office of Community Hiring team within NYC Talent, where he led the successful launch of Community Hiring. Lipari will continue to lead that work along with NYC Talent’s broader portfolio of strategic initiatives related to apprenticeships, industry partnerships, and addressing barriers to employment. Lipari also plays an instrumental role in negotiating the city’s Project Labor Agreements, which cover several billion dollars of city capital construction projects.

Before joining NYC Talent in 2023, Lipari was the deputy general counsel of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services. Lipari has over a decade of city government experience and a clear understanding of the city’s role in driving economic mobility for New Yorkers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duquesne University and a Juris Doctor from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Lipari will report to Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr..

New York City Mayor Eric Adams meets with Jewish community leaders and walks through local businesses in Borough Park ahead of the upcoming High Holidays on Monday, September 15, 2025. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick today celebrated the CPC’s vote in favor of the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, an ambitious proposal to deliver tens of thousands of homes and jobs to Long Island City, Queens. This initiative would revamp local zoning and undertake other initiatives to create nearly 14,700 new homes. The plan would also map Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) — which requires new developments to include permanently affordable housing — on a wide scale in the neighborhood for the first time, making sure that around 4,300 of those homes are permanently affordable. The plan would also boost commercial and industrial space in the area — creating 14,400 new jobs and generating new economic opportunities for residents, workers, and business owners alike. Along with four additional neighborhood plans and “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” — the first citywide rezoning in 60 years — the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan is a key part of the Adams administration’s work that has already created, preserved, or planned over 426,000 homes for New Yorkers.

“From a thriving industrial hub to a home for artists and entrepreneurs, Long Island City has led many lives over the years. Our ‘OneLIC Plan’ will help Long Island City write the next great chapter in its history, making sure families can find an affordable place, businesses can find a good place to grow, and everyone can access and enjoy the waterfront throughout the neighborhood,” said Mayor Adams. “Whether its advancing five ambitious neighborhood plans like this one, passing the first citywide rezoning in six decades, or shattering affordable housing records year after year, our administration is using every tool we’ve got to create the homes New Yorkers need and make sure our city is the best place to raise a family.”

“The Adams administration’s OneLIC Neighborhood Plan is the largest residential rezoning that this city has pursued,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “Today’s action from the Planning Commission meets the urgency of our housing crisis — not just with 14,700 new homes but also with a wide array of neighborhood investments. I look forward to working with Councilmember Won and other stakeholders to ensure that this historic plan enriches the lives of New Yorkers — both current and future — who call Long Island City Home.”

“Long Island City is one of New York City’s most bustling neighborhoods, but parts of it are held back by a lack of housing or economic opportunities. With today’s vote, we’re one step closer to changing that,” said DCP Director and CPC Chair Garodnick. “The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan updates zoning for new homes and jobs and makes investments in the public realm to create a more equitable, lively, and prosperous community. Thanks to the City Planning Commissioners for their support.”

With easy access to transit, housing, and commercial and industrial job opportunities, Long Island City is one of the city’s economic and cultural hubs. While parts of this neighborhood have welcomed thousands of residents, businesses, and public waterfront space, other areas remain stymied by outdated zoning that has restricted new housing and left significant sections of the waterfront unimproved and inaccessible to the public. The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan is designed to address these challenges.

The plan’s boundaries stretch from the East River waterfront to Crescent Street and Queens Plaza North to 47th Avenue, with one segment reaching further up to 39th Avenue between 21st Street to 23rd Street.

OneLIC Neighborhood Plan will update outdated zoning and expand access to the waterfront. Image Credit: DCP.

The OneLIC plan is one of five ambitious neighborhood plans the Adams administration is advancing to deliver nearly 50,000 homes over the next 15 years to New York City neighborhoods. In addition to the Bronx-Metro North Station Area Plan, the Midtown South plan, and the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan — all of which have been passed by the New York City Council — as well as the OneLIC plan, the Adams administration is also advancing a neighborhood plan in Jamaica. Once passed, the Adams administration’s rezoning efforts to date are expected to create nearly 130,000 new homes, more new housing than the previous two mayoral administrations’ rezoning efforts combined.

Building A More Affordable Long Island City

Today, approximately 46 percent of renters in the neighborhood spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent, and current zoning does not require permanently-affordable, income-restricted homes. The OneLIC plan would allow for the creation of 14,7000 new homes across the neighborhood and apply MIH to Long Island City for the first time. By requiring new developments in Long Island City to include permanently affordable housing, the plan is expected to produce roughly 4,300 income-restricted homes, enough to house roughly 10,000 New Yorkers. This would be the most amount of housing generated by a neighborhood-specific rezoning in at least 25 years.

