The Big Apple Catastrophe

by Kayla Marie Tyler

New York City, the city of “dreams,” is seen as this glorious bright place where anything can come true, but the majority of New Yorkers are struggling to survive based on the unaffordable necessity to live. 

Nai, a 17 year old student from Brooklyn that goes to Forsyth Satellite Academy, expresses her options to us considering how unaffordable life is to live in NYC. Nai was asked “Is it hard to afford groceries in NYC? If so, why?” Nai states, “Yes because eggs used to be 6, maybe 4 dollars, now it's 10 like who's really paying that, like what.”  While then being asked “Is living affordable in your household?” Nai responded “Yes personally but if we're talking about New York it's so expensive you basically get a little space for so much money.” Lastly, I asked Nai “Should healthcare in New York City be free? If so, why?” Nai expressed “Yes because people can't afford bills and s***.”

Carl, a teacher from Brooklyn that works at Forsyth Satellite Academy, expresses his options to us from his perspective on his unaffordable life throughout 47 years of living in NYC. Carl was asked “Is it hard to afford groceries in NYC? If so, why?” Carl states, “Hell yeah! Went to the supermarket for a dozen - $7.53 and it was the small ones. Good thing I don't eat eggs.” While then being asked “Is living affordable in your household?” Carl responded “Now yeah but prior to that no because of all them kids - good thing I've made good investments.” Lastly, I asked Carl “Does the wages you make as a school teacher help with your living wages in New York City” Carl expressed “Yeah for me but for the rest of the struggle is real you definitely got to have a partner for 50/50 to afford stuff.” 

Nova, a 18 year old student from Harlem but currently living in New Jersey that goes to Forsyth Satellite Academy, expresses her options to us from her perspective on her unaffordable life living in NYC before moving to NJ. Nova was asked “As a former resident that lived in NYC 3 months ago was groceries hard to afford in NYC? If so, why?” Nai states, “Absolutely…. For a person with an EBT card my granny made sure we never went hungry.”  While then being asked “Since you recently just moved out of NYC which is more affordable NYC or NJ? And why?” Nova responded “NJ is more affordable because it's cheaper with more space.” Lastly, I asked Nova “Since you lived in NYC for the majority of your life do you think healthcare should be free?” Nova expresses “I feel like healthcare should not be free because it gives people more access for substance abuse.” 

For more details and statistics about this issue, check out the following resources:

New CSS Report: New York’s Unaffordable Health Care System

5 Reasons New York City Has Become Unaffordable for Middle-Class Travelers 

The wages of New York's housing is not affordable. There's people going through poverty and homelessness because of things like economic struggles, lack of access to Support Services, Discrimination, Domestic Violence, Natural Disasters/Conflict and Substance abuse.