Speaker Menin and Council Members Pass New Legislation to Support Small Businesses Dealing with Financial Impacts of City Construction

Council also approves measure to create new centralized database cataloguing all towed vehicles that will include search function and opt-in notifications

Council also designates Little Yemen as official cultural district

NEW YORK - Today, the New York City Council approved new legislation that will provide targeted support for small local businesses that have been impacted by City construction projects. The bills will require the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to create a designated fund for small retail businesses affected by roadway construction and call upon the New York State Legislature to institute a tax credit for impacted businesses.

New York City's Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains more than 6,300 miles of streets and highways across the five boroughs, all of which require periodic construction to ensure New Yorkers can travel safely and smoothly from point A to point B. Currently, there are more than 3,500 DOT authorized street and roadway construction closures, affecting over 1,880 blocks citywide, covering everything from paving and milling projects to utility work and equipment placement. For small businesses, street closures can mean anything from lower foot traffic, obstructions, and lower visibility to noise pollution and environmental changes that might deter potential customers. The new SBS fund intends to help counteract those negative impacts through direct support for local retail.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, which is why we must make them easier to sustain in our city," said Speaker Julie Menin. "And while city infrastructure projects are necessary to upgrade our streets and improve our quality of life, road closures and obstructions can cause devastating revenue losses for local shops, restaurants, and businesses. New York's business owners should not be left to deal with those challenges alone, which is why we're establishing a new fund that will support businesses through those losses, and we're calling upon the State to do the same. At a time when New York has lost thousands of businesses to other cities across the country, our city must take proactive steps to support them."

In addition to the small business fund, the Council also approved a measure to create a centralized database that will allow vehicle owners to search and locate their towed vehicles across all City and privately owned tow operators. Vehicle owners would also be able to opt-in to receive notifications when their vehicle is entered into the system.

The Council today also passed a resolution to officially designate Little Yemen as a cultural district, celebrating the rich heritage and culture of the rapidly growing East Bronx neighborhood.

Supporting Small Businesses Impacted by City Construction Projects

Introduction 799, sponsored by Council Member Yusef Salaam, would require the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to establish a support fund for small retail businesses affected by roadway construction

Resolution 328, sponsored by Council Member Yusef Salaam, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation providing a tax credit to businesses negatively affected by infrastructure construction.

"When the City closes a street for months, the small businesses on that block often lose customers and revenue they can't easily recover." said Council Member Yusef Salaam. "Int. 799-A creates a program, run through BIDs and community organizations that know these corridors, to help those businesses get through construction while it's still underway. Res. 328 builds on that by calling on the State to provide a tax credit for businesses affected by infrastructure construction. Our neighborhoods need these improvements, and the businesses that serve them shouldn't have to absorb the cost alone."

Studying Barriers to Early Elementary Gifted and Talented Programs

Introduction 684, sponsored by Council Member Susan Zhuang, would require the Mayor's Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, in consultation with the Department of Education and community-based early childhood organizations, to study how language access needs and geographic location affect preschool-age children's access to early elementary gifted and talented programs.

"I introduced this bill because I am a mom who sends her kids to NYC public schools and I know gaps in education access are well-established and longstanding," said Council Member Susan Zhuang. "In particular, low-income, special needs, immigrant, Black, Brown, Latine, Asian, outer-borough, and other marginalized children have long been denied educational opportunities that other children get, and that cannot stand".

Creating Centralized Towed Vehicles Database

Introduction 489-A, sponsored by Council Member Inna Vernikov, would require the Department of Finance to create a centralized online database and notification system for vehicles towed by City entities or private tow operators. This bill would consolidate information across agencies and outside operators into a single searchable database and allows vehicle owners to opt in to notifications when their vehicle is entered into the system.

"As if getting your car towed wasn't stressful enough, locating and retrieving it from the city has become a battle in itself," said Minority Whip Inna Vernikov "The current process involves multiple agencies and usually ends in confusion and miscommunication. My bill, Intro. 489-A, streamlines the process by creating a single city database for tracking towed vehicles. This cuts through layers of red tape that New Yorkers have struggled to navigate for years. I'm thrilled that my bill will be introduced tomorrow and confident it will pass with significant bipartisan support. I thank Speaker Menin, Public Safety Chair Feliz, all the city agencies involved, as well as everyone else who helped bring this bill along."

Declaring October as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month

Resolution 646, sponsored by Council Member Amanda Farías, would declare October as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month in the City of New York.

Designating Little Yemen as a Cultural District

Resolution 458, sponsored by Council Member Shirley Aldebol, would call on the Governor to sign S.6487C/A.7033D to empower the New York State Council on the Arts to designate Little Yemen as a cultural district.

