The COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to the growth of the construction industry nationwide which, prior to the pandemic, had been growing strongly. This was especially true in New York State and New York City.

This report details economic impact payments, also known as "stimulus checks," provided to New Yorkers under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the COVID-Related Tax Relief (CRTR) Act. The report also summarizes the Comptroller’s analysis of the Enacted Budget.

In 2020, the 10-year period of record growth in tourism came to an end, and the number of visitors to New York City fell by 67 percent to 22.3 million (from 66.6 million in 2019). OSC estimates the industry’s economic impact dropped by 75 percent from $80.3 billion in 2019 to $20.2 billion in 2020.

To date, New York businesses and not-for-profits have received $51.0 billion of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, low-interest loans first authorized in March 2020 in response to economic hardships faced by these entities due to the pandemic. This report provides a profile of PPP loans by county, industry, and business size.

New York State’s hotel industry has experienced a decade of strong growth, driven by an increase in tourism. A record number of visitors (227.5 million) came to New York State in 2014, and a new record was likely set in 2015.

New York has recovered less than half the jobs lost between February and April 2020. This report explores the industries leading the recovery, including the leisure and hospitality sector, retail, and construction, and shows which industries continue to lose jobs.

Comptroller DiNapoli has launched an interactive online tool of subway ridership that details where straphangers are, and are not, returning to the subway system, alongside neighborhood and local demographics, employment and income.

One year since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 4 out of 5 small businesses continue to report an overall negative impact in their business. This report explores the latest U.S. Census Bureau survey data from New York’s small businesses, the allocation of fiscal relief for New York from the American Rescue Plan of 2021, and the latest figures from the Comptroller’s monthly cash report.

A year after the first case of COVID-19 was reported in New York State, the economic disruption caused by the pandemic remains severe. One key measure is the total number of New Yorkers claiming unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. The figure remains elevated 11 months after the initial surge of job losses, with 2.4 million claims reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of mid-February 2021.

As of December 2020, arts, entertainment and recreation employment declined by 66 percent from one year earlier, the largest decline among the City’s economic sectors.