The $107 billion budget reflects the Council’s priorities to restore investments in essential City services, health and safety, education, and quality of life

City Hall, NY – Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan, and Members of the New York City Council voted today to adopt the $107 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget. The FY 2024 budget outlines the Council’s commitment to protect New Yorkers from many interruptions to essential services from proposed cuts. Despite multiple crises facing the City, the Council was able to pass an on-time budget that restored funding for many critical programs and made some key additional investments.

“The Council’s focus in this budget has been to protect the essential services that the people of this city rely on to be healthy, safe, and successful,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “We took seriously our task to negotiate the best possible outcomes and deliver results for the people of our city. Through difficult negotiations, the Council worked to bridge the distance between us and the Administration, fighting to restore investments in essential services and funding many programs that we know our families, communities, and city need. Though we have come to a budget agreement today, the Council knows we must continue to push forward in our year-long budgetary, legislative, and oversight efforts to secure the investments that New Yorkers deserve.”

“The Council entered into budget negotiations this year with eyes wide open to the challenges on the horizon and at our doorstep,” said Council Member Justin Brannan, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Finance. “We have never doubted the durability of our city’s economy but we also recognize that resilience doesn’t happen on its own – it requires thoughtful, targeted investments. When money is tight, decisions must be made. Our negotiations were no different from the often tough conversations working families have around their dining room table as they try to make ends meet for another month in the most expensive city in the world. But even with an uncertain fiscal future and a migrant influx everyone agrees New York City cannot handle on our own, with a nearly $107 billion budget, we knew there was still no reason for cuts with a scythe. Instead, we fought for thoughtful, surgical investments and focused our priorities where they mattered most.

Council Member Brannan continued, “This Council fought and won critical investments and restorations for our community schools, our libraries, and our seniors. We reversed cuts to NYCHA, secured funds for expanded 3K programs, and bolstered citywide mental health initiatives. We fought to safeguard funding for our cultural institutions and expanded Fair Fares so less New Yorkers will need to choose between a meal and a MetroCard. We secured funding for arts and music education in our public schools and more trash pick-ups to keep our streets clean. I say it often: a budget is more than just an itemized list of expenditures. It is a values document. You can tell me what you care about but prove it to me by showing me what you spend your money on especially when times are tough and money is tight. It all comes down to priorities and from the start of these negotiations this Council was laser focused on protecting what New Yorkers need to recover, succeed, and be healthy and safe. New Yorkers don’t run and hide, we stand and fight. This city’s best days are ahead of us – I would never bet against New York City.”

The adopted FY 2024 budget includes a full restoration of the proposed cuts to the City’s library systems and restores funding for education programs for New Yorkers of all ages, from early childhood education to higher education. It also includes expanded access to the Fair Fares program, increased baseline funding for legal services to prevent New Yorkers from eviction and other challenges, restoration of meal programs for older adults, baselined funding toward wage increases for contracted human service employees, additional investments in violence prevention programs, and restoration of funding litter baskets in neighborhoods.

The Council and Administration were also able to secure a balanced FY 2024 budget through a strong economy and higher revenue projections as outlined in the Council’s Executive Budget forecast. With more challenging years ahead and slow economic growth expected, the Council emphasized they will remain focused on ensuring government services, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and increasing transparency and accountability. The FY 2024 budget secures 62 Terms & Conditions and 11 Units of Appropriations to reflect agency programs and functions.

Highlights of the FY 2024 budget include:

Increasing Budget Accountability and Transparency

Units of Appropriation:

The FY 2024 budget adopted 11 new Units of Appropriation (U/A) that were prioritized by the Council, including:

  • Two (2) in the Department of Correction (DOC) – transportation
  • One (1) in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) – Community Affairs Bureau
  • Two (2) in the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) – Office of Neighborhood Safety
  • One (1) in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) – criminal justice programs
  • One (1) in the Human Resources Administration (HRA) – food
  • Two (2) in the Department of Buildings (DOB) – Administrative Policy and Enforcement Division
  • Two (2) in the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) – Non-capital eligible work

Terms and Conditions:

The FY 2024 budget adopted a record 62 Terms and Conditions, requirements that advance budget transparency. Highlights include:

  • Spending on care for asylum seekers
  • Emergency contracting
  • Department of Education payments to early childhood providers
  • Restorative Justice programming

Ensuring Delivery of Essential Services

  • Completely Restoring Funds for the Three Library Systems: $36.2 million.
  • Restored Funding Additional Litter Basket Collection: $22 million.
  • Increasing Support to Legal Service Providers, including Right-to-Counsel: New Baselined $30 million as part of a total increase of $46 million.
  • Fully Restoring Cuts to Cultural Institutions: $40 million.
  • Continuing to Serve Seniors with Nutritious Meals: $7 million restoration of older adult meals, with $2.5 million for senior center meals and $4.5 million baselined for home delivered meals.
  • Funding Groceries to Go Program: $5.6 million secured for this program that helps address food insecurity by providing eligible New Yorkers with monthly credits for groceries and a 50% discount on purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables. 
  • Supporting Low Wage Workers: $1.9 million.
  • Restoring Urban Park Rangers: $4.1 million.
  • Restoring Green Thumb Funding: $2.6 million.
  • Restoring Funding for Tree Stump Removal: $2 million.

