Mayor Promises 400K Jobs In NYC Economy 'Reboot'

NEW YORK, NY — Hundreds of thousands of jobs and millions of tourists will return to New York City via a full "reboot" of the city's economy, Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday.

His new sweeping "Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery" details plans to revive 400,000 jobs lost during the coronavirus crisis and kick start the slow return to a bustling pre-pandemic Big Apple.

“New York City’s recovery cannot and will not be about going back to the way things were — we are going to rebuild, renew, and reinvent our city and our economy for today, tomorrow, and generations to come,” said Mayor Adams. “This is more than a to-do list: It is a complete reset."

The 63-page recovery plan takes aim at industries hardest hit during the pandemic — including tourism, hospitality and the city's "creative economy" — while promising investments in newer industries, like technology and renewable energy.

It includes a new $75 million fund for small businesses in need of a loan and cuts to red tape — such as the suspension of the liquor license application fee — for those hoping to open.

The plan also calls for a "one-stop-shop Business Portal" where business owners can check on and renew city permits or inspections.

The economic reboot comes as Adams and state officials tackle mapping out a post-pandemic New York City.

The mayor has so far lifted school mask mandates and business vaccine requirements and is pushing both a subway safety and anti-gun violence initiative.

Adams said Thursday the anti-crime plans and a boost to street cleaning will be important in ensuring office workers and tourists alike will return to New York City.

"If New Yorkers do not feel safe on our subways, on our sidewalks, and in our parks, then we cannot thrive," the plan reads.

More than 26,000 New York City businesses closed during the pandemic and the city's $72 billion tourism industry dropped to a third of the number of yearly visitors to the city before the coronavirus crisis, according to the report.

Though about half its 20 percent peak in the height of the pandemic, New York City's unemployment rate has struggled to rebound, particularly among minorities.

Adams promised diversity and equity will be at the forefront of his economic plan.

"It's time we get our city back in order," Adams said. "We’re going to take this opportunity to reboot our entire system."