A Strong Step Forward—How Resorts World NYC’s Commitment to Workforce Housing Puts Working Families First
An old movie line (with a slight paraphrase) tells us that “if you build it, they will come.” But what if the people who build housing can’t afford to come and live in it?
As the leader of a union that represents thousands of hardworking New Yorkers, I’ve seen firsthand how the city we’ve built with our labor is becoming increasingly unaffordable for the very people who keep it running. Nurses, teachers, construction workers, transit employees—our members—are being priced out of their own communities. That’s why I’m proud to commend Resorts World New York City for stepping up in a big way with their bold commitment to help build 50,000 units of workforce housing.
This is more than just a headline. It’s a game-changer.
Workforce housing is not just a policy issue—it’s a matter of dignity. It means ensuring that the people who make the city work can afford to live in it. It means not having to commute three hours just to reach a jobsite, hospital, or school. And it means reversing a decades-long trend of neglecting the housing needs of the working class while luxury towers rise around us.
Resorts World NYC’s pledge is a major turning point. By committing to support the creation of 50,000 units of affordable, quality housing for working families, the company is recognizing something too many corporations overlook: that long-term prosperity depends on the well-being of the people who keep the economy humming.
Let’s be clear—this is not charity. This is a responsibility. And it’s smart business. Resorts World understands that if New York is going to thrive, the people who power its industries—from hospitality to healthcare to construction—need stability, security, and a place to call home.
But what sets this commitment apart is not just its scale—it’s the partnership approach. This is an invitation for labor, government, developers, and businesses to come together around a shared vision. It’s an acknowledgment that the housing crisis can’t be solved piecemeal, and that private enterprise has both the means and the obligation to be part of the solution.
We in labor are ready. We’re ready to build, to train, to organize, and to ensure that these 50,000 homes are built union, built right, and built to last. This is an opportunity to create not only roofs over heads, but thousands of good-paying union jobs in the process. And when working people have a steady paycheck and a decent home, everyone wins.
Resorts World NYC has raised the bar. Now it’s up to the rest of the corporate world to meet it—or be left behind.
Let’s not miss this moment.
New York’s workers deserve homes as solid as the foundation they lay for this city every day. With this commitment, we take a giant step toward making that vision real.
Solidarity forever.
Paul Capurso, Executive Secretary Treasurer for the NYC District Council of Carpenters
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