Launched in 2012 in partnership with Columbia University, the Poverty Tracker is Robin Hood’s signature, groundbreaking study of poverty in New York City. Unlike other surveys, it explores the impact of poverty and material hardship over time, surveying a representative sample of New Yorkers every three months. While our annual Poverty Tracker reports provide critical information on the dynamics of poverty and other forms of disadvantage, our special spotlight reports shed light on more timely and nuanced aspects of poverty.
This data snapshot tracks how rising costs of living have created an affordability crisis for New Yorkers across income distributions, leading to cuts in spending for basic necessities and curtailment of savings.
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We fund innovative research studies to better understand the impact that poverty has on individuals and families and the programmatic and policy interventions that can most effectively reduce poverty and improve outcomes for New Yorkers.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in partnership with the Century Foundation and Next100, Robin Hood released a policy agenda to act as a blueprint for our City’s new leadership to elevate New Yorkers out of poverty while tackling racial and economic inequities.