Report: “Delivery Protection Act” Would Disproportionately Harm New York City’s Communities Of Color

Photos: YouTube Screenshots New York, NY – A new analysis released Thursday by New York Delivers—a coalition of delivery service partners, businesses, and workers committed to protecting last-mile delivery—finds that the consequences of Intro 518, more commonly known as the “Delivery Protection Act,” would fall disproportionately on New York City’s communities of color, threatening jobs, small businesses and economic opportunity in the same communities the legislation purports to protect. Drawing on the comprehensive impact assessment conducted by independent economic and transportation consulting firm AKRF, the analysis highlights who would bear the brunt of the legislation’s potential economic consequences. The findings show that Intro 518’s impact would be concentrated among a predominantly non-white, outer-borough workforce and a small-business ecosystem that includes many minority- and immigrant-owned delivery companies. Among the key findings: ● Approximately 80% of New York City’s last-mile facility workforce is made up of workers of color, while nearly half live in census tracts designated as Disadvantaged Communities. ● Approximately 83% of last-mile workers live in the outer boroughs, including 36% in Queens alone. ● Many of the small delivery businesses directly threatened by Intro 518 are minority-, immigrant-, veteran- or family-owned and provide accessible pathways to business ownership and employment in working-class communities. ● More than 10,000 New York City jobs could be at risk under Intro 518. Because the affected workforce is disproportionately made up of workers of color and is concentrated in the outer boroughs, the study identifies a disproportionate local impact on those communities. “As a minority small business owner, I’ve built my company by creating opportunities for people in my community and giving workers a pathway to build a career in this industry,” said Ty Barnes, founder and owner of Northstar Logistics LLC. “Intro 518 is supposed to protect workers, but it could wipe out businesses like mine and the opportunities we’ve worked hard to create. New York should be finding ways to support minority entrepreneurs and local employers—not passing policies that could push us out of business.” The impacts would extend beyond workers and small business owners themselves. AKRF found that relocating last-mile operations outside New York City would not simply move existing jobs elsewhere. Longer commutes, toll costs and limited transit access would make relocated jobs significantly less accessible to current workers, meaning many of those employment opportunities could disappear for New York City residents altogether. The analysis underscores a fundamental contradiction at the heart of Intro 518: a proposal intended to improve conditions for workers could instead eliminate thousands of accessible jobs and undermine minority-owned businesses in communities already facing economic challenges. Read the full analysis of Intro 518’s impact on New York City’s communities of color here. About NY Delivers New York Delivers is a coalition of delivery service partners, businesses, and workers committed to protecting last-mile delivery—the system that keeps essential goods moving, neighborhoods connected, and everyday life affordable across all five boroughs.