With so Many Residents on Food Stamps, why are there food deserts in New York City?

[22lcidw]

Because the land is used vertically for very high population densities that make it affordable. But no food is available.

To makes things better for people we have done for many many decades. Raising taxes endlessly. New York is a massive artificially fiat currency produced city. The Gangs of New York is one era with little taxation and is not the same with the high taxation environment we have today. And it takes incremental tax increase the state and federal government pays to keep it afloat. Also, all of the other agencies, monopolies, authorities, etc. that control everything else is massively expensive.

 

[Woodznutz]

At least that is the claim of the future mayor who wants to open government run food stores.

Mamdani proposes a network of city-owned grocery stores that do not pay rent or property taxes, which will allow them to keep food prices low. They are designed “to lower prices, not price gouging,” Mamdani explains in a video

Twenty percent of New York city residents receive snap benefits almost thirty percent in the Bronx receive them.

Emergency Food in NYC - Data Team Emergency Food in NYC

Millions of tax dollars are spent providing these snap benefits, and then more millions are spent on government programs.
To revitalize so called "food deserts."

Why would there be areas in which junk food, but no healthy food is available, when the whole idea of the snap program is to allow the poor to buy healthy food?

New York's $10 Million Initiative to Combat Food Deserts and Promote Healthy Eating - NYC Food Policy Center (Hunter College) New York's $10 Million Initiative to Combat Food Deserts and Promote Healthy Eating - NYC Food Policy Center (Hunter College)

Two obvious answers readily occur to me. But I would like to hear input from others before I give my take on that.

Before spending millions on such projects make a test first. Open a store in a poor neighborhood and feature only healthy foods. If the store attracts shoppers fine, if not don't waste the money.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Considering the pittance they pay their employees its way higher than what they report.

Why isn't it exactly what they report?

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

This thread is proof positive of white privilege.

The mere fact that MAGA voters cannot even fathom the concepts of “food deserts”, or what a potential solution to the problem might look like, is the very essence of “white privilege” because in white neighbourhoods, such problems don’t currently exist and have never existed.

And why do these "food deserts" exist?

What "white privilege" exists that makes "food deserts" impossible in a white area?

 

[initforme]

Why isn't it exactly what they report?

Laughable. Like a trust the cotporate world to do what is right

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Laughable. Like a trust the cotporate world to do what is right

Right, it's not like there are accountants and auditors and the IRS, we
just have to trust them.

Have you always been a huge moron, or is your loss of brain function more recent,
due to your advanced age?

Stay close to your Life Alert panic button.

 

[initforme]

Right, it's not like there are accountants and auditors and the IRS, we
just have to trust them.

Have you always been a huge moron, or is your loss of brain function more recent,
due to your advanced age?

Stay close to your Life Alert panic button.

Awww did a touch da nerve? Your beloved corporations?

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Awww did a touch da nerve? Your beloved corporations?

Yes, your idiocy often touches a nerve in my funny bone.

You're hilarious!

 

[initforme]

Yes, your idiocy often touches a nerve in my funny bone.

You're hilarious!

Ahh yes...one who is against much higher wages for the same exact product made here correct? Hence the need for a bigly shrinking labor force. Lets both hope.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Ahh yes...one who is against much higher wages for the same exact product made here correct? Hence the need for a bigly shrinking labor force. Lets both hope.

You're an idiot who makes me laugh.

 

[Nobody911]

Now I don’t expect anything good from politicians. They’re all hat and no cattle! Amen...

New York City faces significant challenges related to food insecurity and food deserts, especially given the high number of residents relying on food stamps (SNAP). Approximately 3.5 million New Yorkers, or 18% of the state population, depend on SNAP benefits, which average about $209 per month per participant2. Food deserts—areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food—are a known issue in parts of New York City, exacerbating the difficulty for low-income residents to obtain healthy food even with SNAP assistance.

The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA), signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, has major implications for SNAP and food security in New York City. This legislation includes the largest cuts to SNAP in U.S. history, threatening benefits for over 1 million New Yorkers, including 363,000 children24. The bill shifts 5-25% of SNAP benefit costs from the federal government to states, with New York facing the maximum 25% cost shift due to its payment error rate. This means New York will need to spend an additional $2.1 billion annually just to maintain current SNAP benefits; otherwise, benefits could be significantly reduced if the state cannot fill the funding gaps2.

These SNAP cuts come amid concerns about worsening food deserts and food insecurity in New York City, where many vulnerable households already struggle with access to nutritious food. Advocates warn that reduced SNAP benefits will have ripple effects beyond food budgets, negatively impacting children's health, educational outcomes, and the long-term stability of families4.

Regarding the timeline and broader impact of the OBBBA on New York City residents:

• The bill was passed by the House on May 22, 2025, and signed into law on July 4, 2025 34.

• It imposes work requirements on Medicaid and SNAP recipients, expanding eligibility restrictions to older adults (ages 55-64), parents of children 14 and older, and veterans, potentially leading to millions losing benefits6.

• Experts estimate that about 1.5 million New Yorkers could lose health insurance due to Medicaid cuts and reductions in other government health programs under this law, which also threatens $10 billion annually in combined federal and state funding for health care in New York1.

• The financial strain on hospitals and health services may lead to closures and increased costs for those with private insurance1.

• Legal immigrants, including green card holders within the five-year Medicaid waiting period, are also significantly affected by restrictions in the bill3.

In summary, the large number of New Yorkers on food stamps reflects underlying food insecurity and food deserts in the city. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act amplifies these issues by cutting SNAP benefits and shifting costs to the state, threatening food access for over a million residents and exacerbating health and economic challenges for vulnerable populations in New York City124. The law’s impact began immediately after its enactment in July 2025, with ongoing consequences expected as states grapple with funding shortfalls and expanded eligibility restrictions.

sources:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/09/nyregion/trump-domestic-policy-bill-new-york-health-care.html
2. Fact Sheet: SNAP Cuts in New York - Fiscal Policy Institute
3. Green card holders impacted by Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill
4.
5. President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill: A Win for Workers, Farmers, and America’s Future
6. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/10/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-cuts-snap-for-millions-of-families.html
7. Breaking down what's in Trump's big policy act and how it will affect Americans
8. ‘The Lines Are Already Long’: How Cuts to SNAP, Medicaid Could Impact Illinois
9. How Ugly Is Trump's Big Beautiful Bill For NY? Very Ugly.
10. By the Numbers: The Devastating Impact of the ‘Big Ugly Bill’ on Food Security Throughout New York State
11. How will Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ impact New Yorkers? | amNewYork