IN NEW YORK CITY COREY JOHNSON - AUGUST 2019 - New York City Council
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IN NEW YORK CITY
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
AUGUST 2019
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER
COREY JOHNSON
GROWING FOOD EQUITY IN NEW YORK CITY: A City Council Agenda
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 4
Summary of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget
Wins and Proposed Recommendations................................................................................8
Food Governance.......................................................................................................................14
Hunger...........................................................................................................................................18
Reducing Food Waste..............................................................................................................34
Healthy School Food and Nutrition Education.................................................................36
Equitable Access to Healthy Food.......................................................................................42
Urban Agriculture......................................................................................................................49
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................56
Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................56
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 3
INTRODUCTION
Food has the power to connect us to the cul- dissemination of information.4 National labor
tures of our past and present, to our neighbors, laws enacted decades ago continue to lack
our communities, and our earth. In New York adequate protection for U.S. and migrant farm
City, one of the richest cities in the world, ev- workers.5 Single mother-headed households face
eryone should have equitable access to healthy significantly greater food insecurity—a lack of
food, every community should have greater consistent access to enough food for an active,
control over their food options, every person healthy lifestyle6—than single father-headed
should have enough nutritious food to live a households (31.6% compared to 21.7%).7 Fur-
healthy life, and every neighborhood should ther, gender inequality—from access to land and
have food businesses that reflect that communi- credit, to employment and wage discrimination,
ty’s cultures and diversity. to the burden of unpaid caregiving labor—has
been shown to worsen overall hunger and pover-
Food is also a fundamental human right, pro- ty in the U.S.8
tected under international human rights and
humanitarian law. Article 25 of the Universal All low-income people, regardless of race,
Declaration on Human Rights and Article 11 of
1 experience food insecurity. In New York City,
the International Covenant on Economic, Social structural inequities have contributed to neigh-
and Cultural Rights recognizes the right to food. 2 borhoods that are predominantly low-income
Thirty national constitutions also recognize food communities of color having less access to
as a human right, including Brazil,
Costa Rica, Mexico, Egypt, Kenya, PROPORTION OF ADULTS LIVING
BELOW THE POVERTY LINE
South Africa, Ukraine, and Nepal.3
As with other fundamental rights,
the primary responsibility for
ensuring the right to food lies with
government.
In the United States, structural
inequities can impede this right.
A person’s race, income, gender,
age, immigration status, mental
health condition, physical disabili-
ty, and more affect the availability
of food options, the quality and
adequacy of food, and access to
land and green spaces. This ineq-
uity has deep and historical roots
in government policy, including in
U.S. federal food and farm poli-
cies. For example, 93% of Black
American farmers lost their land
between 1940 and 1974 due in
large part to the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s (USDA) discrimi-
natory practices regarding loans,
Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Environment and
credit, technical assistance, and Health Data Portal-Poverty, 2013-2017. 7/15/2019. http://nyc.gov/health/tracking
4 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
PROPORTION OF NON-WHITE ADULTS healthy food and experienc-
ing greater food insecurity and
food-related illnesses (see maps).
These communities have long
been on the front lines combat-
ting an unjust food system that
harms the environment, negative-
ly affects human health, and con-
tributes to economic inequality.9
Food equity involves the just
and fair inclusion of all people in
our food system, and is essential
to building vibrant and resilient
economies and communities.10
In an equitable food system, all
people have adequate access to
food and greater control over the
quality and kinds of food avail-
able in their community.11 This
approach centers on food justice,
a component of environmental
Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Environment and
Health Data Portal- Race, 2013-2017. 7/15/2019 http://nyc.gov/health/tracking
justice in which all communities
share in an equitable distribution
PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS THAT SOMETIMES/ of risks and benefits throughout
OFTEN DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOOD our food system, including how
food is grown, processed, distrib-
uted, accessed, and disposed.12
In order to improve food equity,
we must advocate for changes
at all levels of government. At
the federal level, we must work
to combat the threats to food
justice and food security made
by the Trump Administration.13 As
of 2017, food insecurity impacts
an estimated 1.09 million of the
City’s 8.4 million residents, and
our social safety net is under
increasing federal attack.14 Re-
cently, a proposed rule change to
the USDA’s Supplemental Nutri-
tion Assistance Program (SNAP),
which provides nutrition assis-
tance to eligible low-income in-
dividuals and families, endangers
Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Epiquery: NYC
Interactive Health Data System. Food insecurity, 2017 (Age adjusted). 7/15/2019. the food security of an additional
https://nyc.gov/health/epiquery
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 5
PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS WHO DID NOT
HAVE ANY FRUITS OR VEGETABLES THE PRIOR DAY
NUTRITION,
HEALTH AND
HUNGER INEQUITY
IN NEW YORK CITY
The American Communi-
ty Survey (CHS) is a tele-
phone survey conducted
annually by DOHMH’s
Division of Epidemiology,
Bureau of Epidemiolo-
gy Services. Strata are
defined using the United
Hospital Fund (UHF)
neighborhood designa-
tion, modified slightly for
the addition of new ZIP
codes since UHF's initial
definitions. There are
42 UHF neighborhoods
Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Epiquery: NYC in NYC, each defined
Interactive Health Data System. Fruit/vegetable consumption, 2017 (Age adjusted). by several adjoining ZIP
7/15/2019. https://nyc.gov/health/epiquery codes.
PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS WHO REPORT According to data from
EVER BEING TOLD BY A HEALTHCARE the CHS, neigh- bor-
PROFESSIONAL THAT THEY HAVE DIABETES hoods in the South
Bronx, where the
majority of residents are
low-income and peo-
ple of color, have the
highest proportion of
respondents who are not
regularly eating fruits
and vegetables and are
sometimes/ often hun-
gry and the highest pro-
portion of respondents
who have been told that
they have diabetes. 95%
of adults with diabetes
have type 2 diabetes, a
food-related illness.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
and Preventation, https://www.cdc.
gov/diabetes/basics/type2.html
(last visited July 30, 2019)
Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Epiquery: NYC
Interactive Health Data System. Diabetes ever, 2017 (Age adjusted). 7/15/2019.
https://nyc.gov/health/epiquery
6 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
estimated 80,000 New Yorkers.15 Recently, the Furthermore, the State should support the
Trump Administration proposed cutting $220 creation of more processing and distribution
billion from the SNAP budget over the next facilities and healthy food retail outlets, all of
decade, as well as reforms such as mandating which could create more jobs while providing
work requirements and replacing cash benefits New Yorkers with healthier food in our schools,
with a processed food box.16 These proposed senior centers, colleges, hospitals, and homes.
policies would do nothing to lift people out of In addition, it is important that the State be
poverty and would actively harm individuals prepared to mobilize to fill in gaps if proposed
who stand to lose these vital benefits.17 federal cuts to anti-hunger and nutrition assis-
tance programs come to fruition.
To combat these attacks, we need stronger
food governance at both the local and the State At the local level, the City Council is committed
level regarding food access, food and farm to every New Yorker’s right to healthy food. In
businesses, and farm labor rights. The Farm order to advance food equity and justice, we
Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act, which finally need stronger food governance and better
passed the State Legislature in 2019, extends to school food. We need to increase nutrition and
farm workers the right to collective bargaining, farming education. We need to end hunger in
a day of rest, workers compensation, unemploy- higher education. We need to make healthy
ment insurance, and an overtime provision.18 food more accessible to all New Yorkers, re-
Advocates have expressed concerns that the gardless of where they live. We need more
threshold for overtime is set at 60 hours a week, support for environmental stewardship and for
and that the law bans worker strikes and work those greening and growing food in our city.
stoppages or slowdowns.19 The State should We need more urban agriculture to provide
increase support for farmland and farmers, healthy food and education to our neighbors
and build upon this recent legislative victory to while combatting climate change and building
institute even more protections for agricultural resiliency. We need to reduce food waste. And
workers across New York. we need to build community power by incubat-
ing and supporting hyper-local food economies,
The State should also bolster support for where residents can have successful food busi-
sustainable agricultural businesses, especially nesses and neighbors can eat healthily while
among minority and women farmers and keeping their food dollars in their neighbor-
ranchers who continue to overcome the impacts hoods. The proposals outlined in this paper are
of historical discrimination in access to farm- steps the City can take to make these needs,
land, credit, and other government assistance. rights, and responsibilities a closer reality.
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 7
SUMMARY OF FISCAL updating and creating new indicators and
data sources. It will also ensure the inclu-
YEAR 2020 BUDGET sion of denominators for each numerator,
WINS AND PROPOSED and intended outcomes for each output.
The legislation will further require geo-
RECOMMENDATIONS graphical boundaries for data be consid-
ered at the most granular level possible,
FOOD GOVERNANCE and create an online portal to help policy-
makers, academics, and advocates utilize
• Improve and Institutionalize the
food metrics on an ongoing basis.
Office of Food Policy: The City
Council will consider legislation to
establish high-level coordination of the HUNGER
City’s food activities through empow- • Continue to Support Emergency
ering and codifying the Mayor’s Office Food Providers: The City Council has
of Food Policy as a Charter-mandated fought and will continue to fight to sup-
office. The Office should include in- port food pantries and soup kitchens
creased resources for staff in order to across the city.
lead the development and implemen-
tation of a citywide food plan, improve o After several years of one-time
management of food metrics data allocations and subsequent cuts, in
and reporting, and expand community Fiscal Year 2019, the City Council
engagement across food system issues, successfully advocated to increase
particularly among low-income com- the baseline Emergency Food As-
munities of color most affected by food sistance Program (EFAP) budget to
inequities. The Office should also work $20.2 million, an increase of $8.7
with communities, and across City agen- million from the previous year.
cies, to identify food justice neighbor-
hoods and target resources to achieve o In Fiscal Year 2020, the Coun-
access to healthy foods in those areas. cil continued funding the Food
Access and Benefits initiative at
• Create a Multi-Year Food Policy $725,000. This initiative supports
Plan: The City Council will consider capacity expansion efforts at food
legislation to establish a citywide food pantries citywide through the Food
plan that brings a strategic framework, Bank for New York City; technical
goal-oriented planning, and coordination assistance for tax returns for low-in-
to key areas of the food system, including come residents; SNAP eligibility
hunger, nutrition, access to healthy food, screening; SNAP application and
food waste, food and farm economies, recertification assistance; and
and urban agriculture and sustainability. SNAP and emergency food assis-
The plan would bring cohesion, coordi- tance benefits education programs.
nation, and time-bound targets to food
policy goals and would be developed o In Fiscal Year 2020, the Council also
and implemented with multi-stakeholder increased funding for the Access
community engagement. to Healthy Food and Nutritional
Education initiative by $1.2 million
• Update Local Law 52 of 2011 (Food for a total of $2.3 million to support
Metrics report): The City Council will programs that expand access to
consider legislation to enhance Food Met- healthy food and improve under-
rics reporting. The legislation will include standing of nutrition and whole-
8 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
some food choices, while engaging hateful and destructive policy proposals
communities to make positive to expand the circumstances under which
changes related to food and life- certain immigrants might be considered
style to improve health outcomes. a “public charge,” thereby causing fear-
This funding supports farmers' mar- based disenrollment from SNAP.
