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Know Your Rights
Source: Make the Road New York
Subject: Uncategorized
Type: Pubs & Reports

Shortchanged: Racial Disparities in New York’s Economic Development Programs

As scandals continue to mar New York State economic development efforts, one unexamined aspect of the system is how Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) shortchange communities of color. This report shows that areas with a higher concentration of people of color across New York State are awarded less than their fair share of economic development funds. New York City, the Mid-Hudson, and Long Island all would have been awarded at least twice as much money since 2011 if they had been awarded the average amount of money per person. Part of the issue may stem from the fact that the councils themselves are not representative: 90% of the regional council directors and co-chairs are white.1