Res No.
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.8689/A.10055, authorizing the New York State Office for the Aging to establish, operate, and maintain programs for transportation services
By Council Member Mealy
Whereas, According to the New York State Comptroller, the population of adults 65 and older in New York City (NYC) grew by nearly half a million in the last two decades, reaching a record high 1.43 million in 2023; and
Whereas, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social isolation happens when an individual does not have relationships, contact with, or support from others and loneliness is the feeling of being alone, disconnected, or not close enough to others; and
Whereas, According to the CDC, both social isolation and loneliness increase an individual’s risk of serious mental and physical health conditions; and
Whereas, According to the NYC Department for the Aging (DFTA), 17 percent of older adults report experiencing relatively high levels of loneliness and 22 percent say that they are not socializing as much as they would like; and
Whereas, According to the NIH National Institute on Aging, a lack of accessible transportation can increase an individual’s risk for social isolation; and
Whereas, In the older adult population, there is a high prevalence of functional difficulties, meaning an individual faces challenges accomplishing typical daily activities, with, according to the Center for Research on Housing Opportunity, Mobility, and Equity (HOME), 32 percent of older adults having at least one functional difficulty and nearly a quarter having an ambulatory difficulty, meaning they have difficulty walking or climbing stairs; and
Whereas, According to HOME, for adults aged 85 and older, these numbers jumped to 65 percent and 51 percent respectively, making accessible transportation crucial for maintaining older adults’ standards of living, including ensuring that they can stay connected to their communities and loved ones; and
Whereas, Most subway stations in NYC are not currently compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, according to an article published by Medium, most of the ADA compliant stations that do exist are located in Manhattan and not in the outer boroughs where there are significant older adult populations; and
Whereas, According to LiveOn NY, already existing older adult transportation services are not meeting the needs of their users, with Access-A-Ride receiving only a 65 percent customer satisfaction rate; and
Whereas, S.8689, introduced by State Senator Cordell Cleare and pending in the New York State Senate, and companion bill A.10055, introduced by Assembly Member John Zaccaro Jr. and pending in the New York State Assembly, would authorize the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) to establish, operate, and maintain programs for transportation services and to partner with municipalities for the operation and maintenance of transportation programs; and
Whereas, As the older adult population continues to grow, making it crucial that agencies focused on the older adult population take a more central role in providing necessary services, this bill will allow NYSOFA to take more initiative in developing programs to serve the transportation needs of older New Yorkers and work more closely with DFTA to fund and improve older adult focused transportation programs in NYC; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.8689/A.10055, authorizing the New York State Office for the Aging to establish, operate, and maintain programs for transportation services.
JN
LS 22900
3/30/2026