kets, youth markets, urban farms,
community gardens, educational • Increased Funding for Senior
workshops, SNAP outreach, and a Center and Home Delivered Meals:
pilot program at the City University Due to City Council's advocacy, the
of New York (CUNY) to increase New York City Department for the
food access for students. Aging’s (DFTA) budget will include $10
million in funding for Fiscal Year 2020
o Additionally, the Council increased to address the under-funding of senior
funding to the Food Pantries initia- meals. This new allocation will grow to
tive by $1 million for a total of $5.66 $15 million in Fiscal Year 2021 and the
million in Fiscal Year 2020. The Food outyears for senior center congregate
Pantries initiative provides food to meals and kitchen staff salaries.
over 275 food pantries and soup
kitchen citywide, and supports 25 • Support Seniors’ Access to SNAP:
food and hygiene pantries located The City Council will consider legislation
in public schools in all five boroughs. to require DFTA and Human Resources
This funding is vital for emergency Administration (HRA) to develop a plan
food providers large and small. to identify and enroll isolated seniors
in SNAP benefits. While DFTA and City
• Advocate for Expanded Use of Meals on Wheels help screen home-
SNAP: The City Council will advocate bound elderly New Yorkers for SNAP
for New York State to pass legislation to benefits, there are many seniors who
allow disabled, elderly, and homeless are not connected to City services and
SNAP recipients to use their benefits for unaware of the program.
hot meals and other prepared foods at
participating grocery stores, delis, and • Advocate for Shorter, More
restaurants. This would have a clear and Streamlined SNAP Application
direct benefit for the thousands of New Form for Older Adults: The City
Yorkers who cannot easily cook for them- Council will advocate for the federal gov-
selves or have no access to a kitchen. ernment to approve New York State’s ap-
plication to create an Elderly Simplified
• Advocate Against Federal Funding Application Process (ESAP), currently op-
Attacks on Anti-Hunger and Nutri- erating in nine states. Under ESAP, older
tion Programs: The City Council will citizens can be granted several waivers,
continue to combat efforts at the feder- including an extension of the certification
al level to reduce, limit, and stigmatize period to 24 months from the current 6-
vital nutrition programs. This includes or 12-month time frame; waiving the full
advocating against any proposed fund- interview for recertification; and general-
ing cuts to the Special Supplemental ly waiving the requirement to verify un-
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, earned income, household size, residen-
and Children (WIC) and SNAP. This also cy, and shelter expenses. By streamlining
encompasses fighting dangerous plans to the SNAP application process, it will be
limit SNAP-eligibility, such as the recently easier for eligible low-income seniors to
proposed “able bodied adults without apply for SNAP, thereby increasing their
dependents” or ABAWD regulations, and participation in the program.
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 9
• Create Food Pantries in Senior prepare for further education and careers
Centers: The City should fund a pilot in current or emerging professions.
program to create small food pantries
at select senior centers to address food • Increase City Funding for Health
insecurity for seniors who are unable to Bucks: The City should expand funding
access the city’s network of emergency for the Health Bucks program to increase
food pantries. The program will provide the number of Health Bucks provided to
an opportunity for seniors to bring food community-based organizations. Health
home to cook meals when they are not Bucks can leverage SNAP benefits and be
attending a senior center. DFTA senior used by community organizations to com-
centers across the city provide congre- bat hunger, increase nutrition education,
gate meals to participants, but many and provide access to healthy food. Cur-
seniors still struggle to adequately feed rently, approximately $150,000 in Health
themselves on a daily basis. Bucks is available to these organizations to
offer as incentives to buy fruits and veg-
• Tackle Higher Education Student etables at farmers’ markets. This funding
Hunger: In the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, should be expanded to meet demand.
the City Council allocated $1 million
under the Access to Healthy Food and • Increase Awareness of Health
Nutritional Education initiative to fund Bucks: The City Council will consider
a pilot program to increase food access legislation to require HRA to provide
to CUNY students experiencing food information to SNAP applicants and
insecurity. Hunger in higher education recipients about Health Bucks and the
is a serious problem, with almost half of locations of farmers’ markets where they
CUNY students recently surveyed indicat- may be redeemed, to ensure that more
ing they were food insecure in the past SNAP recipients are taking advantage
month. The City Council will continue to of the Health Bucks program.
fight for additional funding to address
FOOD WASTE
food insecurity among college students.
• Food Waste Prevention Education
• Advocate for Expanded Use of
Campaign: The City should fund a
SNAP for College Students: The City
robust educational campaign to raise
Council will advocate that New York join
awareness about how residents can con-
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Illinois,
tribute to food waste reduction in their
and New Jersey in taking state action to
daily habits. Food waste prevention
increase college students’ eligibility for
campaigns provide information to con-
SNAP. Due to federal law, most able-bod-
sumers on how much wasted food costs
ied students who are enrolled in college
household budgets per year, and on
at least half-time are not eligible for SNAP
what small behaviors they can change
unless they meet certain criteria. How-
to reduce household food waste.
ever, states can expand the regulations
addressing college students’ eligibility • Food Waste Prevention Plans: The
for SNAP to include any program that City Council will consider legislation to
qualifies as “career and technical edu- require City agencies with food procure-
cation” under the Carl D. Perkins Career ment contracts to create food waste
and Technical Education Act of 2006. This prevention plans. New York City govern-
could include programs that provide a ment agencies feed tens of thousands of
recognized postsecondary credential or New Yorkers on a daily basis, including
certificate, or that provide skills needed to students in our schools, seniors at our
10 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDAsenior centers, and patients in our hospi- • Increase Awareness of the Summer
tals. These agencies should take an active Meals Program: The City Council will
role in combating food waste. Food waste consider legislation to build upon Local
prevention plans should include both Law 4 of 2018 to require DOE to send
edible food donation and non-edible or- targeted information home to fami-
ganics collection, and identify methods to lies with the location of their closest
reduce the amount of surplus food along Summer Meal Program sites. Although
with procedures for safe, efficient dona- summer meals are available to every
tion. The bill would require each relevant single person aged 18 and under across
agency to designate a coordinator to New York City, reports indicate that the
oversee implementation of the plan. program is under-utilized. Awareness of
the program must be expanded.
