New York is an ever-evolving city. Even in the 21st century, various urban environment improvement projects are being actively implemented and introduced there. One of the legendary figures of the 21st century who significantly contributed to the development of urban innovations was the 109th Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio. Read more at new-york-yes.com.
What is he like, the mayor of the metropolis of the 21st century?
Few people know that Bill de Blasio’s real name is Warren Wilhelm Jr. He was born in 1961 and grew up in New York City. Bill first changed his name to Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm when he was 22. In 2001, at the age of 40, just before the New York mayoral election, the man became Bill de Blasio. Changing his name, he wanted to honor his maternal ancestors.
Bill was an open-minded young man with a sharp mind and business acumen. He also had forward-looking and perspective plans for New York.
He received an education at the prestigious Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. He also got a BA in metropolitan studies from New York University. Bill de Blasio completed a Master of International Affairs and a doctoral degree at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
After a lifetime of study, he worked in the innovative program, Urban Fellows Program, run by the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice. In addition, he was a political organizer at the Quixote Center in Maryland, which promoted his further political career. Over the years, Bill’s career prospered, that’s why in 2001, he decided to participate in the race for mayor of NY.
Accomplishments of the 106th Mayor of New York
Bill de Blasio served as NY mayor for 20 long years, from 2001 to 2021. During his tenure, he performed many actions for the development and prosperity of the metropolis, namely:
- implemented education reform and general preschool education for every four-year-old in New York City. This ambitious initiative has improved the educational development of the children, providing them with a solid foundation for future success. By increasing access to quality education, de Blasio sought to reduce inequality and ensure every child has an equal chance to have a better life
- introduced an affordable housing program. Bill de Blasio launched an extensive affordable housing plan aimed at creating and preserving 200,000 units of affordable accommodation within ten years. De Blasio intended to provide affordable home options for low- and middle-income New Yorkers through programs such as Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and the Housing New York: A Five-Borough, Ten-Year Plan. This would promote diverse and inclusive communities throughout the city
- carried out criminal justice reform. De Blasio has made considerable progress toward a more just and equitable judicial system. His administration successfully reduced both the number of arrests and overall crime rates while pursuing a more sympathetic approach
- an ambitious plan called Vision Zero and road safety was aimed to eliminate road-related fatalities and injuries. Through well-directed efforts such as reducing speed limits, improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and overall street design, de Blasio has created a safer city
- reduced greenhouse gas emissions. At the beginning of the 21st century, de Blasio set a challenging goal for the city to reduce its carbon footprint by 80% by 2050. His administration launched various projects to achieve this goal. The projects include building renovations, expanding renewable energy sources and improving resilience measures. This will prepare the city for future climate challenges.
During his 20 years in the post of New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio managed to completely transform the city. He improved the city significantly, making it more sustainable, safer and more efficient. Bill de Blasio’s leadership will be remembered as a period of great progress. His achievements have certainly made the lives of millions of NY residents better and formed the basis for the future growth and sustainable development of the city.
After de Blasio resigned as mayor in 2021, he decided to broaden the range of his activities and took part in the presidential campaign. However, he was not lucky in these elections.