On World Asthma Day 2026, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the New York City Department of Health today announced a $20 million investment from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to improve childhood asthma outcomes in the Bronx.
The funding is part of the MTA's congestion pricing mitigation program, which has allocated $100 million to neighborhoods disproportionately burdened by environmental pollution, climate impacts and poor health outcomes. From 2009 to 2024, asthma-related emergency department visits among children declined citywide, though inequities persist in East and Central Harlem, the South Bronx and parts of Brooklyn.
"New Yorkers are already benefitting from congestion pricing, and now we're taking it a step further by investing those funds to improve asthma outcomes for children in the Bronx," said Mayor Mamdani. "Every New Yorker deserves to breathe cleaner air. This initiative puts public health front and center as we build a cleaner, healthier city."
"The data shows clearly that childhood asthma disproportionately impacts the Bronx, where rates in several neighborhoods remain alarmingly high-a reminder that historical inequities and injustices in healthcare, environmental, and urban planning policies continue to affect the well-being of far too many New Yorkers," said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. "Today, we are announcing a $20 million investment, which comes from the MTA's congestion pricing mitigation program, that will expand asthma services offering support, in-school medication administration, and education to Bronx families. By directing resources to the most at-risk communities, we are taking steps to improve children's health, help parents spend less on asthma treatment, and address harmful policies that have impacted our fellow New Yorkers for too long."
"Asthma rates for children in the Bronx have decreased in the past 15 to 20 years, but remain concerningly high in parts of the Bronx," said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. "This critical funding will continue and accelerate that improvement in children's respiratory health through environmental justice initiatives like these. Congestion pricing has been a win-win: fewer cars, safer streets, and better quality of life."
"Reducing air pollution has always been one of the core parts of New York's Congestion Pricing program," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "The data shows it's already succeeding, and now we're taking the next step by using revenues to fund improvements for Bronx residents."
"Congestion pricing helped reduce traffic, clean our air, and continues to raise funding to support mass transit and protect our environment. Now, congestion pricing is also providing critical funding to support the health of our youngest and most vulnerable New Yorkers in communities where children disproportionately suffer from asthma," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "We look forward to continuing our work alongside the MTA and the NYC Health Department to deliver projects that build a safer, healthier, and stronger city with this funding commitment."
"For too many children in the Bronx, asthma means missed school days, emergency room visits and disrupted learning. This investment will help change that," said Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. "We are committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of their zip code, has access to the health supports they need right in their school building. Thank you to the New York City Health Department, and our community partners for recognizing the importance of investing in children's health."
In partnership with the MTA and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), the Health Department will direct the $20 million investment to two major programs: $8.9 million for the Bronx Asthma Program, which supports community-based services, and $11.1 million to expand the Asthma Case Management Program.
The expansion will offer intensive support for students with asthma, including in-school medication administration and self-management education for students with asthma and their families. Fifteen additional Bronx schools will join the program. The funding will also support a new electronic system for submitting asthma medication administration forms, replacing the current paper-based process, with implementation expected before the 2026-27 school year.
Children in the Bronx continue to experience disproportionately high asthma rates. While emergency department visits for children ages 5 to 17 declined by 38% citywide and 25% in the Bronx between 2009 and 2024, rates remain elevated. Contributing factors include longstanding inequities, inadequate access to quality medical care and the need for sustained, coordinated investment. The $20 million investment is the third announcement under the congestion pricing mitigation program. Previous investments include $15 million to replace dirty transport refrigeration units (TRUs) in Hunts Point and $20 million for the New York City DOT Clean Trucks program, which incentivizes a shift to cleaner fuels, including electric vehicles.
