Mayor De Blasio - EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 128

EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 128

June 27, 2020

WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York to address the threat that COVID-19 poses to the health and welfare of New York residents and visitors; and

WHEREAS, Emergency Executive Order No. 98, issued March 12, 2020 and extended most recently by Emergency Executive Order No. 123, issued June 7, 2020, contains a declaration of a state of emergency in the City of New York due to the threat posed by COVID-19 to the health and welfare of City residents, and such declaration remains in effect; and  

WHEREAS, this Order is given because of the propensity of the virus to spread person-toperson and also because the actions taken to prevent such spread have led to property loss and damage; and 

WHEREAS, measures taken to combat the spread of COVID-19 may prevent individuals, businesses and other entities from meeting legally imposed deadlines for the filing of certain documents or for the completion of other required actions; and 

WHEREAS, this Order is given in order to ensure that the Governor's orders are enforced; 

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in me by the laws of the State ofNew York and the City of New York, including but not limited to the New York Executive Law, the New York City Charter and the Administrative Code of the City of New York, and the common law authority to protect the public in the event of an emergency:

Section 1. I hereby direct that sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Emergency Executive Order No. 127, dated June 22, 2020, are extended for five (5) days, except as described herein. 

§ 2. In order to promote the safe and efficient use of privately owned public space, including any publicly accessible open area, pedestrian circulation space, waterfront public  access area or other privately owned space required by law to be open to the public, and to assist eating and drinking establishments, retail establishments, and commercial buildings to rebound and reopen while encouraging social distancing, I hereby suspend the following provisions of the New York City Zoning Resolution ("ZR"), and any additional provisions of the ZR that reference the provisions set forth herein, to the extent necessary to allow the use of any such privately owned public space in accordance with protocols of the Department of City Planning, provided that any such use shall be in compliance with such protocols:

a) ZR Sections 37-53, 37-623, 37-624, 37-721, 37-726, 37-727, 37-73, 37-741, 37- 80, 37-81, 62-513, 62-611, 62-62, 81-45, 81-681, 82-11, 91-82, 91-821, 91-822, 91-834, 93-731, 94-072, 98-53, 117-554, 124-42, 133-32, 136-324, E 27-121, E 27-321, E 27-50, E 37-04(f), E 37-04(g), and E 37-04(i), to the extent such sections restrict or limit obstructions or permitted obstructions, impose requirements for open air or outdoor cafes, restrict closure of a privately owned public space, impose seating requirements, including in indoor public spaces and enclosed publicly accessible spaces, or impose circulation path requirements; 

b) ZR Sections 37-752 and E 37-04(p), relating to signage requirements; 

c) ZR Sections 37-748, E 27-14, E 27-226, and E 27-34, relating to amenities; 

d) ZR Sections 37-746 and E 27-124, relating to drinking fountains; 

e) ZR Sections 37-625 and 62-12, to the extent such sections require a certification from the Chair of the City Planning Commission for design changes; 

f) ZR Section 3 7-745, relating to bicycle parking; 

g) ZR Section 37-78, relating to compliance, including any requirement for a certification from the Chair of the City Planning Commission for design changes; 

h) ZR Section 62-51, relating to the applicability of visual corridor requirements; 

i) ZR Section 62-52, relating to the applicability of waterfront public access area requirements; 

j) ZR Sections 74-72, 74-74, 74-761, 74-82, 74-87, 74-91, 74-931, and 74-95, to the extent necessary to allow for the modification of any special permit consistent with protocols issued by the Department of City Planning.

§ 3. I further suspend any provision or condition of any authorization or certification issued by the City Planning Commission, or the Chair of the City Planning Commission, that restricts or limits the use of any privately owned public space, to the extent necessary to allow the use of any such privately owned public space in accordance with protocols of the Department of City Planning, provided that any such use shall be in compliance with such protocols

§ 4. I hereby amend Emergency Executive Order No. 126 as follows: 

a. Section 2(t) of such Order is amended to read as follows: Admin. Code, Title 28, Chapter 7, Section BC 3101.1, relating to special building construction, Section 3111, relating to the construction of sidewalk cafes, and Section 3202.4. l, relating to the construction of enclosures for sidewalk cafes, provided, however that section BC 3111 .4, relating to prohibited obstructions, and Section 3111.6, relating to accessibility, are not suspended;

b. Section 4(b) of such Order is amended to read as follows: ZR Sections 32-41 and 42-41, to the extent such sections require eating and drinking establishment uses in certain Commercial Districts or Manufacturing Districts to be located within completely enclosed buildings.