HEALTHY SCHOOL FOOD • Summer Companion Meals: The City
AND NUTRITION EDUCATION Council will work with the Mayoral Admin-
istration to launch a pilot program to offer
• Breakfast in the Classroom: The
summer companion meals to the Summer
Mayoral Administration’s Proposed Fiscal
Meals Program. During the summer, chil-
Year 2020 budget originally included re-
dren can get free breakfast and lunch at
duced funding for Breakfast in the Class-
hundreds of public schools, parks, pools,
room by $6 million. However, due to City
libraries, and New York City Housing Au-
Council and stakeholder advocacy, the
thority (NYCHA) locations. Unfortunately,
adopted budget ultimately restored the
parents and guardians accompanying
proposed cut to this important program.
children to access the Summer Meals
• Expand Deli-Style Cafeterias: The Program may be food insecure too, and
City should work to expand deli-style cannot currently receive a free lunch due
cafeteria redesigns to more middle and to funding eligibility constraints.
high schools. In 2017, the Department of
• Food-Ed Resource Hub: In the Fiscal
Education’s (DOE) Office of School Food
Year 2020 budget, the City Council
(SchoolFood) introduced new deli-style
designated $250,000 under the Support
serving lines and student-friendly seating
for Educators initiative to fund a Food-
areas that serve the same school lunch
Ed Resource Hub based within the Tisch
foods in more appealing ways. In schools
Food Center at Teachers College. This
that have the redesign, there has been
Hub will provide citywide coordination
a significant increase in participation,
for program distribution across schools,
along with increases in fruit and vegeta-
convene stakeholders, advocate for
ble consumption. Expanding deli-style
policies to support nutrition education,
cafeterias will mean more of our students
align program evaluation, and bolster
are eating a healthy lunch every day.
efficiencies through shared resources.
• Scratch-Cooked Menus in Schools: The Hub will also provide technical as-
The City should study and create an sistance, tools, and training to nutrition
implementation plan to ensure that education programs and educators.
every school child has access to scratch-
• Food-Ed Coordinators at DOE
cooked, healthy, delicious, and cultural-
Office of School Wellness: The City
ly-appropriate menu items. This requires
should create Food-Ed Coordinator
funding capital upgrades in school
positions in the Office of School Well-
kitchens and increasing the SchoolFood
ness to align food and nutrition educa-
budget to purchase fresh foods.
tion programming across schools and
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 11grades, facilitate professional develop- creation of neighborhood-scale aware-
ment, and help integrate wellness with ness-raising materials for farm-to-city
sustainability and other academic sub- projects. It is important that New York-
jects. The positions would coordinate ers know about the locations near their
with relevant DOE offices and programs homes and workplaces where they can
related to school food, wellness, sus- access farm-fresh healthy food and
tainability, Garden to Café, and Grow to support local farmers and small food
Learn, and be informed by the Food-Ed businesses. The City Council already
Resource Hub. created an online mapping tool of farm-
to-city projects around the city, includ-
ing farmers' markets, CSAs, fresh food
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO pantries, and food boxes. This legisla-
HEALTHY FOOD tion would build off that work to make
sure New Yorkers know where to find
• Expand the Food Retail Expansion these programs in their neighborhoods.
to Support Health (FRESH) Eligi-
bility Areas: The City Council and the • Community Food Hub Incubator:
Department of City Planning (DCP) are The City should fund a Community
working to expand the list of areas that Food Hub Incubator to coordinate in-
are eligible to receive the FRESH zon- terested communities to develop more
ing incentive. These parameters will be local food businesses and farm-to-city
identified by a new supermarket needs food projects. The incubator would help
index and more closely align with the build a solidarity economic model that
areas of highest need. The Council will supports and connects growers, pro-
continue to work with DCP planners and ducers, community food projects, local
economic experts to develop a pro- small businesses, and existing infrastruc-
posal that will include an appropriate ture assets such as transportation, stor-
zoning text amendment to improve the age, and accessible kitchen space. The
program by the end of 2021, including incubator could also provide technical
the expansion of the eligibility area to assistance, tools, and training; convene
high-need neighborhoods identified by stakeholders; and bolster efficiencies
more recent data on food access. through shared resources. The goal of
the incubator will be to develop com-
• Support a Good Food Purchasing munity-scale healthy food economies,
Program: The City Council will con- thereby increasing equitable access to
sider legislation to improve and codify healthy food throughout the city.
New York City’s Good Food Purchasing
Program (GFPP). The legislation would URBAN AGRICULTURE
also establish a mechanism whereby
stakeholders in the five GFPP value • Establish an Office of Urban
categories can give input on City food Agriculture: The City Council will
purchasing priorities and provide policy consider legislation creating an Office
and metrics recommendations. By using of Urban Agriculture. The Office will
its economic power, the City can further view urban growers as climate resilience
its food policy goals. stewards and recognize that parks,
community gardens, urban farms, and
• Local Outreach Materials for Farm- green roofs are key tools in combatting
to-City Projects: The City Council and adapting to climate change. The
will consider legislation to require the Office will also ensure that the ecolog-
12 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDAical, economic, and health benefits of ing permanence for community
urban agriculture are given due value in gardens throughout the city.
our city planning.