"I am incredibly proud to have passed Reso 458 today, supporting the designation of the "Little Yemen" neighborhood in Van Nest/Morris Park as an official NYS cultural district," said Council Member Shirley Aldebol. "By passing this Resolution, the NYC Council has affirmed our support for the Yemeni community and our united stance against Islamophobia and racism. Little Yemen is a vibrant community with a proud history that I have the honor of representing on City Council. Its cultural institutions, small businesses, and residents are an important part of the East Bronx's identity. The "cultural district" designation would recognize and celebrate the Yemeni community's rich cultural heritage and contributions to the East Bronx, while providing new funding pathways for investment into the community."

Aldebol continued, "A huge thank you to my colleagues, Senator Fernandez and Assembly Member Zaccaro, for championing this legislation in Albany. I look forward to continuing to stand with the East Bronx Yemeni community, and to the official recognition of Little Yemen as a cultural district."

Land Use:

Sojourner Truth Mapes Rezoning - An application by Phipps Houses and the 2136 Crotona Parkway Housing Development Fund Corporation for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an R7-1 and R7-1/C-4 District to R8 and R8/C2-4 District, and a text amendment to establish an MIH area to facilitate the development of two new 100% affordable residential buildings with 457 units in Council Member Oswald Feliz's district.

158-06 Northern Boulevard Rezoning - An application by Northern 158 Holding LLC for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an R5B/C1-2 to an R7A/C2-4 district and from an R2 district to R7A and R7A/C2-4 district, and a text amendment to map an MIH area to facilitate the development of a new nine-story mixed-use development with approximately 76 dwelling units, 19 of which will be permanently affordable pursuant to MIH Option 1, and retail space in Council Member Sandra Ung's district. The Council is modifying this application to remove a portion of the rezoning area not owned by the applicant.

69-67 108th Street Rezoning - An application by 108 ST., LLC for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an R1-2A district to an R7D/C2-4 district and a text amendment to map an MIH area to facilitate the development of a new 11-story mixed-use building with approximately 59 residential units, up to 15 of which will be permanently affordable, in Council Member Lynn Schulman's district. The Council is modifying this application to strike MIH Option 2 and add MIH Option 3.

21-31 46th Avenue Rezoning - An application by 21-31 Holdings LLC for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an M1-4/R6B district to an R7X/C2-5 district and a text amendment to map an MIH area to facilitate the development of a new 11-story mixed-use building with approximately 70 residential units, up to 18 of which will be permanently affordable, as well as ground floor community facility or commercial space in Council Member Julie Won's district. The Council is modifying this application to strike MIH Option 2 and add MIH Option 3, which will ensure deeper affordability.

132 Melrose Street Rezoning - An application by Melrose Towers Corp. for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an M1-1 district to an M1-2A/R6A (MX-22) Special Mixed-Use District and a text amendment to map an MIH area to facilitate the development of a six-story mixed-use residential and commercial building with 18 dwelling units, five of which will be income-restricted pursuant to MIH Option 1, in Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez's district. The Council is modifying this application to strike MIH Option 2.

Fort Hamilton Mews Rezoning - An application by 9305 5th Ave LLC for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an R6B/C2-3 (BR) district and an R5B (BR) district to an R7X/C2-4 (BR) district, and a text amendment to map and MIH area to facilitate the development of an 11-story mixed-use building with 292 residential units, up to 88 of which will be permanently affordable pursuant to MIH, as well as 200 parking spaces and commercial and community facility space in Council Member Kayla Santosuosso's district. The Council is modifying the application from an R7X district to an R7D district and to add MIH Option 1.

Two applications in Council Member Lincoln Restler's district:

Park Avenue Brooklyn Rezoning - An application by Park Avenue Rezoning Partners for a zoning map amendment to rezone from M1-1 and M1-2 district to M1-4/R7D Special Mixed-Use District 4 and a text amendment to map an MIH area to facilitate ten new developments, including four education institutions serving 2500 students and six mixed-use residential buildings with 391 units, 91-117 of which will be permanently income-restricted. The Council is modifying this application to strike MIH Option 2 and add MIH Option 3.

289 Kent Avenue Rezoning - An application by Web Holdings LLC for a zoning map amendment to rezone from an M3-1 district to an M1-3A/R7X Special Mixed-Use District and an M1-2A district, and a text amendment to map an MIH area to facilitate the development of one new 18-story mixed-use building with 278 dwelling units, approximately 56-83 of which will be permanently income-restricted pursuant to MIH. The Council is modifying this application to strike MIH Option 2 and add MIH Option 3.

Finance:

Preconsidered Resolution, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would establish a full 40-year, Article XI tax exemption for two buildings in the districts of Council Members Eric Dinowitz and Oswald Feliz.

Preconsidered Resolution, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would establish a full 40-year, Article XI tax exemption for one building in Council Member Shahana Hanif's district.

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