Drug overdose fatalities surged during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York State, with opioid-related overdose deaths increasing by 68% to nearly 5,000 individuals from 2019 to 2021. The surge is largely due to a sharp increase in deaths from opioids related to illicit fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids. This report outlines long-term trends and recent developments in the battle to save lives from being lost prematurely to substance use disorder.

Homeownership can provide economic benefits, but New York State has the lowest homeownership rate in the nation, driven by low rates in New York City. New York also has a racial and ethnic ownership disparity that is higher than the rest of the country. Reducing inequities in real estate practices and boosting homeownership should be important priorities for maintaining New York’s competitiveness as a place of opportunity.

Employee ownership (EO) arrangements provide employees with a defined stake in the companies they work for and can impact business owners and individual workers positively. This report examines the prevalence of employee-owned firms in New York and provides options for policymakers to consider for educating businesses, workers, and communities on the benefits and drawbacks associated with EO.