Additionally, the plan will use city-owned sites to create homes for lower-income households; for instance, at 44-59 45th Avenue, where the city currently houses New York City Department of Transportation operations, the Adams administration has committed to building 320 income-restricted homes.

To protect tenants and preserve existing affordable housing, the city will partner with community-based organizations and local elected officials to organize trainings and events around tenants’ issues, such as “Know Your Rights” classes and housing resource fairs. Homeowners would have access to the Homeowner Help Desk, which provides counseling, financial assistance, and more, as well as HomeFix 2.0, which connects New Yorkers with low- or no-interest home repair loans.

Creating an Accessible Waterfront

Despite Long Island City’s extensive waterfront, public access has, in the past, been disjointed and, in some cases, restricted entirely. The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan would coordinate public and private property owners, update the area’s Waterfront Access Plan, and use additional zoning tools to create a unified, resilient waterfront with improved public access and amenities. This improvement would create vibrant public spaces by incentivizing active street-level uses and active recreation spaces, creating a consistent public space for the neighborhood, and unifying the waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to Queensbridge Park.

OneLIC Neighborhood Plan would unify the waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to:

OneLIC Neighborhood Plan would unify the waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to
Queensbridge Park, creating a consistent public space for the neighborhood. Image Credit: DCP.

Supporting More Jobs and Stronger Infrastructure 

The OneLIC Plan would also grow the local economy by creating over 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, generating approximately 14,400 new jobs across a range of sectors. To further support Long Island City residents and workers, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is pursuing a Request for Information for 44-36 Vernon Boulevard, looking for concepts to transform this city-owned site, which currently houses New York City Department of Education operations, into a mix of community-focused uses that could include commercial, cultural, industrial, retail, and more. The administration will continue to coordinate with other city agencies, New York City Councilmember Julie Won, and the Long Island City community to find other opportunities for investment during public review, to ensure that the Adams administration is meeting the needs of current and future residents.

Engaging with the Community 

The CPC’s vote follows supportive recommendations from Queens Community Boards 1 and 2 as well as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. The plan was shaped by close collaboration with community stakeholders, including the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Queensbridge Houses Tenant Associations, the Long Island City Partnership, Queens Community Board 1 and 2, Queens Public Library, Jacob Riis Community Center, and Hunters Point Park Conservancy. Prior to the start of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), DCP and Councilmember Won undertook an extensive two-year public engagement process that included 16 public meetings; during ULURP, the Community Boards, borough president, and CPC all held public hearings as well. The plan now advances to the City Council for a public hearing and a vote.

Since entering office, Mayor Adams has made historic investments to create more affordable housing and ensure more New Yorkers have a place to call home. Last month, Mayor Adams announced that his administration has created, preserved, or planned approximately 426,800 homes for New Yorkers through its work to date. Mayor Adams also announced that, in Fiscal Year 2025, the Adams administration created the most affordable rental units in city history and celebrated back-to-back-to-back record-breaking years for producing permanently-affordable homes for formerly-homeless New Yorkers, placing homeless New Yorkers into housing, and connecting New Yorkers to housing through the city’s housing lottery.

In addition to creating and preserving record amounts of affordable and market-rate housing for New Yorkers, the Adams administration has also passed ambitious plans that will create tens of thousands of new homes as well. Last December, Mayor Adams celebrated the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the most pro-housing proposal in city history that will build 80,000 new homes over 15 years and invest $5 billion towards critical infrastructure updates and housing. Along with the Adams administration’s five neighborhood plans, these rezoning efforts are expected to deliver nearly 130,000 new homes for New Yorkers.

Building on the success of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Adams unveiled his “City of Yes for Families” strategy in his State of the City address earlier this year to build more homes and create more family-friendly neighborhoods across New York City. Under City of Yes for Families, the Adams administration is advancing more housing on city-owned sites, creating new tools to support homeownership, and building more housing alongside schools, playgrounds, grocery stores, accessible transit stations, and libraries.

In addition to creating more housing opportunities, the Adams administration is actively working to strengthen tenant protections and support homeowners. The “Partners in Preservation” program was expanded citywide in 2024 through a $24 million investment in local organizations to support tenant organizing and combat harassment in rent-regulated housing. The Homeowner Help Desk, a trusted one-stop shop for low-income homeowners to receive financial and legal counseling from local organizations, was also expanded citywide in 2024 with a $13 million funding commitment.

