Mayor Adams unveils $1.2b community hiring initiative to boost job opportunities for underserved New Yorkers

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a groundbreaking community hiring initiative, set to leverage over $1.2 billion in city contracts to create good-paying jobs for underserved New Yorkers.

This initiative, the city’s first of its kind, aims to use the city’s purchasing power to set hiring goals across procurement contracts, building on the success of existing project labor agreements and agency-specific hiring programs.

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) released a landmark request for proposal (RFP) encompassing an estimated $1.2 billion in contracts for security guard services and fire safety personnel throughout the five boroughs.

The RFP mandates that 40 percent of labor hours be performed by residents of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing or those living in ZIP codes with at least 15 percent of the population below the federal poverty line.

“Today, we are sending a clear message: if you want to work with the City of New York, you need to put the community first,” stated Mayor Adams. “With this landmark RFP, we are bringing real, good-paying jobs to our neighbors in NYCHA and to ZIP codes across our city that have been forgotten for far too long. Together, we are building the economy of the future in a city where opportunity reaches every block, neighborhood, and borough.”

The initiative will provide approximately 10 million hours of prevailing wage job opportunities over the five-year contract term, including roles such as security guards, supervisors, field inspectors, managers, and emergency action plan directors.

New hires will receive 40 hours of no-cost training as part of their employment. The community hiring goals are designed to address historic employment disparities, particularly benefiting residents of low-income neighborhoods and NYCHA housing.

First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright emphasized the initiative’s role in delivering real opportunities for underserved New Yorkers. Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer highlighted the swift implementation of the community hiring legislation, marking it as a significant step towards tackling employment disparities.

City officials and community leaders praised the initiative for its potential to create equitable economic opportunities and foster community development. They underscored the importance of prioritizing local hiring and training to uplift historically marginalized communities.

The Office of Community Hiring (OCH), led by Executive Director Doug Lipari, will collaborate with contractors to identify promising talent and provide employment and apprenticeship opportunities. The initiative is expected to create 36,000 jobs annually for low-income individuals and those from economically disadvantaged communities.

The community hiring effort is part of Mayor Adams’ broader strategy to create a more inclusive and equitable economy in New York City. It builds on recent successes, including a decrease in the unemployment rate for Black New Yorkers and initiatives like “Jobs NYC,” which aims to reduce barriers to economic opportunities across the five boroughs.

The announcement concludes Mayor Adams’ “Spring Jobs Sprint,” a campaign delivering thousands of new job opportunities, including the transformation of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and substantial investments in workforce development programs.

Mayor Adams’ administration continues to focus on equitable hiring practices, with significant progress in negotiating fair contracts for municipal workers and record spending on city-certified minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs).

With this historic community hiring initiative, New York City aims to harness its procurement power to foster economic growth and provide life-changing job opportunities for its most underserved residents.