This annual report summarizes the results of all the State agency and public authority audit reports issued by the Office of the State Comptroller from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023.
New York City housing costs have grown more than 68% over the last decade, the largest increase of selected major metropolitan areas in the U.S. Housing affordability, which considers the incomes of households, has also worsened in New York City over the last decade, as median rent prices, in particular, grew faster than median incomes. Many New Yorkers may continue to be priced out of their preferred neighborhoods without a substantial increase in the supply of affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income households.
A look back at some of the major accomplishments of the Office of the New York State Comptroller in 2023.
Since early 2020, enrollees in New York Medicaid have not had to renew their coverage due to COVID-19 public health emergency. With federal legislation ending continuous Medicaid coverage in March 2023, New York State began the process of redetermining eligibility for every enrolled individual. Based on recent trends, this report estimates “unwinding” may not meet projections in the Division of the Budget’s Mid-Year Update to the Enacted Budget Financial Plan, adding costs to the State budget.
New York City faces spending risks that could increase its budget gaps for Fiscal Years 2025 through 2027 to an average of $12.6 billion annually, fueled by spending choices made during the pandemic, underbudgeting for recurring spending, and significant costs associated with the influx of asylum seekers into the five boroughs. While many of the fiscal challenges facing the City are not in its direct control, preparation and transparency remain paramount to navigating this uncertainty.
Local sales tax collections in New York State increased by 5.1% in November compared to the same month in 2022. Overall, local collections totaled $1.81 billion, up $88.6 million compared to the same time last year.
Population shifts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic are changing the face of New York City. In the wake of the pandemic, the City’s populace is overall older and wealthier, with a rebounding population of international migrants and declining shares of White and Black New Yorkers. The cost of living also rose as the pandemic subsided, making the City increasingly more expensive for lower income New Yorkers, who left in greater numbers in 2022.
The number of full-time local government workers employed outside of New York City contracted by 7.9% from 2007 to 2022, largely the result of two defining events – the recession of 2007-09 and the COVID-19 pandemic. This stands in contrast to the nation as a whole, which saw a 2% increase in the number of full-time local government employees over the same 15-year period. This snapshot report highlights these findings and provides additional analysis by local government class, job function and geographic region.