Building Stronger Neighborhoods and Opportunities

  • Providing Wage Adjustments for Non-Profit Human Services Sector: Baselined total of $100 million in FY 24 due to an additional $40 million, plus an additional $50 million baselined in FY 25 for a continuing total of $150 million.
  • Expanding Fair Fares to More Low-Income New Yorkers: $20 million baselined on top of FY 23 $75 million for a total of $95 million.
  • Housing and Tenant Assistance Programs (Includes CityFHEPS, Partners in Preservation, Emergency Housing Voucher Housing Assistance Payments, etc.): $300 million.
  • Supporting Homeowner Assistance (HelpDesk, HomeFirst, HomeFix): $11.1 million.
  • Securing Record Funding for Affordable Housing: $4 billion in capital funding between $2.5 billion for Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and $1.5 billion for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA); additional accelerated $175 million.
  • Reversing Cuts to NYCHA’s Vacant Unit Readiness Program to expedite the availability of vacant apartments online: $32.9 million.
  • Sustaining the Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Source of Income Discrimination Unit: $1.3 million.

Safeguarding Education and Learning Opportunities

  • Department of Education (DOE) FY 2024 budget adopted at $31.5 billion. This represents an increase of $500 million from the Adopted FY23 budget of $31 billion and an increase of nearly $1 billion from FY 2024 proposed Executive Budget of $30.5 billion.
  • Providing Funding for Supportive Programs for K-12 Students: over $47 million includes the Mental Health Continuum ($5 million), Community Schools ($14 million), Immigrant Family Engagement ($4 million), Restorative Justice ($17+ million), Arts Education ($4 million baselined), Shelter-Based Coordinators ($3.3 million).
  • Supports Early Childhood Education for working families: PromiseNYC ($16 million) and efforts to fix 3-K by converting 1,800 school-day/school-year seats to extended day/ extended year seats ($15 million baselined).
  • Helping Young New Yorkers Be Career Ready: $22.5 million for the Work, Learn and Grow Program.
  • Restoring Funds for City University of New York (CUNY) Programs: $32.4 million (Includes funding for Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE): $9.1 million; Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP): $5 million; CUNY Reconnect: $5.8 million; Academic Advisors: $5.9 million).
  • Funding Adult Literacy Programs: $6.7 million.

Improving Community Health and Safety

  • Prioritizing Crisis Management System (CMS) and Violence Prevention Programs: $86 million.
  • Reducing Recidivism and Strengthening Reentry: $121.2 million for Alternatives to Incarceration and Detention Programming.
  • Preventing Overdoses and Treating Addiction: $14.6 million.
  • Preserving Health Care Access through NYC Care: $100 million.
  • Sustaining the City’s First Trauma Recovery Centers: $2.4 million

“The New York City Budget is one of the most impactful pieces of legislation we can pass as Council Members, it allows us to directly benefit our constituents in a multitude of ways. This budget, although not perfect, includes countless investments in critical services that New Yorkers rely on,” said Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala. “It includes $14.6 million dollars for preventing overdoses and treating addiction; $86 million dollars to prioritize crisis management systems and violence prevention programs; $32.9 million to bring vacant NYCHA apartments online quicker; $95 million dollars to expand the Fair Fares program that many of our low-income constituents, including students, depend on. Our investments range from education to public libraries to career development for young adults. With increased funding for our Right to Counsel program, tenants facing eviction will have an easier time securing a lawyer. Our non-profit employees who were on the frontline during the pandemic and who we rely on now in the midst of the migrant crisis will see a cost-of-living adjustment. The passage of this budget is a wonderful moment for New York City, even though we have a lot more to do in the coming years to address the issues facing our city, the passage of this budget is a step in the right direction.”

“I commend the City Council for voting to adopt the FY 2024 budget, which will fund essential city services and support the most vulnerable New Yorkers,” said Majority Leader Keith Powers. “After months of negotiations, we secured the best budget possible and I am proud of what we accomplished. Thank you to Speaker Adams and Finance Chair Justin Brannan for leading the charge and ensuring the City Council fulfills its obligation to pass an on-time, balanced budget.”