Finally, Mayor Adams and members of his administration successfully advocated for new tools in the 2024 New York state budget that will spur the creation of urgently needed housing. These tools include a new tax incentive for multifamily rental construction, a tax incentive program to encourage office conversions to create more affordable units, lifting the arbitrary “floor-to-area ratio” cap that held back affordable housing production in certain high-demand areas of the city, and the ability to create a pilot program to legalize and make safe basement apartments.

“Long Island City has long been one of the fastest growing communities in the country thanks to its vibrant waterfront, exciting arts and culture scene, nightlife and changing economy. But we know that kind of rapid community growth can price out longtime residents and put it out of reach for all but a lucky few,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “While there’s no such thing as a perfect plan, I believe OneLIC is a vital step forward in preserving the unique character of Long Island City, while ensuring it can remain home for anyone regardless of their place on the socioeconomic spectrum. I applaud the City Planning Commission for its vote today, as we move toward final passage and eventual implementation.”

“As we work together to mitigate the affordability crisis and increase New York City’s housing stock, it’s critical that we take community wants and needs into account. The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan does just that. Based on feedback from community members and local organizations alike, the plan will create 14,700 much-needed new homes, including 4,300 affordable units,” said Rachel Fee, executive director, New York Housing Conference. “We commend the City Planning Commission for voting in favor of this important plan, and we look forward to continued discussions around community benefits — including support for public housing and open space.”

“The arts were well represented throughout this process, and now we must ensure they are fully built into the final plan, not just in spirit, but in action. Long Island City is already an arts hub, and culture is a proven economic driver that strengthens neighborhoods,” said Edjo Wheeler, executive director, Culture Lab LIC. “This is a once-in-a-generation chance to shape a community from the ground up, and if done right, it can stand as a national model for how the arts lead urban development. We strongly encourage the city to create a dedicated Arts Fund that will empower artists, nonprofits, and public programming for years to come.”

“The approval of the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan by the City Planning Commission represents an exciting turning point for Long Island City — a culmination of years of hard work and collaboration among city agencies, Councilmember Won, community members, and local organizations,” said Laura Rothrock, president, Long Island City Partnership. “This plan offers a bold vision and a much-needed path forward, opening the door to future investments and initiatives that will strengthen our neighborhood for generations to come. We are proud to have championed this plan throughout the public review process and look forward to working with the city to deliver on this transformative vision for Long Island City.”

“For the last 26 years, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy has worked to support the waterfront parks in Long Island City, so we know how important green spaces are to communities. We’re pleased to see the OneLIC plan progressing to the next step in the approval process as it will help expand access to the waterfront and provide more parks for a community that desperately needs them,” said Jessica Sechrist, executive director, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy. “We appreciate the work of Councilmember Won, the Department of City Planning, and the plan consultants in making sure community voices are elevated and community needs are met throughout the rezoning process and are looking forward to Long Island City having a community-driven plan for development.”

“We are thrilled to see the City Planning Commission approve OneLIC, a crucial plan to build thousands of desperately needed new homes in transit-rich Long Island City. This fair and community-oriented proposal, emerging from a thorough two-year public engagement process, delivers on our city’s greatest need — housing — while preserving the community’s manufacturing heritage and expanding access to the LIC waterfront,” said Annemarie Gray, executive director, Open New York. “Our members look forward to continuing their advocacy in support of OneLIC at the upcoming City Council hearing. Thank you to Chair Garodnick and the members of the City Planning Commission.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella’s 9/11 Memorial Ceremony. 9-11 Postcards Memorial, Bank Street, Staten Island, NY. Thursday, September 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and Delaware State University (DSU) President Dr. Tony Allen today celebrated the return to school of approximately 1 million public-school students and staff and cut the ribbon at the Historically Black Colleges Universities (HBCU) Early College Prep High School in Queens. The HBCU Early College Prep High School — the first-of-its-kind for New York City Public Schools — will bring an innovative, tuition-free, early college high school experience to students, where they can earn up to 64 college credits for an associate degree in Liberal Arts from DSU, an HBCU. The event welcomed the first cohort of students with performances and words of encouragement while marking the beginning of a transformative school year, which will include the expansion of signature initiatives in NYC Reads and NYC Solves, the internet-enabled device policy designed to limit distractions in the classrooms, and significant investments in hiring more teachers, among other major announcements.

