Of the subway system's nearly 500 stations, only about 30% meet the accessibility standards of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Years of underinvestment left large gaps in the subway network where there are no accessible stations. In 2017, a coalition of disability rights advocates sued the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to close theses gaps. A settlement reached in 2023 requires the MTA to make 95% of existing subway stations accessible.

New York City has released its first urban forest plan with a goal to cover 30% of the five boroughs with tree canopy by 2040. Officials periodically scan the city and measure how much is covered by tree canopy. The first scan was taken in 2010 and the latest scan was in 2020. Over this period, the tree canopy increased by three percent. However, this growth as not been even. Some areas have seen more canopy growth than others. Other areas have actually seen a loss of tree canopy. A 2017 research study found that 40% of land across the city could readily become tree canopy, either by planting new trees or fostering growth of existing trees.