§ 5. I hereby suspend 34 RCNY 4-08(a)(l), beginning June 29, 2020, to the extent that street cleaning parking rules (also known as alternate side parking or ASP) in residential areas be limited to one day a week. Until further notice from the Department of Transportation, streets where alternate side parking is restricted on multiple days by a sign with the letter "P" with a broom through it will be cleaned, and such parking restrictions will only be in effect, on the last day of the week posted on such signs. However, parking restrictions for street sweeping on consecutive days (daily street sweepings) in metered parking spots will be enforced in accordance with the restrictions posted on the authorized signs for that street.

§ 6. This Order incorporates any and all relevant provisions of Governor Executive Order No. 202 and subsequent orders issued by the Governor of New York State to address the State of Emergency declared in that Order pursuant to his powers under section 29-a of the Executive Law§ 6. This Order incorporates any and all relevant provisions of Governor Executive Order No. 202 and subsequent orders issued by the Governor of New York State to address the State of Emergency declared in that Order pursuant to his powers under section 29-a of the Executive Law

§ 7. I hereby direct the Fire Department of the City of New York, the New York City Police Department, the Department of Buildings, the Sheriff, and other agencies as needed to immediately enforce the directives set forth in this Order in accordance with their lawful enforcement authorities, including but not limited to Administrative Code sections l 5-227(a), 28- 105.10.1, and 28-201.1, and section 107.6 of the New York City Fire Code. Violations of the directives set forth in this Order may be issued as if they were violations under the New York City Health Code, title 24 Rules of the City ofNew York sections 3.07 and 3.11, and may be enforced as such by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or any other agency named in this section. 

§ 8. This Emergency Executive Order shall take effect immediately, and shall remain in effect for five (5) days unless it is terminated or modified at an earlier date. 

Bill de Blasio, MAYOR 

Comptroller Stringer Calls on City to Provide Data on Remote Learning and a Detailed Roadmap to Reopen Schools

Stringer: “Make no mistake: if the City does not create a viable path forward for schools, those who suffer the most will be our most vulnerable children – lower-income students of color whose trajectories are most closely tied to the success or failure of the DOE’s promise to deliver a high-quality education to every child.”

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor Richard Carranza calling for concrete answers on the successes and failures of remote learning, the future of remote instruction, and a comprehensive reopening plan for schools ahead of the start of the next school year. With just 76 days until the first day of school, Comptroller Stringer outlined a broad range of unanswered questions that spotlight the urgency of communicating with parents about what school will look like in the fall, and how the City will ensure that every child receives a quality education. Comptroller Stringer noted that the DOE has yet to provide parents, students, and teachers with clear information on class structures for next year nor release a transparent assessment of remote learning during the last school year. The Comptroller’s letter highlighted the deep disparities in the quality and quantity of remote instruction across schools since March and the need for the City to provide concrete data and a comprehensive strategy to improve remote learning across the entire system going forward.

Comptroller Stringer also requested details from the City on any plans to:

• Create staggered schedules, which would allow for social distancing by limiting the number of students who attend school each day while keeping others at home learning remotely. The DOE is actively exploring different scenarios but has made no final decisions on how schedules will be structured.
• Offer support and professional development to teachers, especially to help strengthen remote learning strategies.
• Address the digital divide through partnerships with internet service providers, which have provided free internet service through this school year to families in need but have yet to commit to extending such service through the summer and fall.
• Provide principals with information about their school-based budgets, so that they can plan appropriately for the coming year. That information is normally provided to principals in May but to date has not been released by the DOE.

The full text of the letter can be found below and here.

