Boca Raton Launches NYtoBoca Campaign to Attract New Residents

News Summary

Boca Raton is starting an initiative called ‘NYtoBoca’, focusing on attracting residents from New York City by highlighting its favorable living conditions. With a significant advertisement in Times Square and a dedicated webpage, the campaign aims to draw attention to Boca Raton’s lower taxes and better climate amid concerns over NYC’s upcoming mayoral race. While the initiative has sparked interest, it has also stirred controversy among locals regarding potential impacts on community infrastructure.

Boca Raton is launching a campaign called “NYtoBoca” aimed at enticing New Yorkers to relocate to the southern city, capitalizing on growing concerns surrounding the upcoming mayoral race in New York City. Mayor Scott Singer has been promoting this initiative across various local and national forums, emphasizing Boca Raton’s benefits such as reduced congestion, decreased tax burdens, and a warmer climate as key attractions for potential new residents and businesses.

The city’s marketing strategy includes the creation of a dedicated “NYtoBoca” webpage and a substantial $70,000 investment in a prominent advertisement located in Times Square, which will run for 82 consecutive days. The advertisement itself is massive, measuring nearly 30 feet high and over 50 feet wide, and will be visible for 20 hours each day. The funding for this campaign was sourced from the city’s Office of Economic Development budget, which primarily relies on ad valorem tax dollars. Originally, the cost of a Times Square ad of this scale would be around $210,000; however, Boca Raton secured a promotional discount.

Initial results from the advertising campaign indicate a surge in interest, with almost 2,000 hits on the city’s economic development website occurring within just two weeks of the ad launch. This has contributed to a noticeable overall increase in website traffic. Looking ahead, the city’s economic development fund has allocated approximately $2.3 million for the fiscal year beginning in 2025. The Office of Economic Development’s primary focus is to enhance the community’s financial well-being by fostering job creation, maintaining existing employment, improving the tax base, and enriching the overall quality of life.

While this initiative represents an expansion of previous marketing efforts aimed at drawing people from New York, it has also sparked controversy among current residents. Some community members worry that an influx of new residents and businesses could lead to increased traffic and stress on local infrastructure. To further strengthen its outreach, Boca Raton has invested $19,500 to feature in the 2025 New York Yankees Magazine and on the Yankees’ official podcast and jumbotron, further promoting its appeal to New Yorkers.

Mayor Singer suggests that the current uncertainty surrounding the NYC mayoral race may influence businesses and individuals to consider relocating to Boca Raton. Specifically, the Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, has proposed policies that may increase taxes and is perceived as endorsing a socialist agenda, concerns that could impact decision-making for prospective movers.

Despite marketing efforts aimed at attracting new residents, the response from some Boca Raton residents has been mixed. A recent city meeting highlighted opposition to the promotion, with residents voicing fears over potential declines in quality of life. While some citizens are resistant to the idea of increased migration from NYC, others support Mayor Singer’s view that the associated economic benefits could outweigh the drawbacks.

The ongoing discussion regarding growth in Boca Raton is also entwined with Mayor Singer’s political ambitions, especially as he approaches the end of his term. Interest from New Yorkers in relocating to Florida appears to be growing, further amplified by recent electoral outcomes and economic suggestions from New York politicians. Nonetheless, experts and real estate agents caution that many potential movers may opt to wait until after the NYC mayoral election to make any housing commitments.

Overall, the trends indicating migration from New York to Florida are reflecting broader concerns, with factors such as housing affordability and job opportunities taking precedence over individual political contests. Boca Raton’s “NYtoBoca” campaign claims to address these issues while striving to present itself as an attractive destination for those reconsidering their residence.

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Additional Resources

• Palm Beach Post
• Sun Sentinel
• Boca Raton Tribune
• Wikipedia: Boca Raton, Florida
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Boca Raton