WORLD WORLDWIDE USA NewYork NY NewYorkCity NYC thecity THECITY News Journal Update - THE CITY Scoop: Why Is the City’s Black Unemployment Rate Still So High?

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free! Dear New Yorkers, When his family moved back to Brooklyn from Long Island, Cayson Bryant, 21, began looking for a retail or restaurant job, seeking to leverage his two years of experience at BJ’s as a deli clerk. He applied to everything, from Bed Bath and Beyond to local restaurants, but for months he couldn’t find anything.  “I was getting so frustrated because straight out of high school, I was used to working 40 hours a week,” Bryant said. “So that period was hard.” Bryant is one of almost 100,000 Black New Yorkers struggling through a persistent and unusual unemployment crisis.  A little more than a year ago, as the city’s recovery from the pandemic began to accelerate, the Black unemployment rate in the city was still high at 15%. Today, even as the city nears a complete recovery from the pandemic recession, the number is 12.2% compared with a white worker rate of 1.3%. It is also nearly double the rate for Hispanic workers. After tracking the trend for more than a year, economists and other experts have come to agree on the causes.  Read more here.   Some other items of note: Last week, a proposed development of 970 affordable housing units along the Bronx River got one step closer to becoming reality. In spite of concerns from community groups, Bronx Community Board 9 voted overwhelmingly in favor of the project. If it goes through, it’ll include three high-rise buildings, commercial space for outdoor dining, an amphitheater and a walkway along the river.  The mayor may slash a city pilot program that offers daycare and afterschool care to children without legal immigration status. Parents, advocates, and some City Council members are confused by the move. Listen to or watch a new episode of the FAQ NYC podcast with Greg Glassman and fellow trumpeter James Zollar playing together, talking about what it takes to make it as a musician in the Big Apple and much more. Abigail Kramer won a Deadline Club Award for Science, Technology, Medical or Environmental Reporting for her article, published in partnership with ProPublica, on what happened after New York cut nearly a third of state-run psychiatric hospital beds for children.  Last week, THE CITY’s Rachel Holliday Smith spoke on a panel about affordable and low-income housing in NYC. Listen here. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker.  This is an ad. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Monday’s Weather Rating: 9/10. Another gem on tap. High temps today will reach the lower 70s with mostly sunny skies and low humidity. A bit of a chilly onshore breeze later, but we’re not complaining. The vibes are very good once again! THE KICKER:  For some, it feels like a century since Century 21 declared bankruptcy and closed its doors — presumably for good — in 2020. But the discount designer retailer is back, and its new flagship Lower Manhattan store is already bustling.   Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday.   Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, or if you have a question let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc THE CITY's work is made possible, in part, through the support of our sponsors. Interested in becoming a sponsor of THE CITY? Contact us here.  This is an ad.

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