“We are ringing in the school year with more investments to prepare our students for bold futures. Today, we are opening seven new public schools across the five boroughs, including the first ever HBCU Early College Prep High School, expanding programs for students with autism, rolling out our first batch of 5,000 new after-school seats, and so much more as we invest in our students and families,” said Mayor Adams. “We are thrilled to start the school year with these new investments, offering schools that honor our students’ rich backgrounds and histories and meet local needs, provide rigorous instruction, and prepare all of our students for the future. Our administration is laser focused on making New York the best place to raise a family, and that starts with providing our kids with a quality education.”

“The first day of school is my favorite day of the year. As I watched my own daughter prepare for her first day of middle school, I was reminded of the tremendous trust families across the city place in us with their most precious gifts: their children. That is why we are committed to delivering on our promise to provide a world-class education that prepares every single student for success,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “This year, we’ve opened seven brand-new, innovative schools, launched a device policy that will create more focused learning environments, and expanded our incredibly successful NYC Reads and NYC Solves programs to 186 additional schools across our system. I am beyond proud to lead New York City Public Schools in this groundbreaking work, and I can’t wait to see our students thrive throughout this new school year.”

HBCU Early College Prep High School today opened its doors for over 100 ninth-grade scholars as part of its historic first day. Led by founding principal and HBCU alumnus Dr. Asya Johnson, HBCU Early College Prep provides students with the world-class education of a New York City Public School while preparing them for life beyond high school and success in college. The school’s structure is rooted in the rich legacy of HBCUs and offers students a comprehensive experience that includes college courses, Greek life, Founder’s Day activities, Mr. and Miss Freshman competitions, Homecoming celebrations, and more.

As the school year begins, New York City Public Schools opened the doors to seven new schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and on Staten Island, bringing world class education, accelerated programming, and career readiness to over 500 students. With more than 1,600 schools serving diverse communities across the five boroughs, New York City Public Schools remains dedicated to reflecting these communities while upholding excellence and preparing students for success in college, career, and life, including by opening of two new FutureReadyNYC schools, bringing a reimagined high school experience to students so they can plan for a bright future with good careers.

Today also kicked off the New York City Public Schools’ new cell phone and electronic device policy, in line with the New York state mandate passed this year by the state Legislature. While more than half of the city’s public schools already had a cell phone restriction policy in place, under the revised policy, starting this school year, personal internet-enabled devices — such as smartphones, tablets, and smart watches — cannot be used during the school day by students. This work comes on the heels of multi-year consultations with school communities and alongside the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop well-rounded policies that meet the needs of students enrolled in New York City Public Schools.

Additionally, 186 schools across 14 districts will implement Mayor Adams’ signature curricula, NYC Reads and NYC Solves, for the first time this year, which will bring high-quality, evidence-based foundational reading and math curricula to middle school students across the five boroughs. These comprehensive programs also provide targeted resources, professional development, and curriculum enhancements for educators. The Adams administration and New York City Public Schools recently celebrated the release of new state test data revealing a substantial increase in reading and math scores for public school children in the city, between grades 3 through 8 in the 2024-2025 school year.

Today’s announcement also builds off two years of core educational accomplishments under the Adams administration, including instituting nation-leading dyslexia screening for all students, adding 57 Gifted and Talented programs, helping 13,658 students complete work-based learning experiences for the 2024-2025 school year through FutureReadyNYC, cementing new labor contracts for teachers and other education officials, investing $167 million in new funding to secure critical early childhood education programs, dramatically increasing early childhood education enrollment to 150,000 children across the city’s system, and securing mayoral accountability twice in three years while investing $180 million to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan.

“As an advocate for educational equity and opportunity, I am proud to celebrate the opening of New York City’s first HBCU Early College Prep High School in partnership with Delaware State University,” said New York City Councilmember Kevin C. Riley. “This model not only prepares students for academic success but also honors the cultural pride and excellence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. By offering tuition-free college credits, we are breaking barriers and creating opportunities for our Black and Brown youth, an investment in the next generation of leaders who will shape our city and beyond.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella’s 9/11 Memorial Ceremony. 9-11 Postcards Memorial, Bank Street, Staten Island, NY. Thursday, September 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office

MAYOR ADAMS TO DISTRIBUTE 350,000 FREE, BRAND-NEW CHROMEBOOKS WITH INTERNET ACCESS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, ADVANCING COMMITMENT TO CLOSE DIGITAL DIVIDE, MAKE NYC MORE AFFORDABLE

