The inauguration of a new president is a typically a time of great hope, and this year is certainly no exception. But the advent of the Obama administration offers residents of New York and other city-dwellers special grounds for optimism: that the period of years, if not decades, when the federal government all but turned its back on the needs of urban communities is finally at an end. President-elect Obama's early pronouncements, from creating a White House Office of Urban Policy to promising bold new investments in infrastructure, education and alternative energy, suggest that the new president understands something that many of his recent predecessors clearly did not: what's good for cities is good for America. New York is the nation's biggest city by population, economic activity, and cultural importance; its success is inextricably linked to that of the country. But if the Obama administration and the 111th Congress appear to present an exciting opportunity for cities, exactly how should policymakers in New York and other urban centers seek to capitalize on this? This paper lays out 51 specific recommendations for what the federal government could do to help New York City. These ideas range from taking immediate steps to ensure that the 2010 Census does not undercount New York and providing anti-terror funds to localities based on risk rather than politics, to accelerating the rollout of new air traffic control technology to reduce fight delays and streamlining the visa process to make it easier for artists to enter the country. While the authors' recommendations are squarely focused on New York, many if not most of them would bring great benefit to cities and metropolitan regions across the United States. (Contains 124 endnotes.)