Report - April 2025
Expanding Concession Opportunities in NYC’s ParksA modest expansion of parks concessions could provide a much-needed source of new dedicated revenue for New York's parks at a time when city funding has failed to keep pace with their growing maintenance needs. Today, there are surprisingly few restaurants, cafes, and other destination-worthy concessions in parks, but where they do exist, they invariably enhance the experience of parkgoers.
Event - April 2025
The Opportunity to Boost Funding for NYC’s Parks Through New ConcessionsOn April 2nd, the Center for an Urban Future will hold a policy forum focused on a thoughtful expansion of concessions in parks across the five boroughs and explore what city and state policy changes and investments are needed to unlock these opportunities.
Report - March 2025
5 Ideas for Retaining NYC’s Young FamiliesNew York’s enduring appeal to young adults remains one of the city’s greatest strengths—and in today’s talent-based economy, it presents a massive opportunity to set the city up for years of future economic success. But to fully capitalize on this opportunity, city policymakers need to take concrete steps to make sure New York can do far better in holding onto young people as they age into their thirties and start families.
Report - March 2025
New York City’s Green Economy OpportunityA flourishing green economy may be the best chance in a generation to expand access to well-paying career opportunities, especially for New Yorkers of color and individuals from low-income communities. While there has been job growth in several parts of the green economy in recent years, our research suggests that New York City’s green economy is not yet close to fully charged.
impact - March 2025
CUF inspires City Council proposals to bolster minority businesses & support CUNY’s adult learnersDuring her 2025 State of the City address, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced four new policies directly inspired to boost support for the city's minority-owned businesses and adult learners at CUNY.
Event - March 2025
Why NYC’s Public Schools—and Schoolteachers—are Vital to Closing the Tech Opportunity GapOn March 5th, the Center for an Urban Future held a policy forum focused on closing NYC’s tech opportunity gap by ensuring all children gain early exposure to computational thinking. This forum explored the vital role of CUNY's Computing Integrated Teacher Education initiative and the urgent need to invest in its expansion.