NYC Council Approves Year-Round Outdoor Dining, Nation’s First Office of Insurance Affordability, and Neighborhood Quality-of-Life Package

Package invests in small business owners, protects consumers from rising insurance costs, and improves quality-of-life with sanitation and neighborhood cleanliness initiatives

NEW YORK - Today, the New York City Council approved a package of landmark legislation to lower costs, strengthen neighborhood quality of life, and support small businesses across the five boroughs. The package includes legislation to make outdoor dining available year-round, create the nation's first Office of Insurance Affordability to help protect consumers from rising insurance costs, and establish new standards to improve neighborhood cleanliness and responsible pet ownership.

Together, the initiatives demonstrate the Council's commitment to lowering costs, supporting families, empowering small businesses, and elevating the quality of living for New Yorkers across a range of issues that impact their lives every day.

"As a former restaurant owner, I know firsthand how difficult and costly it is to own and operate a small business in New York City. At a time when families and entrepreneurs are facing rising costs, government should be making it easier to succeed," said Speaker Julie Menin. "That's why the Council took action today to make outdoor dining available year-round, support thousands of neighborhood restaurants, and create the nation's first Office of Insurance Affordability to help bring greater transparency and lower insurance costs for businesses and consumers. These are the investments that strengthen our neighborhoods, support small businesses, and make New York City more affordable and more livable for everyone."

Protecting Consumers and Addressing Rising Cost of Insurance

Rising insurance costs are increasingly becoming a major barrier to business and housing development across the city. For example, business liability insurance has increased by 10% annually, forcing many nightlife establishments to change how they operate or even shut down. Additionally, rapid increases in insurance costs are adding pressure to landlords to increase rents and putting the financial viability of affordable multifamily rental housing at risk. As a result, Speaker Julie Menin, Council Members, housing advocates, and business leaders are spearheading legislation that would increase insurance accountability and transparency as rising insurance costs continue to drive up rents, consumer prices, and the cost of living across New York City-and calling on the State to follow suit.

Introduction 685-B, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin, would establish an Office of Insurance Affordability. The office would provide information on types of consumer insurance and issue generalized guidance for consumers on selecting insurance plans; track legal actions alleging deceptive, fraudulent, or other unfair practices by insurance companies that harm consumers; conduct an annual study and issue reports on issues facing consumers of insurance; provide legislative and policy recommendations that would benefit consumers of insurance; and create a unit to assist consumers in resolving insurance-related issues, headed by an insurance affordability advocate.

Resolution 395, sponsored by Council Member Frank Morano, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.6356/A.4188 prohibiting increases in rates of homeowners' insurance in excess of twenty-five percent per year.

"Homeowners insurance is supposed to protect your home, not price you out of it," said Council Member Frank Morano. "A 25 percent increase in one year would be a crisis in almost any family's budget, but in the insurance world, homeowners can simply be handed the bill and told to deal with it. Res. 395 sends a clear message to Albany: New Yorkers deserve some predictability and protection from these runaway increases. Affordable housing isn't only about building more housing, it's about making sure people can afford to stay in the homes they already worked so hard to buy."

Resolution 389, sponsored by Council Member Eric Dinowitz, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, the Automobile Insurance Consumer Information Act (S.1196/A.3893).

"Drivers are left in the dark and ripped off. As consumers, we should know that we are getting a fair deal from insurers," said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. "Car insurance is mandatory for drivers in New York State; transparency should be mandatory as well. I call on my colleagues in Albany to pass this legislation to save consumers millions of dollars annually."

Resolution 387, sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.07828A/S.07939, A.9015 and A.9016A to mitigate the rising cost of property insurance for affordable housing.

