While many are still shoveling snow from the fourth nor’easter of the year, a new bill looks to increase penalties on chain business owners who fail to clear sidewalks. On March 7, 2018, Council Member Justin Brannan introduced a bill that will amend the Department of Sanitation section of the administrative code by increase the penalties for chain business owners who fail to properly remove snow, ice, and dirt from sidewalks following a snowfall. Council … <Read More>
Search Results for: Small Businesses
Small Food Manufacturers Discussed Common Business Hazards at Community Meeting
Work space, affordable insurance, and information access among chief concerns of small Brooklyn food and beverage manufacturers. On February 26, 2013, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Council Member Stephen Levin hosted an event for local food and beverage manufacturing businesses at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The organizers sought to give Brooklyn entrepreneurs a chance to raise issues related to starting and growing a successful food-based small business. Organizers hoped to take the … <Read More>
DOB Celebrates 20th Anniversary and Return of Summer No-Penalty Inspection Program
On May 12, 2025, the Department of Buildings celebrated the return of the annual No-Penalty Inspection Program. Now in its 20th year, the summer program offers free safety inspections for homeowners, small business owners, and small landlords citywide. The visual inspections help owners address concerns about safety and conditions on their properties and guidance on how to begin fixing issues.
Outdoor Dining, Open Streets, & Trash Containerization: Where Democratic Mayoral Candidates Stand on Public Space Issues
By Mark Chiusano
With the 2025 New York City mayoral race in full swing, CityLand sent a brief, initial list of questions to major contenders for the Democratic nomination to get an idea of where the candidates stand on several key public space issues that have been the source of policy shifts and public debate over the last several years: outdoor dining, Open Streets, and trash containerization. The next mayor’s stance on these — and … <Read More>
Dependent on Immigrant Workforce, City Hospitality Industry Concerned About ICE Raids
By Mark Chiusano
On the same day last month that heavily armed federal agents gathered for a widely-publicized immigration raid in the Bronx, the New York City Hospitality Alliance sent out an email with the subject line “What To Do if ICE Knocks on Your Door.”
For President Donald Trump’s new administration, the day was full of bombast, with new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem riding along and talking about getting “dirtbags” off the streets.… <Read More>
City Planning Data Shows Lower Storefront Vacancy Post-Pandemic
On November 15, 2024, Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick released new data showing the city’s storefront vacancy rate is down to 11.1 percent. This marks the fourth straight quarter of declining vacancy.
In comparison, a survey of 24 corridors across the city during summer 2020 showed inactivity rates of over 30 percent. Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island all have borough-wide vacancy rates below nine percent, although some higher vacancy rates persist, … <Read More>