• Farming Education for School-Age
• Create an Urban Agriculture Plan: Children: The City should support or-
The City Council will consider legisla- ganizations working to expand farming
tion creating an Urban Agriculture Plan education to school-age children. When
coordinated by the Office of Urban children learn how to grow food, they
Agriculture. The plan would include become more conscious and educated
the following: (i) cataloguing existing about the environment, earth science,
and potential urban agriculture spac- nutrition, and healthy eating. Every child
es; (ii) classification and prioritization should have equitable access to agricul-
of urban agriculture uses; (iii) potential tural education.
land use policies to promote the ex-
pansion of agricultural uses in the city; • Adult Urban Agriculture Educa-
(iv) an analysis of those portions of the tion: The City should support adult
zoning resolution, building code, and urban agriculture training for local
fire code that merit reconsideration to low-income residents, including on
promote urban agriculture; (v) expand- topics related to urban planting tech-
ing the availability of healthy food in niques, food justice, garden and farm
low-income neighborhoods; (vi) the planning and design, and small busi-
integration of urban agriculture into ness development. Increased educa-
the City’s conservation and resiliency tion and training can prepare adults for
plans; (vii) youth development and opportunities working in urban agricul-
education with regard to local food ture and increase equitable access to
production; (viii) direct and indirect healthy foods.
job creation and impacts from urban • Economic Empowerment for
agriculture production; and (ix) policy Community Gardeners: The City
recommendations for ensuring com- Council will advocate for the City to
munity garden protection. make it easier for community gardeners
• Advance Permanence for Commu- to earn income from produce grown
nity Gardens: The City Council will or education provided on community
consider legislation to require the Gre- garden land. Along with their numer-
enThumb program of the Department ous other benefits, community gardens
of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to collect should be recognized as economic
and maintain metrics on the ecological, development assets for communities.
resiliency, educational, cultural, health, • Create Borough-Based Youth
and community development value Employment Initiatives for Com-
of community gardens throughout munity Gardens: The City Council will
the city. Additionally, the City should partner with the Department of Youth
ensure that the Primary Land Use Tax and Community Development to create
Lot Output, or PLUTO, database main- opportunities within the summer youth
tained by DCP and the Department employment program (SYEP) for young
of Finance (DOF) no longer classifies people to work in community gardens.
community gardens as vacant lots. The This initiative would increase the alloca-
City Council will work with DPR and tion of SYEP slots to community gar-
DCP to establish strategies for ensur- dens starting in the summer of 2020.
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 13FOOD GOVERNANCE utilization of food support programs, and help
ensure that the meals and snacks procured and
Our food system affects the lives and wellbe- served by City contractors and agencies meet
ing of every New Yorker, and governance of certain food standards.21 The Coordinator was
this system should address every segment of also responsible for convening a food policy
the food chain, including production, process- taskforce.22
ing, distribution, access, and waste. The food
and agriculture work being done across many In 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio renamed the
different City agencies continues without a position as Food Policy Director, located within
unified, comprehensive food plan with a formal the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and
community engagement strategy, or consistent Human Services and reporting directly to the
and meaningful tools for measuring the impact Deputy Mayor.23 This Office, called the Mayor’s
of City agencies’ efforts to address food issues. Office of Food Policy (MOFP), states it currently
Without governance reforms, we are limiting “works to advance the City’s efforts to increase
the impact of City interventions to combat the food security, promote access to and awareness
social and economic food inequities that mil- of healthy food, and support economic oppor-
lions of our city’s residents combat each day. tunity and environmental sustainability in the
food system.”24 This includes coordination of
the interagency food task force and the annual
OFFICE OF FOOD POLICY
production of the food metrics report, as re-
In 2008, under the Bloomberg Administration, quired by Local Law 52 of 2011.25 The MOFP
Mayoral Executive Order No. 122 formally also helped establish and convenes the New
created the position of Food Policy Coordina- York City Food Assistance Collaborative, a joint,
tor within the Office of the Mayor.20 The Coor- coordinated effort to direct emergency food
dinator’s role was to develop and coordinate capacity and food supply equitably to the most
healthy food initiatives, increase access to and underserved parts of the city.26
14 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDAUnfortunately, over a decade after its inception, ering and codifying the Mayor’s Office
this office remains understaffed and under-re- of Food Policy as a Charter-mandated
sourced. To date, the MOFP has had, at its max- office. The Office should include in-
imum, three full-time employees. Furthermore, creased resources for staff in order to
the Office only exists as long as the current and lead the development and implemen-
future mayors support it, as there is no codifica- tation of a citywide food plan, improve
tion into law of a Mayoral entity responsible for management of food metrics data
food system issues. and reporting, and expand community
engagement across food system issues,
particularly among low-income com-
Recommendation:
munities of color most affected by food
• Improve and Institutionalize the inequities. The Office should also work
Office of Food Policy: The City with communities, and across City agen-
Council will consider legislation to cies, to identify food justice neighbor-
establish high-level coordination of the hoods and target resources to achieve
City’s food activities through empow- access to healthy foods in those areas.