Year-Round Expansion of Outdoor Dining Program

Following the emergency Open Restaurants program established in June 2020, the New York City Council approved the permanent Dining Out NYC program in August 2023, with applications opening in March 2024. The permanent program established an application process for "sidewalk cafes" (a portion of a ground floor restaurant located on a public sidewalk fronting a restaurant) and "roadway cafes" (an open-air portion of a ground floor restaurant located in the curb or parking lane of a roadway fronting a restaurant). Sidewalk cafes may operate year-round, while roadway cafes may operate only from April 1 through November 29, requiring participating restaurants to dismantle and reinstall their roadway setups each year. Sidewalk cafes may operate year-round, while roadway cafes may operate only from April 1 through November 29, requiring participating restaurants to dismantle and reinstall their roadway setups each year. 1,649 restaurants currently hold fully issued outdoor dining licenses.

Introduction 655-A, sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, would expand the City's outdoor dining program by removing seasonal restrictions on roadway cafe operation. This bill would also allow the use of weatherproofing and winterizing materials to facilitate the operation of a roadway cafe year-round. The bill prohibits any DOT rule that would allow a roadway or sidewalk café to operate later than 11:00 PM daily.

"The Adams era regulations nearly broke outdoor dining, but this legislation will successfully restore outdoor dining to more streets across the five boroughs," said Council Member Lincoln Restler. "Too many restaurants and cafes have been locked out of our roadway dining program by unnecessary red tape and seasonal restrictions. We are transforming the public realm by making it easy for thousands of restaurants to offer roadway dining. Outdoor dining is great for local restaurants, great for the hospitality sector workforce, and great for all of us to be able to enjoy a meal on the streets of New York City. I'm grateful to Speaker Menin, my colleagues in the City Council, and Mayor Mamdani for strongly supporting this bill."

Introduction 894-A, sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer, would allow sidewalk cafe operators to enclose their year-round sidewalk cafes annually from November 30 through March 31. The bill also permits weather protection materials that may be used at other times during the year, which DOT shall prescribe by rule.

"Sidewalk cafés have become an important part of our neighborhoods, but they are much harder for restaurants to use during the winter," said Council Member Gale A. Brewer. "Intro. 894-A gives restaurants the option to install removable coverings from November 30 through March 31, with clear rules for their use. Restaurants already pay for this space year-round, and this practical change will allow them to make better use of it, serve more customers, and help keep employees working throughout the year."

Introduction 917-A, sponsored by Council Member Justin Sanchez, would require roadway and sidewalk cafe operators to ensure that their outdoor setups are clear of trash, debris, graffiti, vermin, food scraps and unsanitary conditions. Operators who violate this provision would be subject to civil penalties ranging from $200 for the first offense to $500 for the second and subsequent offenses.

"As more outdoor dining structures appear on our streets and sidewalks, we need to make sure they don't come with a side of trash," said Council Member Justin Sanchez. "This bill establishes a basic standard: the health and sanitation standards restaurants follow inside come with them as their service moves outside. The privilege of expanding onto the public right of way comes with a responsibility to be a good neighbor, keep the surrounding area clean, and make sure outdoor dining adds to our streets and not the mess."

Introduction 918-A, sponsored by Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry, would allow sidewalk and roadway cafe operators to pay their annual revocable consent fees in quarterly installments to reduce their upfront costs. Revocable consent fees are annual charges cafe operators pay for the private use of public sidewalk or roadway space, based on the cafe's square footage and geographic sector.

"Businesses are the culture, character, and heartbeat of our neighborhoods," said Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry. "Intro 918 gives restaurant owners greater financial flexibility by reducing upfront costs and allowing quarterly payments. I'm proud that my first bill to pass the Council reflects what good government should do: meet people where they are and make it easier for New Yorkers to build their dreams here."

A Preconsidered Resolution, sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, would set forth findings of the Council concerning the environmental review conducted for Introduction 655-A.

Resolution 592, sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer, would set forth findings of the Council concerning the environmental review conducted for Introduction 894-A.

