Mayor Announces Reform for Over 100 Business Violations

On May 15, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced reforms to 118 city regulations relating to small businesses. In January 2022, Mayor Adams signed the “Small Business Forward” executive order that required several city agencies to review their business regulations to determine which regulations could have reduced fines, extended cure periods, or be repealed to assist small businesses in their recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The new announcement reveals the 118 regulations that will be <Read More>


Public Advocate Introduces Homeless Bill of Rights Legislation to City Council

On April 14, 2022, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, along with Council Members Rafael Salamanca, Tiffany Cabán, Althea Stevens, Shahana Hanif, Diana Ayala, Julie Won, Lincoln Restler, Shekar Krishnan and Crystal Hudson, introduced a first-of-its-kind Homeless Bill of Rights at the City Council stated hearing. The legislation, called Int. 190, would codify rights of homeless individuals living within and outside of the City’s shelter system in a Homeless Bill of Rights.


City Releases Permanent Open Restaurants Program Public Survey and Public Engagement Schedule

The public engagement process will continue into the new year. On November 18, 2021, the de Blasio administration announced the schedule for the Permanent Open Restaurant Program public engagement process. The proposed permanent open restaurant program will establish a new streamlined program for the creation, management and enforcement of sidewalk and roadway cafes operated by the Department of Transportation.


City Planning Commission Votes to Approve Permanent Open Restaurants Program Text Amendment

The zoning text amendment now moves on to City Council for approval. On November 15, 2021, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the Permanent Open Restaurants Program zoning text amendment in a special public hearing. The proposed Permanent Open Restaurants program will transfer the control of sidewalk cafes to the Department of Transportation from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (formerly Consumer Affairs) and aims to create a more streamlined approval process for <Read More>


City Planning Holds Public Hearing for Permanent Open Restaurants Program, Launches Design Public Engagement Process

Many residents and community board members complained of quality of life issues, including noise, trash, cigarette smoke, and loss of parking. On October 6, 2021, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for the Permanent Open Restaurants program. The Permanent Open Restaurants program will formalize a process for restaurants to operate sidewalk or roadway cafes in a shortened process. The proposed permanent program follows the popularity of the temporary open restaurants program, which was … <Read More>


Community Boards Share Many Concerns Over Permanent Open Restaurant Program

Community boards in support and against the application had concerns about quality of life issues and community board involvement in future reviews. Last year’s Open Restaurants program was established to allow restaurants to operate sidewalk or roadway cafes without the extensive approval process to provide safe outdoor dining options during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the program was enabled through an emergency executive order that temporarily suspended the sidewalk café application process, a permanent program would … <Read More>