City Announces Open Storefront Program Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season

The program is aimed to help provide more opportunities to shop safely. On October 28, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Open Storefronts program. Building on the success of the Mayor’s Open Restaurants and Open Streets program, Open Storefronts will provide safe spaces for small businesses to conduct business in the challenging economic environment while advancing Mayor de Blasio’s Recovery Agenda.

The program is expected to impact 40,000 businesses and support over 450,000 employees … <Read More>


Mayor Signs Executive Order Supporting Minority and Women Owned Businesses

The City awarded over $3 billion in contracts to minority and women-owned businesses in FY19. The City is On July 28, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Executive Order 59 to increase the City’s utilization of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBEs), and also announced numerous programs with the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity that will connect Black and Latinx entrepreneurs to business opportunities.


COMPLETE VIDEO: 167th CityLaw Breakfast with Polly Trottenberg, NYC DOT Commissioner

On July 30, 2020, NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg spoke at the 167th CityLaw Breakfast. Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law gave opening remarks and Dean Anthony W. Crowell gave closing remarks. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. Commissioner Trottenberg spoke on “NYCDOT & COVID-19: Response Challenges, Recovery Opportunities.” As in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was … <Read More>


Comptroller’s Report Reveals COVID-19 Impact on Minority- and Women- Owned Businesses

Eighty-five percent of the survey respondents expect to go out of business within six months. On July 10, 2020, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released a comprehensive analysis of the economic hardships minority and women-owned enterprises (M/WBEs) are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the survey findings, Comptroller Stringer announced new accountability measures to ensure the City is meeting its M/WBE goals.


City Council Holds Hearing on Open Restaurants Plan

Open Restaurants Plan intended for Phase 2 start. On June 4, 2020, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Open Restaurants seating program and the Council Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing held the public hearing on Intro 1957, a bill that would create the temporary outdoor dining space. The bill is sponsored by Council Member Antonio Reynoso and was introduced at the May 28th, 2020 Stated Meeting.


City Develops Plan to Protect Lower Manhattan’s Shoreline from Climate Change Impacts

The project will include the expansion of the Lower Manhattan shoreline and four capital projects devoted to the resiliency of Lower Manhattan neighborhoods. On March 14, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) Project. The project is one of the City’s responses to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy was a turning point for the City to tackle infrastructure resiliency. Hurricane Sandy resulted in $19 billion of devastation for … <Read More>