Supporting Community Cleanliness Through Improved Containment and Disposal of Dog Waste

Year after year, 311 has seen a sustained increase in constituent dog waste complaints. In 2026 alone, 311 received 2,926 complaints (up to August 13), already 10% greater than the number of total complaints last year, in only the first eight months of the year. In response, Council Members, dog enthusiasts, and animal rights advocates came together in support of the Safe and Clean Outdoor Ownership Practices (SCOOP) Act, a package of legislation aimed at improving community cleanliness, enhancing support for dog owners, and ensuring dog waste is picked up throughout all five boroughs. The SCOOP Act would expand access to dog waste bags, launch a new pilot program to compost dog waste collected from dog runs, establish a new public education campaign, and strengthen enforcement in certain areas.

Introduction 857-A, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin, would require the Department of Sanitation to install at least 1,200 dog waste bag dispensers on public litter baskets across the five boroughs.

Introduction 872, sponsored by Council Member Shahana Hanif, would require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene, in consultation with the Commissioner of Sanitation, to develop and conduct a public education and outreach campaign to inform the public about dog waste removal and the dangers of failing to remove dog waste.

"New Yorkers shouldn't have to dodge dog waste on our sidewalks or worry about the health and environmental risks it poses," said Council Member Shahana Hanif. "I'm proud that Intro 872-A has passed the council and that we're taking a citywide, multilingual approach to educating dog owners about their responsibility to pick up after their pets. This is about keeping our sidewalks clean, our waterways safe, and our public spaces accessible to everyone. I'm grateful to Speaker Menin, my Council colleagues, and advocates for making Intro 872-A a reality."

Introduction 864-A, sponsored by Council Member Harvey Epstein, would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to establish a pilot program that would designate volunteer-led dog run groups that have experience maintaining dog runs to collect dog feces from dog runs under DPR's jurisdiction for composting. At dog runs, the designated groups, with aid from DPR when requested, would install dog feces collection bins, provide compostable dog feces bags for the purposes of composting such waste. This bill would also require DPR to report to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council and post online on the amount of dog feces collected and composted, where the compost was used, the efficacy of dog feces composting efforts, program implementation challenges, and potential program expansion.

"I am proud to celebrate the passage of the SCOOP Act, creating a comprehensive plan for dog waste in our city," said Council Member Harvey Epstein. "My bill Int. 864 would create a volunteer-led program for composting dog waste in our city's dog runs. As the Chair of the Animal Welfare Caucus and an avid composter, I cannot wait to participate in this when I take my dog, Homer, to the dog run."

Introduction 880, sponsored by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, would require the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation to post signs at the entrances and exits of parks, and at certain park facilities, summarizing the rule prohibiting a person from leaving dog waste on the ground and the associated penalties for violation.

"Anyone who spends time in our parks, and anyone who lived through this past winter's blizzard, knows the problem," said Council Member Mercedes Narcisse. "People leave dog waste on the ground because they assume nobody is watching and nobody is going to say anything to them. These signs put the rule and the fine where everyone can see them. Pick up after your dog and dispose of it properly."

Making the Certification of No Harassment Program Permanent

Introduction 839-A, sponsored by Council Member Pierina Sanchez, would make the Certification of No Harassment (CONH) pilot program permanent, with a new program list published by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) every 3 years beginning on April 15, 2027. This bill would require that the building qualification index, used as a criterion for buildings on the program list, be recalculated every 3 years. Additionally, this bill would require buildings with the same owner, indicated by information provided on annual building registrations, as buildings where a final determination of harassment has occurred within the prior 60 months or buildings where a CONH has been denied in the prior 60 months, be added to the program list.

"The Certification of No Harassment (CONH) program was created to deter owners from using construction to harass their tenants, and this revamp comes at a pivotal time for immigrant New Yorkers facing rising attacks from the federal government," said Council Member Pierina Sanchez. "With the passage of Int. 839-A, CONH will become a permanent tool at the City's disposal to deter harassment-including on the basis of immigration status. For the last 8 years, CONH has yielded real results, monitoring problematic buildings and improving living conditions across the city. This legislation builds on that success and meets the moment. I thank my colleagues for their support, our partners at HPD for their partnership and stewardship of the program, and the steadfast advocates who have led this decade-long fight to expand tenant protections."

