Ten ideas for the future of New York

In the 1992 presidential election, when outlining the core messages that propelled Bill Clinton to victory, Democratic strategist James Carville famously declared, "It's the economy, stupid."

More than three decades later, it's still the economy. Last year, voter concerns about inflation and wage stagnation played a significant role in the presidential election. This year, affordability and cost of living dominated the mayoral race in New York City. We'd be foolish to ignore these concerns and miss the opportunity to present a bold new vision for economic growth and shared prosperity that benefits all New Yorkers.

A winning policy platform must address the immediate, near-term, and long-term economic challenges facing communities across New York. We must tackle rising housing costs driven by chronic supply shortages that price out working families. We need to improve education and scale training to prepare our communities for an evolving workforce. Strategic investments in energy, technology, and infrastructure can strengthen our long-term competitiveness and position New York as a national leader in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. Finally, we can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public services while curtailing costs by embracing government innovation and digital transformation.

These four priorities form the foundation of The Future Forum's agenda, further defined by ten concrete policy ideas and projects outlined below. Some of these represent expanding existing initiatives, such as the expansion of the Housing Acceleration Fund to spur construction or Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs to advance retrofits. Others borrow from other jurisdictions, such as creating a New York equivalent of the U.S. Digital Service. Some propose redirecting existing resources, such as shifting education spending to account for changing student populations, while others suggest entirely new initiatives, including the creation of a Buildings Acceleration Team in New York City and the Technology, Energy, Research, and Robotics Accelerator (TERRA) in upstate.  

In the coming weeks, we will continue to build out this platform—refining these ideas, engaging stakeholders, and identifying the partners and investments required to move ambition into action. If you’d like to be a part of this effort, simply reply to this note and consider joining our community as a founding member. Members will have the opportunity to join task forces with their peers this fall to further develop each of these proposals.

By focusing on practical solutions that address both immediate concerns and long-term opportunities, we can build a more secure, sustainable, and prosperous future and ensure New York remains a viable, vibrant center of innovation for generations to come.

ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE OF NEW YORK 

Address affordability by building more housing.

1. Find: Develop a public map identifying communities with development opportunities, and use the map to generate awareness and support
   

2. ​Fund: Expand the Housing Acceleration Fund to leverage public funds to unlock blended capital for new construction, conversions, and renovations 
   

3. Build: Streamline permitting in the city with a Buildings Acceleration Team and finance prefabricated house manufacturing in upstate 

Expand economic opportunity by improving education and workforce development.

4. Redirect resources following shifts in student populations in New York City to high-need communities, high-performing schools, and childcare pilot programs 
   

5. Embrace an industrial policy for higher education in SUNY and CUNY that provides financial incentives to pursue fields with anticipated labor shortages
   

6. Scale workforce development and lifelong learning models, including new forms of financing for training and apprenticeships

Accelerate growth by investing in energy, tech, and infrastructure. 

7. Build a Technology, Energy, Research, & Robotics Accelerator (TERRA) in upstate to unlock investment and development of renewable energy and data centers
   

8. Advance Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs for building retrofits to create jobs and improve energy efficiency

Improve government by increasing civic engagement and efficiency.

9. Launch a New York Digital Service to advance the adoption of technology in city and state agencies for improved, effective government services
   

10. Improve voter turnout through mobile voting and open primaries

Three more things

• On policies in New York City, PIX11 comprehensively explored the positions of the five leading mayoral candidates on key issues, including housing, affordability, crime, and transportation.

• On politics in New York, candidates backed by the progressive Working Families Party won in a series of mayoral primaries in major cities, including Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, New York City, and Syracuse.

• On industrial policy, Chris Hughes's book Marketcrafters, released earlier this year, outlines how policymakers have shaped and spurred economic growth and innovation in critical areas, including aviation, semiconductors, and climate change. I went to a discussion with Chris about the book during a live taping of Odd Lots, an interesting economics podcast from Bloomberg that was featured this weekend in the New York Times.