Successful Food Governance : A Case Study
A best practice in urban food governance is Belo Horizonte, Brazil, which acknowledged its’ citizens
right to food and the duty of government to guarantee this right in 1993.27 In order to fulfill that
right, the administration established the Secretariat for Food Policy and Supply, a city agency that
includes a 20-member council consisting of representatives from other government sectors (munic-
ipal, state and federal), labor unions, food producers and distributors, consumer groups, research
institutions, churches, and civil society to advise on the design and implementation of a new food
system with the explicit mandate to increase access to healthy food for all as a measure of social
justice.28 The Secretariat developed dozens of innovations to promote the right to food, weaving
together the interests of farmers and consumers, such as offering local family farmers dozens of
choice spots of public space on which to sell to urban consumers via “Direct from the Countryside”
farmer produce stands.29
Belo Horizonte also pioneered “People’s Restaurants,” government-supported (city-managed and
administered) restaurants that offer inexpensive ($1 or less) healthy and balanced meals made with
ingredients purchased from local family farms at subsidized prices, open to all citizens.30 Speaking to
the concept of “food with dignity,” People’s Restaurants portray the image of a Brazilian pub—some
of which offer live music on select nights—attracting residents from all socioeconomic backgrounds,
helping to destigmatize poverty.31 Furthermore, through participatory budgeting, citizens allocated
municipal resources to ensure investment in traditionally neglected regions, like poor neighbor-
hoods and rural areas.32 Funded programs included the Green Basket program, which links hospitals,
restaurants, and other big buyers directly to local, small, organic growers; four agro-ecological cen-
ters, which supply seeds and seedlings to its other projects and educate the public about eco-friend-
ly farming techniques; and the promotion of community gardens as well as 40 school gardens, which
function as "live labs" for teaching science and environmental studies.33
During the first six years of the food-as-a-right policy, the number of citizens engaging in the city’s
participatory budgeting process doubled to more than 31,000.34 Moreover, as a result of the policy,
60% fewer children died in 2009 than 1999; 25% fewer people were in poverty; 75% fewer children
under the age of five were hospitalized for malnutrition; 40% of the population directly benefited
from a food security program; and 2 million farms had access to credit, 700,000 of whom had credit
for the first time in their lives.35
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 15FOOD PLAN
Other major cities – including Los
Angeles, Chicago, London, and
Toronto – have developed citywide
food plans that define food goals and
strategies and keep implementation
on track. Each of these plans has its
own food and agriculture landscape,
needs, and goals in mind. Although
New York City has plans with time-
bound targets on other issues such
as an end to traffic-related deaths
(Vision Zero), sending zero waste to landfill by lacking clearly-defined goals with the necessary
2030 (Zero Waste), and reducing greenhouse strategies, funding allocations, and benchmarks
gas emissions by 80% by 2050 (80 x 50), the to reach these goals.
City currently does not have a food plan.i
A comprehensive food plan for New York City
While OneNYC 2050 – the City’s strategic plan could serve to coordinate and guide all City
released in April 2019 – includes some referenc- agencies towards overarching and intercon-
es to food system issues, these references are in nected goals addressing racial, economic, and
the form of commitments, rather than detailed environmental inequity in our food system. Such
plans to reach specific targets (see box).36 As a a plan would create a focal point to identify
result, a number of New York City’s government and address problems and monitor progress,
interventions regarding food systems issues are provide a strategic framework with time-bound
OneNYC 2050 food system related commitments include:
• Expand food manufacturing and distribution (An Inclusive Economy, at page 12),
• Decrease the food insecurity rate (An Inclusive Economy, at pages 20 & 28),
• Expand GrowNYC's Greenmarkets in low-income neighborhoods (Thriving Neighborhoods,
at page 8)
• Expand healthy food choices through expanding the Health Bucks program, continuing
nutrition education programs, implementing a Good Food Purchasing Policy to improve food
and beverages served by City government, updating the New York City Food Standards to
replace processed meat with healthier proteins, offering plant-based options at public hos-
pitals and serving vegetarian meals at public schools on Mondays, and continuing the Food
Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) program (Healthy Lives, at pages 8 & 22),
• Transition to mandatory organics collection citywide and develop regional organics processing
capacity to handle one million tons of food and yard waste per year (A Livable Climate, at pag-
es 19 & 21)
• End City purchasing of unnecessary single-use plastic foodware and reduce beef purchasing
for public schools by 50% (A Livable Climate, at pages 19 & 21)
i
Notably, even these existing plans have varying levels of detail regarding how the City will reach each target.
16 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDAtargets for achieving identified goals, help pri- ventions on food issues, the metrics should be
oritize food-related budget needs, and offer a improved to more successfully monitor progress
common plan in which communities can engage towards advancing food equity goals. Most of
and mobilize. The food plan should be devel- the current indicators lack denominators for the
oped through a transparent, multi-stakeholder total population the sample comes from, which
engagement process that includes meaningful limits how the indicators can assess the impact
participation from communities most impacted of the intervention.39 For example, an indicator
by food inequities. reporting on the number of school children
participating in school lunch means little with-
Recommendation: out understanding the total number of children
enrolled in public schools each year.40
• Create a Multi-Year Food Policy
Plan: The City Council will consider The food metrics should also better focus on
legislation to establish a citywide food outcomes as well as outputs.41 For example,
plan that brings a strategic frame- while it’s useful to know how much money the
work, goal-oriented planning, and City allocated for nutrition education at farmers’
coordination to key areas of the food markets each year, and how many workshops
system, including hunger, nutrition, and cooking demonstrations were held for how
access to healthy food, food waste, many participants, understanding the impact
food and farm economies, and urban these programs have on identified goals, such
agriculture and sustainability. The plan as fruit and vegetable consumption or food-re-
would bring cohesion, coordination, lated health outcomes, would provide addition-
and time-bound targets to food policy al value. Further, the geographical presentation
goals and would be developed and of the metrics data is often at the borough-lev-
implemented with multi-stakeholder el, making it difficult to gather a more localized
community engagement. understanding of how neighborhoods compare
to each other, where problems are most acute,
FOOD METRICS and where greater intervention is thus needed.
As part of former City Council Speaker Chris- The metrics reporting should also include new
tine Quinn’s FoodWorks initiative, the Council indicators and data sources, along with an on-
passed Local Law 52 in July 2011, establishing line platform where food-specific data can be
reporting requirements for many of the City’s combined with relevant secondary data, such as
food-related initiatives.37 This data is aggregat- poverty levels and demographics related to gen-
ed by the MOFP into an annual food metrics der and age. That way, food metrics data could be
report that provides updates on a list of indica- utilized more broadly by policymakers, academics,
tors, capturing a snapshot of the work agencies and advocates working to understand and track
are doing within the city’s food system. Such progress across food issues, demographics, and
information includes the daily number of truck geographies. Local Law 60 of 2017 requires the
and rail trips to or through Hunts Point Market, City to, among other things, create an Environ-
the total number of meals served by City agen- mental Justice Portal on the City’s website with rel-
cies or their contractors, the number of salad evant maps, data, studies, and information about
bars in public schools and in hospitals, and the City agencies’ programs.42 A similar tool would
location of each community garden located on be useful for understanding food equity and
City-owned property.38 justice data within more appropriate geographical
boundaries. Finally, once the Food Plan is created,
While the existing annual reports have provided food metrics can be aligned to measure progress
some useful insight into a selection of City inter- towards meeting strategic policy goals.