Dear Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza:

As this unprecedented school year comes to a close, it’s hard not to feel both humbled and amazed by our city schools – by the extraordinary dedication of so many school employees, more than 70 of whom have tragically fallen to COVID-19 since March; by the parents, who overnight learned to become teachers and take on all the challenges of remote learning; and by the students, young and old, who had to adapt to a world turned upside down by the global pandemic. The perseverance of all involved has been nothing short of extraordinary. I saw this not just as a public official, but as a proud public school parent of two boys. That said, it is important also in this moment to take stock – of what has worked, and what has not – and to set a course for the future that is clear and fully informed by the lessons we have now learned. It is in that spirit that I write today to share my thoughts, and to seek both data and information from your office to help inform the complicated road ahead.

The urgency of the moment cannot be understated. There are just 76 days between now and the Thursday after Labor Day, when city school doors would traditionally open to students. And yet parents have no more information today about what schools will look like in the fall than they did last March, when schools closed. Of course, it is vital that the U.S. Senate step up and pass the HEROES Act, which would provide more than $90 billion for the nation’s schools. But federal inaction should not be an excuse for the DOE to stand still. As home to the nation’s largest school system, New York City should be setting an example for the rest of the nation by envisioning how schools might effectively open in the fall. We should be gathering the best minds from across the nation to think creatively about how to assure the safety of every student and staff member, how to strengthen remote learning, how to maximize our existing school spaces, and how to leverage every resource to help students make up academic ground they may have lost in the last three months. Instead, students and teachers alike have been left to wait, and hope, that details will soon be forthcoming.

Make no mistake: if the City does not create a viable path forward for schools, those who suffer the most will be our most vulnerable children – lower-income students of color whose trajectories are most closely tied to the success or failure of the DOE’s promise to deliver a high-quality education to every child. While well-off families may be able to supplement learning gaps with private resources, many communities will not have access to that kind of safety net. That’s why it is so important that every avenue be pursued to create school communities that are as robust and close to “normal” as possible, without sacrificing public health.

And yet to date there has been little official information as to what the city’s plans may be. All that has been acknowledged so far is that – to maintain social distancing – some kind of “blended” model of learning will be necessary in the fall, requiring students to split their time between hands-on learning in school, and remote learning from home. But within that basic framework are many gaping questions that the DOE has failed to answer in any meaningful way. Parents, for instance, have no idea what days their children will be at school and what days they will be home, much less what the school-day hours will be. Teachers have yet to be told what their class structures will look like, or when they should report to work. Principals don’t even know what their school budgets will be, even though that information is usually provided to school heads by May. While I can appreciate the complexities involved in making many of these decisions, there is no good reason why planning and preparation for the fall – as well as communication with parents and staff — is not more advanced.

I am also dismayed by the lack of concrete data that has been shared by the DOE around remote learning, which has been the only means of instruction for our entire school system in recent months, and which will remain a critical part of every school day in the city this fall. What seems obvious is that in the absence of citywide standards for remote learning, there have been deep disparities in the quality and quantity of remote, synchronous instruction across schools. Meanwhile, families that have been guiding their children in remote learning for months have grown frustrated, uncertain how to help as their children disengage, or even regress academically. For many, remote learning has been a true struggle, making it that much more urgent that the DOE assure families that no matter what form remote instruction takes in the coming school year, it will be improved in meaningful ways, with more direct support provided to families. At the same time, the DOE must establish clear, transparent, system-wide benchmarks for measuring academic progress at all schools. For example, all schools should have systems available to help identify students who are chronically absent, struggling academically or social-emotionally, or disengaging from learning, and target interventions to help them progress. For such tools to be effective, schools need access to actionable data.

To help inform ways to improve remote instruction, and to give parents the clarity they need to plan for the fall, and pursuant to my office’s authority under Chapter 5 of the City Charter, I hereby request the following information be provided by close of business on Friday, July 3, 2020:

Data on remote learning: To better understand how remote learning has played out across the City since last March and where improvements could be made, please provide the following information:

1. School-level interaction data, as recorded in STARS, representing the percentage of students who engaged with content on a daily basis;

2. School-level data, disaggregated by grade level and week, showing total unique student log-ins on remote learning platforms;

3. Data to describe school outreach in which contact was made with a student or that student’s parent or caregiver.

4. Details on DOE’s plan for establishing citywide standards for remote learning for attendance, synchronous instruction, and grading of student work. Specifically, as the City has recently agreed to require an hour and fifteen minutes of synchronous instruction during summer school, will such a requirement be in place for all schools in the fall?