Mayor Adams Doubles Down on Commitment to Academic Success and Bridging Digital Divide in Under-Connected Communities

Devices with Cellular Connectivity Will Ensure Students Are Able to Get Online Wherever They Live

Phased Rollout Will Include Students in 1,700 Public Schools Across Five Boroughs During 2025-2026 School Year

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew Fraser, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, T-Mobile, Dell Technologies, and New York Yankees All Star Second Baseman, Jazz Chisholm, Jr., today announced that 350,000 K-12 New York City Public Schools students will receive new internet-enabled devices for free during the 2025-2026 school year, as the Adams administration continues to bridge the digital divide and invest in a more affordable city for working-class New Yorkers. The 350,000 students across the nation’s largest public school district will receive LTE or 5G connected Chromebooks with internet access and optimized educational programming to ensure they have the essential tools necessary to succeed in today’s digital learning environment. The proactive, data-driven rollout of this program closes device access gaps in the most affordable way possible for working-class families and replaces outdated equipment that no longer meet current instructional and security standards, while ensuring students have keyboard-enabled devices vital for writing, researching, and completing class assignments. As part of the Adams administration’s continuing efforts to bridge the digital divide, students will be able to use these cellular-connected devices to get online for free wherever they live.

The distribution of these Chromebooks was made possible by the Adams administration after the city came to an agreement with T-Mobile earlier this year to make them a major wireless carrier to support city operations while helping reduce the cost of wireless services for city government employees. As part of the agreement, the 350,000 devices being distributed to students will come equipped with T-Mobile LTE or 5G access.

“Access to reliable technology and high-speed internet is a modern-day necessity, and, right now, too many New York City students don’t have it. That doesn’t just prevent progress inside the classroom, it limits opportunities outside of it — but our administration is changing that and providing our young people with free devices to stay connected in the 21st century,” said Mayor Adams. “We know that too many families are still struggling with the cost of living and cannot always afford new, internet-enabled devices; that’s why, this school year, we are powering up education in our city by providing 350,000 New York City public school students with brand-new, LTE and 5G enabled Chromebooks. This initiative is another part of our continuing efforts to ensure students’ academic success, bridge the digital divide, and be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars. Our administration will continue to work to build a better future for our children, and with this announcement, we are making sure that our young people have all the tools they deserve and the technology they need to go as far as their dreams will take them.”

“As a proud product of New York City Public Schools, I am a testament to the critical role technology access plays in helping our students reach their potential,” said CTO Fraser. “Internet and computer access are essential educational tools both in the classroom and at home. This monumental initiative empowers students across the five boroughs, particularly those in schools with the greatest needs, and reaffirms the Adams administration’s unyielding commitment to bridging the digital divide. I commend Mayor Adams’ vision and leadership, and thank Chancellor Aviles-Ramos and our corporate partners, T-Mobile and Dell, for helping us to deliver this victory for the nation’s largest school district.”

“As our students graduate into an increasingly connected and tech driven world and workplace, New York City Public Schools is proud to be taking steps to close the digital divide and set our children up for lifelong success,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “LTE and 5G-enabled devices mean that no matter what kind of internet access a student has at home, they’re still able to log on and take advantage of every educational opportunity available to them as we continue to move our city in a more equitable direction.”

“Every student deserves a fair shot at success — and in today’s world, that starts with having reliable connectivity and the right tools to learn,” said Mo Katibeh, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile Business Group. “New York City’s initiative to deliver leading connectivity to 350,000 kids doesn’t just help close the digital divide — it opens doors to opportunity, equity, and brighter futures for families across all five boroughs. And, as the major wireless carrier for New York City, we’re thrilled to be a part of this initiative.”

“We believe technology has the power to be truly transformative when it’s placed in the hands of those shaping the future,” said Pete Trizzino, president of global sales modernization and GTM, Dell Technologies. “Equipping 350,000 New York City students with internet-enabled devices is about far more than just providing laptops, it’s about unlocking potential, fueling curiosity and ensuring every student has the tools they need to succeed. The work we’re doing with the city, its Office of Technology and Innovation, New York City Public Schools and T-Mobile is empowering the next generation to learn, grow, lead and innovate in building a brighter tomorrow.”