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 17Recommendation:
Program, is the cornerstone of the nation’s safety
• Update Local Law 52 of 2011 (Food net and nutrition assistance programs, assisting
Metrics report): The City Council will millions of eligible low-income people.48 SNAP
consider legislation to enhance Food Met- provides recipients with monthly electronic
rics reporting. The legislation will include benefits that can be used to purchase food at
updating and creating new indicators and authorized retailers.49 Benefit levels for SNAP are
data sources. It will also ensure the inclu- based on criteria including, but not limited to,
sion of denominators for each numerator, household size and income levels.50 On average,
and intended outcomes for each output. SNAP households currently receive an estimated
The legislation will further require geo- $253 a month.51 The average SNAP benefits per
graphical boundaries for data be consid- person is about $126 a month, which is an aver-
ered at the most granular level possible, age of $1.40 per person, per meal.iii52 As of May
and create an online portal to help policy- 2019, approximately 1.54 million New Yorkers –
makers, academics, and advocates utilize almost 20% of New York City’s population – re-
food metrics on an ongoing basis. lied on SNAP.53
HUNGER In addition to combatting food insecurity, SNAP
is an economic driver. According to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), every dollar
Hunger has no place in a just, healthy society. No
of SNAP spending generates $1.79 of economic
person in New York City should go hungry; yet the
activity, which is more than $5.3 billion in New
City faces a “meal gap”—the number of miss-
York City.54 SNAP supports small businesses
ing meals that result from insufficient household
such as farmers’ markets, green carts, and local
resources to purchase food—of nearly 208 million
grocery stores, and accounts for 10% of all sales
meals.43 Further, an estimated 1.09 million New
of food people buy for their homes.55 Further,
Yorkers are "food insecure," meaning that they
according to the USDA, every $1 billion of
had difficulty at some time during the year access-
SNAP benefits creates 9,000 full-time jobs.56
ing enough food due to a lack of resources.44 New
York City’s food insecurity rate is 12% higher than
The number of individuals enrolled in SNAP in
the national rate, and 21% higher than New York
New York City has been declining since 2013,
State's.45 While New York City’s current rate of food
similar to SNAP enrollment trends across the
insecurity is declining, it is still higher than prior to
country.57 According to the Human Resources
the 2008 recession.ii46 From 2015-2017, 18% of all
Administration (HRA), the agency responsible
children, almost 9% of working adults, and almost
for administering public assistance benefits
11% of seniors experienced food insecurity.47
in New York City, the SNAP participation rate
has decreased from 77% in 2013 to 70.9% in
FOOD ASSISTANCE 2017.58 Such a decline is expected as the local
PROGRAMS: SNAP & EFAP economy improves.59 Additionally, HRA notes
that despite the decline, SNAP participation
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rates in New York City are higher than the rates
(SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp of the U.S. and New York State overall.iv60
ii
According to Hunger Free America, the food insecurity rates are as follows: 2015-17 (12.5%), 2012-14 (16.9%), 2005-07 (12.1%).
iii
This is based on a households gross monthly income, which generally must be at or below 130% of the poverty line; net income, which
must be at or below the poverty line; and assets, which must fall below $2,250 for households without an elderly or disabled member and
below $3,500 for those with such a member.
iv
According to HRA, the SNAP participation rates should not be compared to the state and national rates released by the federal govern-
ment but instead using the Program Access Index (PAI), which is calculated by dividing the SNAP caseload by the number of people below
125% of the federal poverty line. Based on this metric, the NYC PAI was 85%, compared to 73% in the U.S. and 81% in New York State.
18 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDAPROPORTION OF HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING SNAP
SNAP DATA
The map shows
the percent of
households
receiving SNAP
by census tract.
Areas in grey
indicate that
the population
was too small
to draw an
estimate.
While overall
SNAP utili-
zation has
decreased over
time, SNAP
utilization
remains high in
many parts of
the city.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2017 American Community Survey
1-Year Estimates, Table S2201; generated by Brook Frye; using American FactFinder; (18 July 2019).
SNAP PARTICIPATION OVER TIME
Source: U.S.
Census Bureau;
American Com-
munity Survey,
2010-2018 Amer-
ican Community
Survey 1-Year
Estimates, Table
S2201; generated
by Brook Frye;
using American
FactFinder; (18
July 2019).
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 19HOW TO APPLY FOR SNAP
In recent years, New York City has taken steps to improve the SNAP application and recertifi-
cation process. Currently, New Yorkers can apply for benefits online through ACCESS HRA, a
website that allows individuals to receive information and apply for benefits. SNAP applications
can also be downloaded, mailed to applicants by calling the HRA Infoline at 718-557-1399 to
request an application, or picked up at an HRA SNAP Center, where applicants can also submit
their applications. After submitting an application, clients can call HRA to complete their inter-
view and recertification.
Source: NYC Human Resources Administration, SNAP Benefits & Food Program, https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/
snap-benefits-food-program.page.
