2021 AccessibleNYC – Report To Improve Quality Of Life For People With Disabilities

The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) has released the 2021 edition of the AccessibleNYC report.

The report highlights the work of City agencies and its partners to continue to increase accessibility for people with disabilities.

“Being the fairest big city in America means ensuring every constituent has their needs met,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m proud of the work Commissioner Calise, his team, and my administration have done to make our city a welcoming place for the nearly 1 million New Yorkers with disabilities who call New York City home, as well as those who visit every year. All are welcome here and all have access to the services and support they deserve.”

“The 2021 AccessibleNYC underscores the de Blasio Administration’s pledge to equity and transparency as we serve all New Yorkers, including individuals with disabilities, said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. “The report shows the progress the City has made that we are confident our successors will continue to build on.”

“We are proud to release the 2021 edition of AccessibleNYC,” said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. “Despite the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic continued to bring, we continued moving forward with our initiatives to provide access and inclusion in all aspects of life in our City.”

Highlights from the 2021 edition of AccessibleNYC include:

Transportation:  

Zoning for Accessibility, which was passed by the City Council earlier this year, will help ensure that developers work with the City and MTA to set aside space where needed for station elevators, which will accelerate accessibility.

Employment: 

MOPD’s person-centered employment program, NYC: ATWORK, launched in 2017, placed its 500^th person with a disability in a real job with real pay.

Health: 

We have delivered more than 50,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to people in their homes.

Digital Accessibility: 

The City adopted WCAG 2.1 as its web accessibility standard and, to increase transparency, committed to publishing audits of website accessibility on a rolling basis, not just as part of its biennial reports. 

Access: 

The NYC Building Code was updated to include new requirements that will increase accessibility including a new requirement for accessible seating space at dining and drinking counters.

For more information on these highlights and other work the City is doing to improve accessibility, the 2021 Edition of AccessibleNYC is available now at nyc.gov/accessiblenyc