Posted on September 6, 2012 by GISELLE ROUTHIER Are New Yorkers better off today than they were four years ago? As Mayor Bloomberg weighed in on this question, the Wall Street Journal took a look at some of the City’s social and economic indicators. Today, New York City has much higher levels of homelessness and unemployment than four years ago, and although the City has created more jobs, most of them have been in low-wage industries. Specifically in regards to homelessness, the average number of men, women, and children in City shelters has increased astronomically and is now closing in on 45,000: In the past four years, more New Yorkers have been pushed into homelessness. The number in city shelters soared past 40,000 for the first time in 2011. “It’s clear that many more New Yorkers and many more children and families are experiencing homelessness,” said Patrick Markee of the Coalition for the Homeless. At the end of the day, whether the City is better off than four years ago depends on who you ask. For the 45,000 homeless New Yorkers, the answer is decidedly no. What do you think? Weigh in with your comments below.
