Aldrin Bonilla on the True Cost of Living in NYC

In Part Two of this two-part conversation, ⁠Aldrin Bonilla⁠, Executive Vice President of the ⁠Fund for the City of New York⁠, joins ⁠Greg Morris⁠ to unpack the findings behind the Fund’s latest “Overlooked and Undercounted” True Cost of Living brief and why it demands urgent attention.

46% of working-age New York City households don’t earn enough to meet the true cost of living. This episode goes beyond the headline to explore what that actually means, who is most affected, and why traditional poverty measures fail to capture the full picture.

Aldrin breaks down how the report redefines economic security, from housing and childcare to transportation, healthcare, and wages, as well as why having a job is no longer enough in today’s economy. The discussion also highlights deep disparities across boroughs, the uneven post-pandemic recovery, and the growing gap between income and essential costs.

Greg and Aldrin dig into what the data reveals and what it demands: targeted policy solutions, smarter investments, and a clearer understanding of what it truly takes for New Yorkers to thrive.

Read the full “Overlooked and Undercounted” True Cost of Living report from the Fund for the City of New York to explore the data behind this conversation: https://www.fcny.org/nyc-true-cost/

Produced by: Manhattan Neighborhood Network

Published by: New York City Employment and Training Coalition

Topics: true cost of living; economic mobility; workforce development; income inequality; public policy; affordability; data and equity; New York City; labor market; systems change