“When we invest in New Yorkers, we create a virtuous cycle of equitable economic growth that supports and uplifts everyone, especially the most vulnerable in our City,” said Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “This budget is an imperfect result of negotiation, but it reflects the efforts of this Council to deliver for the people of New York – to restore cuts to essential services like our libraries and our schools. It includes an expansion of the Fair Fares program and additional funding for senior care and secures $4 billion annually toward affordable housing as well as nearly $33 million that will assist in renovations of vacant NYCHA units amid a citywide housing crisis. More work lies ahead, but I am proud of the work of this Council to get us to this point, and I thank the Speaker for her strong leadership and unwavering commitment to the people of New York.”

“The Speaker and her staff did an excellent job navigating the difficult budget negotiation, and she deserves credit for making the process transparent,” said Council Member Gale Brewer. “There are real victories that I fought for, including cost-of-living increases for human services providers, though I know they need even more support. I am pleased that we restored cuts to libraries, cultural organizations, and CUNY programs. I also made sure oversight agencies like Department of Investigation (DOI), Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), and Board of Correction (BOC) were properly funded, fought to reduce cuts to meal programs for older adults, and funded arts programs in city schools. Capital funding to renovate NYCHA apartments will put more low income New Yorkers in permanent housing—there are 40 vacant units at one development in my district alone—and we added funding for Right to Counsel attorneys. I thank the Speaker for securing two new Units of Appropriation to track DOC transportation of detainees—an issue my committee investigated this year.”

“Thanks to the dedicated work of this Council, the nearly $107 billion FY 24 budget will ensure that residents will see a continuation of the vital programs and institutions they rely on, including the restoration of funding for public libraries, funding for expanded public school programs, increasing mental health initiatives, reinforcing senior assistance programs, expanding access to the Fair Fares program, and reversing cuts to NYCHA,” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca. “While I am proud of the important work that we were able to accomplish during budget negotiations, our work is not yet finished, so I look forward to continuing to work with my City Council colleagues to deliver further improvements and protections on the essential services that the residents of New York City rely upon. I would like to thank Speaker Adrienne Adams, the Council’s Finance division, and members of the Budget Negotiation Team for their diligent work in crafting this budget.”

“This Council put forward a bold and empathetic vision in our initial budget response and I am grateful for Speaker Adams, Chair Brannan, and the budget negotiating team for achieving as much of that vision as possible,” said Council Member Shaun Abreu. “I am relieved that this budget makes critical strides on legal representation. The $46 million we attained for criminal and legal services will mean that more New Yorkers stay in their homes and have someone to stand by them in court. If we want to protect our rights, we have to pay the people who do the protecting. And that is what this budget does.”

“Against the prospect of detrimental cuts to libraries, CUNY, parks, sanitation, and social services, we successfully passed a budget that restored significant funding, and invested in key city services,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “With this budget, we invested in our legal service providers and non-profit workers, specifically allocated funding to support critical programs for CUNY, such as ASAP and ACE, and fully restored our libraries. New Yorkers deserve tangible results from their elected officials, and the NYC Council has delivered on that expectation.”

“This budget is not only restorative of last November’s cuts, but the City Council was also steadfast in protecting the critical services, programming, and funding that serve New Yorkers in their everyday needs,” said Council Member Amanda Farías. “I look forward to continuing supporting the essential work needed in our communities through our citywide and local budgets.”

“3-K and pre-K early childhood programs make a tremendous difference in the lives of our children and parents,” said Council Member Oswald Feliz. “I’m proud to have helped negotiate a budget that expands these programs, making them full-day and year-round programs, so that working families and our youngest students can truly have access to them. I congratulate NYC Speaker Adams, and all my colleagues in the city council, for making this happen.”

“Today’s budget adoption is a testament to the Council’s will to serve as a counterweight to a mayor wholly unconcerned with the material well-being of New Yorkers,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson. “From the Preliminary Budget to the Executive Budget, Mayor Adams was firm in his position to starve the programs most important to vulnerable New Yorkers. This Administration made concerted efforts to slash hundreds of millions of dollars from the programs our communities rely on most –– from libraries to meals for older adults. However, this Council — under the leadership of Speaker Adams — held firm. Speaker Adams secured critical wins while negotiating with an unreliable and ideologically divergent Administration, an accomplishment that would not have been possible without the tireless advocacy of so many partners, providers, and our own neighbors.”

“While I am saddened that we did not get all that we fought for,” said Council Member Rita Joseph. “As a result of the hard work of this Council, we have restored funding and secured millions of dollars for essential education and housing programs.”