Requiring Reporting on Confirmed Firearm Discharges

Introduction 935-A, sponsored by Council Member Oswald Feliz, would require the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to report on the number of confirmed firearm discharges in the city on a quarterly basis. NYPD would be required to report the date, time, and location of each firearm discharge, as well as a description of the circumstances of the discharge.

"Data related to shooting victims is essential, and shots-fired incident data is just as important. I am proud to join Councilwoman Ariola in passing bipartisan legislation to bring transparency related to these shots-fired incidents," said Council Member Oswald Feliz. "Having data on escalating conditions will enable communities to better assess intervention-related strategies, by creating a fuller picture of the public safety risks affecting communities. Our neighborhoods deserve transparency on the many challenges to public safety, and this legislation will provide data on situations that can lead to future violence - to keep neighborhoods safe. Our city has made progress on the issue of safety, and this data will provide us information to take the progress even further."

Codifying the Official Flag of Staten Island

Introduction 320-A, sponsored by Council Member Frank Morano, would codify into law the current flag of the borough of Staten Island as its official flag.

"Staten Islanders have never needed a law to tell us to be proud of our borough, but it's nice that our flag will finally have the law on its side," said Council Member Frank Morano. "This flag tells the story of our history, our identity and our place in the greatest city in the world. I'm grateful to Speaker Julie Menin for recognizing that symbols matter and for helping bring colleagues from across the Council together to give Staten Island the same official recognition that Brooklyn and the Bronx already enjoy. Staten Island pride has always flown high. Now we're making it official."

Declaring August 2 Annually as James Baldwin Day

Resolution 218, sponsored by Council Member Crystal Hudson, would declare August 2 annually as James Baldwin Day in the City of New York to honor his legacy as a groundbreaking essayist, novelist, playwright, poet, and civil rights activist, who fought racial and sexual discrimination with candor, sensitivity, and lasting influence.

"James Baldwin taught us that telling the truth, especially when that truth makes people uncomfortable, can be an act of resistance," said Council Member Crystal Hudson. "As a Black gay man, he refused to make himself smaller to fit within the limits society placed on him, and he challenged this country to live up to its promises of freedom. I am proud to bring Resolution 218 forward to establish August 2nd as James Baldwin Day in New York City, so we can honor one of our city's most powerful voices and ensure his courage, his words, and his revolutionary legacy continue to inspire generations to come."

Land Use:

50-20 108th Street Rezoning- an application to facilitate the development of two new mixed-use buildings with 196 dwelling units, 51 of which will be permanently affordable under MIH Option 1, in Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry's district.

63-02 Fresh Pond Road Rezoning - an application to enable the development of a new 7-story mixed-use building with 54 dwelling units, 13 of which will be permanently affordable under MIH Option 1, in Council Member Phil Wong's district.

Queens CD2 Walk to Park Site Selection - an application to facilitate the site selection and potential acquisition of 31 privately-owned properties by the Department of Parks and Recreation in collaboration with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services as part of a citywide plan to support a more equitable distribution of open space. These acquisitions will facilitate the creation of new parkland in the districts of Council Members Shekar Krishnan and Julie Won.

Flatiron NoMad Major Concessions - an application to facilitate the expansion of the existing Flatiron District concession area boundaries in the districts of Council Members Carl Wilson and Harvey Epstein.

Finance:

Transparency Resolution approving new designations and changes of certain organizations receiving funding in the Expense Budget.

Preconsidered Introduction, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee (By Request of the Mayor), would require the Department of Finance Commissioner to establish a temporary program to resolve outstanding ECB judgement penalties.

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