“Education is the foundation for everything, and making sure kids have the tools they need to learn and dream big is something I care deeply about,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees All Star Second Baseman. “That’s why I’ve been involved in efforts to uplift youth through sports and education through my foundation, the Jazz Chisholm Foundation, and it’s why I’m proud to see programs like this bringing real opportunities to students right here in the Bronx. When our kids win in the classroom, the whole community wins.”

Personal computer devices, such as Chromebooks, are a necessity, not a luxury, for today’s public-school students and are essential to New York City Public Schools’ foremost academic, accessibility, and equity goals. The rollout of 350,000 devices over the coming months will focus on meeting the needs of students who require keyboard-equipped devices for academic instruction and assessments. Regular device usage will prepare students with 21st-century skills, including typing, online research, and responsible internet use.

The Chromebooks will support Google Workspace, New York City Public Schools-approved apps, and state assessment platforms — all of which are central to the school system’s digital curriculum. Devices will allow seamless learning between school and home, regardless of students’ locations. This will be particularly important for students in temporary housing or those living in under-connected communities where home access to a computer may be limited. An estimated 31 percent of Bronx households — the highest of any borough — lack access to a household computer, according to a recent report by the Center for an Urban Future.

All Chromebooks will be configured and enrolled using Google Management Console, which applies New York City Public Schools enterprise settings to ensure secure, standardized access across all devices. Key applications pre-loaded on devices will include:

• • Google Workspace for Education: Features widely used programs across New York City Public Schools for instruction, assignments, collaboration, and communication.
  • TeachHub: New York City Public Schools’ secure, single sign-on portal for students, teachers, and staff — providing centralized access to digital learning applications, instructional resources, announcements, and integrated tools like Google Classroom, Clever, and iLearnNYC.
  • iLearnNYC: Provides access to digital curriculum materials, personalized learning platforms, and New York City Public Schools-approved content aligned to standards.

Devices will come equipped with T-Mobile LTE or 5G access as part of the city’s agreement with T-Mobile earlier this year to become a major wireless carrier to support city operations. In addition to providing students internet access on these Chromebooks, the agreement with T-Mobile saves city taxpayers millions of dollars over the course of the five-year deal on city-issued devices and puts money back into the pockets of the city workforce by offering discounted personal plans through T-Mobile. The partnership also ensures that city employees have access to cutting-edge technology and reliable service to best serve their fellow New Yorkers.

LTE and 5G connected Chromebooks in students’ homes also means that more New Yorkers will receive dependable internet access — an essential resource to fully participate in modern life.

Under the Adams administration, New York City provides more residents with free high-speed internet access than any other city in the nation through Big Apple Connect, the largest municipally subsidized broadband program in the nation. Big Apple Connect offers free access to in-home internet and basic cable TV to 330,000 New Yorkers living across 220 New York City Housing Authority sites and saves subscribers more than $1,700 per year on average. As part of its digital equity initiatives, the Adams administration also supplies free access to internet, devices, and digital skills training at more than 450 public computer centers across the five boroughs.

Today’s announcement comes just one month after Mayor Adams and Chancellor Aviles-Ramos celebrated a substantial increase in reading and math scores for public school children, grades 3 through 8, in the 2024-2025 school year. Under the Adams administration, core educational accomplishments include instituting nation-leading dyslexia screenings for all students, adding 57 Gifted and Talented programs, helping 13,658 students complete work-based learning experiences for the 2024-2025 school year through FutureReadyNYC, cementing new labor contracts for teachers and other education officials, investing $167 million in new funding to secure critical early childhood education programs, dramatically increasing early childhood education enrollment to 150,000 children across the city’s system, and securing mayoral accountability twice in three years while investing $180 million to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan that provides more individualized care to students.

“Advancing digital opportunity for New York City students is essential to improving learning outcomes and empowering the next generation to do great things,” said Joe Simone, senior vice president of education at CDW. “We’re honored to work alongside Dell, T-Mobile, and the City of New York to help scale technology access and empower communities by providing these tools and support that will help keep students and their families connected and engaged while accelerating skill development and economic growth across the city.”

Banner Image: New York City Mayor Eric Adams New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan today announcee that Brooklyn Community District 2 will be the second neighborhood in the city to have all its trash fully containerized in the Adams administration’s revolutionary Empire Bins, building on the incredible success of the containerization of all trash in West Harlem. DSNY will install stationary, on-street containers — known as Empire Bins — at schools in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill this fall and extend the popular program to all schools and high-density residential buildings in the community district next year on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office