Recent expansion in the borough's retail sector has also been a contributing factor to a relatively favorable jobs picture. Three years ago, the chamber's annual market review found that the borough had six feet of retail space per capita, compared to 19 or 20 feet in other parts of the country. This year, Brooklyn has one in five retail jobs in the city, and is projected to shed 1,000 of them by year's end, compared to 10,000 citywide.

The chamber's report, which was prepared by the Fiscal Policy Institute, provides what is reportedly the first detailed analysis of how funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are impacting the borough. ARRA is pumping more than $300 million into Brooklyn-based infrastructure, including $122.5 million in transportation projects.

Largest of these is the rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge, which is getting $47.2 million in stimulus funds. The report's total does not include citywide transportation projects which occur partly in Brooklyn.

In addition, Brooklyn will receive about $186 million, or 4.65% of the national allotment of ARRA funds for public housing renovation. The borough is also receiving $722 million in ARRA funding earmarked for temporary payments to the unemployed, food stamps and Social Security payments. Brooklyn is getting 0.97% of the national total of this dedicated ARRA funding stream, compared to its 0.84% of the national population.

"Thanks to our federal legislators and advocates, Brooklyn truly benefited from the federal stimulus package," says Carl Hum, president of the chamber, in a release. "The funding will improve our infrastructure, create jobs and help stabilize the incomes of the borough's economically-challenged households."