Despite the importance of SNAP, the benefit
levels are often insufficient to meet a house-
hold’s needs. According to the Food Bank for Restaurant Meals Program:
New York City, SNAP only covers approximate-
• Some disabled, elderly, or home-
ly 39 meals per month.61 Because of the inad- less SNAP recipients cannot
equacy of SNAP, emergency food assistance is easily cook meals or do not have
an important tool in the fight against hunger. access to needed kitchen facil-
ities. For example, as of April
HRA, through the Emergency Food Assistance 2019, the Department of Home-
Program (EFAP), administers funding and less Services (DHS) was sheltering
coordinates the distribution of shelf-stable about 11,200 individuals in com-
food to more than 500 food pantries and soup mercial hotels, many of which do
kitchens citywide.65 In Fiscal Year 2018, EFAP not have kitchen facilities. While
distributed more than 17.56 million pounds of DHS provides meals to these indi-
food, and HRA expects this to grow to approx- viduals, due to the lack of kitchen
imately 20 million pounds of food during Fiscal facilities these individuals can
Year 2019.66 only use their SNAP benefits on
limited items that do not require
In Fiscal Year 2019, the Council successfully cooking. Allowing SNAP benefits
negotiated an $8.7 million increase in EFAP to be used on prepared foods
funding from the City for a total of $20.2 would give people the choice and
million for Fiscal Year 2019 and the outyears. flexibility around how to use their
This baselined funding amount is comprised of benefits to feed themselves and
$17.3 million in City tax-levy and the remaining their families. Currently in New
$2.9 million is federally funded. In addition, York State, SNAP recipients can-
not use their benefits to purchase
through three food initiatives, the Council
prepared foods. However, any
allotted another $8.6 million in Fiscal Year
state can allow for the purchase
2020 to support critical programs that assist
of prepared food by opting into
low-income New Yorkers to access food and
the Restaurant Meals Program
federal benefits, as well as increase awareness
authorized under the 1977 Farm
of healthy food options and nutrition.67
Bill.62 Currently Illinois,63 Arizona,
11 counties in California and one
The need for food pantries and emergency county in Rhode Island partici-
food has continued to grow in recent years, pate in the program.64
despite an improving economy. According to
20 Growing Food Equity • A CITY COUNCIL AGENDAa 2018 survey by Hunger Free America, New In addition to feeding the hungry, emergency
York City food pantries and soup kitchens fed food providers also serve a key role in
5% more people in 2018 than the previous connecting New Yorkers to benefits. Pursuant
year, compared to annual increases of 6% in to Local Law 80 of 2005, all City-funded
2017, 9% in 2016 and 5% in 2015.68 Another emergency food programs must distribute
survey by the Food Bank for New York indi- “applications for the food stamp program.”72
cates that since funding for SNAP benefits According to the July 2019 report on Local Law
was cut in 2013,v69 80% of emergency food 80, 545 emergency food programs in the EFAP
providers in New York City have seen elevated network provide SNAP outreach services, with
traffic and 40% reported the number of visitors some pantries and soup kitchens providing
increased by more than half.70 Additionally, additional services including SNAP eligibility
the survey notes that over half of soup kitch- prescreening and assistance with the SNAP
ens and food pantries reported running out of application process.73 Many emergency food
food, and 29% reported turning people away providers also provide individuals with free
because of a lack of food.71 income tax assistance services.74
v
In order to help offset the economic downturn, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was passed in 2009 and included
a temporary increase in federal funding for the SNAP program. Specifically, ARRA’s investment in the SNAP program: (i) increased the
maximum benefit level by 13.6%, (ii) eased eligibility requirements for childless adults without jobs, and (iii) provided additional funding
to state agencies responsible for administering the program. Prior to ARRA, benefits were indexed for food price inflation every year.
ARRA replaced the inflation indexing with an across-the-board increase in benefits. According to the USDA, “households of four expe-
rienced a maximum increase in benefits of $80 per month.” On November 1, 2013, ARRA funding for SNAP expired, which resulted in a
decrease in benefits for all SNAP recipients.
A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA • Growing Food Equity 21EMERGENCY FOOD - TERMINOLOGY
• Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP): A City program that provides
monthly, pre-cut food orders to the Food Bank for New York City, which then distributes the
items to food pantries and soup kitchens citywide. There are over 400 pantries and 100 soup
kitchens in the EFAP network.
• Food Bank: A non-profit entity that stores food items to be delivered to emergency food
providers, like food pantries. Food Bank for New York City, the city’s largest hunger-relief
organization, annually distributes approximately 58 million meals per year to New Yorkers.
Since 1983, it has provided more than 1.2 billion meals.
• Food Pantry: A distribution center where individuals and families can receive food. Pan-
tries can be housed in a variety of locations including schools, houses of worship, community
centers, or mobile vans.
• Soup Kitchen: An organization that provides prepared meals to individuals. Similar to
food pantries, soup kitchens are housed in a variety of locations and can be mobile, bringing
prepared food directly to those in need.
Sources: Food Bank for New York City, Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP); Feeding America, What is the
difference between a food bank and food pantry?
FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET screening; SNAP application and
WINS & RECOMMENDATIONS: recertification assistance; and
SNAP and emergency food assis-
• Continue to Support Emergency tance benefits education programs.
Food Providers: The City Council has
fought, and will continue to fight to sup- o In Fiscal Year 2020, the Council also
port food pantries and soup kitchens increased funding for the Access to
across the city. Healthy Food and Nutritional Edu-
cation initiative by $1.2 million for a
o After several years of one-time total of $2.3 million to support pro-
allocations and subsequent cuts, in grams that expand access to healthy
Fiscal Year 2019, the City Council food and improve understanding of
successfully advocated to increase nutrition and wholesome food choic-
the baseline Emergency Food As- es, while engaging communities to
sistance Program (EFAP) budget to make positive changes related to
$20.2 million, an increase of $8.7 food and lifestyle to improve health
million from the previous year. outcomes. This funding supports
farmers' markets, youth markets,
o In Fiscal Year 2020, the Coun-
urban farms, community gardens,
cil continued funding the Food
educational workshops, SNAP
Access and Benefits initiative at
outreach, and a pilot program at the
$725,000. This initiative supports
City University of New York’s (CUNY)
capacity expansion efforts at food
to increase food access for students.
pantries citywide through the Food
Bank for New York City; technical o Additionally, the Council increased
assistance for tax returns for low-in- funding to the Food Pantries
come residents; SNAP eligibility initiative by $1 million for a to-
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