“This budget is a win by our Council against the Mayor’s bleak vision for our city,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan. “We will provide record resources to public defenders. For the first time ever, we will provide full-year, full-time early childhood care to thousands of working parents. We will spend $4 billion to build new affordable housing. We also restored all cuts to schools, libraries, 3K programs, and CUNY programs. And for our NYC Parks, we will have new parks workers and lifeguards, and we restored Urban Park Ranger positions. I’m proud of what our Speaker and Council colleagues accomplished for the people of New York City.”

“I thank Speaker Adrienne Adams and the Council’s Budget Negotiation Team for reaching an agreement on the City’s budget during these challenging times,” said Council Member Julie Menin. “While this budget is not perfect, it is critical that we prevented devastating cuts to essential early childhood education, libraries, and CUNY. This budget has many noteworthy accomplishments including sanitation services, increased extended day 3-K seats, new funding to create more affordable housing and improved accessibility to pools and swimming lessons. These investments are crucial for our youth’s education, maintaining a clean city, supporting New Yorkers in the workforce, and ultimately securing a brighter future for our city.”

“The budget passed today respects the fiscal reality of our economy while taking many significant steps towards making New York City a more equitable place for all,” said Council Member Mercedes Narcisse. “While no budget is perfect, I salute Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Chair Justin Brannan and all my colleagues for their tireless work to ensure that investments were made in essential services which will keep New Yorkers healthy and safe.”

“In this historically diverse City Council body, we all work collectively to fight for a budget that addresses the needs of all New Yorkers and supports vital services that families depend upon,” said Council Member Kevin C. Riley. “Fiscal year 2024’s $107 billion budget focuses on empowering New Yorkers and strengthening key infrastructure with wins for fully restored funding to our public libraries, expanding funding to enhance full day 3-K education, a $46 million increase for Right to Counsel and Public Defenders and $32.4 million in restored funding for CUNY. While the effort for a fully protected City is ongoing and we must continue to critically identify pathways to invest into our communities, the Council and the Administration are committed to improving our City’s quality of life. Thank you to Speaker Adams, Mayor Adams and Finance Chair Brannan for your leadership in securing an on-time budget. I look forward to continued partnership and advocacy across all levels that restores and secures funding for a better New York City.”

“The FY24 budget builds on work this Council has done to expand access to healthcare, improve youth and senior programming, address street safety, bolster climate resiliency, support public schools and libraries, enhance parks and public spaces, and more,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera. “I commend Speaker Adams for her work to reverse harmful cuts while making key commitments to move the city forward. As Chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice, I am particularly proud to have helped secure nearly $37 million in supervised release funding, funding for alternatives to incarceration, and restored funding for the Board of Correction, which will connect people to services, reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and hold this administration accountable while keeping us on the timeline to close Rikers by 2027.”

“With the many challenges faced by NYC that impacted the FY24 budget, I am proud that the Council was able to make significant investments in education, healthcare, housing, older adult services and improving the quality of life of our neighborhoods,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman. “We still have a lot of work ahead of us and I look forward to continuing the fight with Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and my colleagues to make our city more equitable and just for all.”

“As I’m not satisfied with all aspects of this year’s budget, I’m mostly disappointed that we were unable to deliver for the human service second on a cost-of-living adjustment,” said Council Member Althea Stevens. “I’m proud of how hard the council has fought to restore cuts and services for all New Yorkers.”

“I want to thank Mayor Eric Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan, and my fellow colleagues in the New York City Council for coming together to pass a budget that reflects the core values of our great city,” said Council Member Marjorie Velázquez. “This budget funds programs and initiatives that I am passionate about; including restoring money for our libraries, providing millions of dollars for education programs, funding for establishing mental health services, and investing in our work force development including $1.9 million going toward supporting low wage workers. I will continue to advocate for our community, working alongside my colleagues as well as partnering with local community leaders and constituents to be a voice that will fight hard on their behalf.”

“Every budget is a work of compromise,” said Council Member Inna Vernikov. “There will always be items we disagree on. But it’s important that there is enough in it that is necessary for our city, and that we arrive at that agreement in a fiscally sustainable and responsible manner for taxpayers and citizens of New York City. I thank the mayor, Speaker Adams, and Council staff and negotiating team for their hard work on this.”

“This budget reflects our unwavering commitment to improving the lives of our constituents and addressing their pressing needs,” said Council Member Nantasha Williams. “With this budget, we can embark on transformative initiatives that will strengthen our communities, enhance public services, and foster much needed growth for our city. There is still work to be done, to ensure that every dollar is allocated efficiently and effectively to truly benefit all New Yorkers. Together, we will continue to advocate for a budget that allows for our city to be a more equitable and inclusive place where the most marginalized can also thrive.”

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