5. Of all the students who requested a device to access the internet from DOE’s Central office, how many were successfully provided and how many students are still waiting to receive one?

6. What additional needs for internet-enabled devices do you anticipate having for the fall to support remote learning?

Plans for staggered schedules and blended learning: To maintain social distancing, it is clear that the DOE will be implementing some kind of staggered schedule for the fall, but parents have been given no clear guidance to date on what that will look like. For parents – especially those who work on an hourly basis and depend upon predictable schedules to make a living – this is vital information.

Many educators believe that double sessions each day – with half of all students going to school from 8 a.m. to noon, and the other half going from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour in between for cleaning – would be preferable, as it keeps every child connected to school for at least some portion of the day and makes remote work more of a supplement, not the primary mode of learning for long stretches, and provides parents with some child-free hours every day. Others have advocated for sending children to school on alternate days, or even alternate weeks.

7. Please describe how schedules will be staggered in the fall. If no plans are currently available, please describe the options under consideration.

8. Will there be a single, citywide schedule for all schools, or will flexibility be granted to schools to devise their own schedules?

9. Will schedules, or the mix of remote/on-site instruction, be different for children of different age groups, i.e. in elementary, middle and high schools?

10. Will there be limits to class sizes, given the federal guidelines around social distancing for children, and if so what are they?

11. How does the DOE plan to staff classrooms in light of the expectation that up to 20 percent of teachers are considered high risk due to their age and cannot be required to attend school in person?

12. If requested, will parents who want to keep their children home be permitted to rely solely on remote learning to fulfill all educational requirements?

Professional development for teachers: Remote instruction is challenging. As it increasingly becomes the “new normal” for schools, it is important to identify the most effective ways to address those challenges. Many teachers would benefit from the opportunity to develop specific skills, either technical or instructional. This means that teaching staff will also need more dedicated time to focus on learning new tools and developing new skills. To provide more context on this, please provide the following:

13. What professional development does DOE plan to offer to teachers and school leaders that can specifically support technical skills or instructional skills in a remote environment?

14. What accommodations will be required to provide teachers the time needed to focus on developing these skills in collaboration with other educators from their school?

Internet access: The pandemic has heightened awareness of the vital importance of internet access for all New Yorkers, and especially students. And yet, nearly a third of all City households lack broadband internet access. These households are home to close to 2.2 million New Yorkers. The recent offers of free internet access from providers including Optimum and Spectrum have been a lifeline for many families, but as these temporary agreements expire, thousands of families with children attending summer school may lose connectivity if they cannot afford to sign up themselves.

15. What options have you explored for partnering with private providers to connect public school families to internet service over the summer and into next school year?

16. Is DOE collecting data on students’ internet access and, if so, what are the gaps that have been identified and how is the DOE working to address them?

School Budgeting: It is impossible for principals to plan for all these eventualities without a concrete budget that informs how much they can spend on staff and other critical school resources. Normally, principals know what their budgets will be by May and can begin planning, but to date the DOE has provided principals with limited clarity on their budgets.

17. What is the timeline for providing principals with their school-based budgets? We cannot demand that principals manage all these complexities without giving them the resources and information they need to get the job done.

As you know, this conversation about reopening schools is happening at a critical juncture for our democracy. New York City and the nation are engaged in a civil reckoning around class and race the depth of which has not been experienced in generations. It is worth noting, then, that nothing strengthens the values of our democracy better than the promise of a high-quality neighborhood public school – a place where the goal of learning is to ensure a more educated, informed society, where parents want to send their children, where teachers want to teach and develop their craft, and most importantly, where children grow into critical, independent thinkers, strong and confident in their ability to navigate an increasingly complex world. Thank you for your attention to these concerns and I look forward to your response.

Scott M. Stringer

New York City Comptroller

What Happened At the Polls On Primary Day 2020

 It seems that the Board of Election underestimated the number of people that would come out and vote on Primary day 2020. In visiting many locations in different districts lines were inside some while at a few others the line went out the door at times. The one thing I saw seemed to be that there was at least one scanning machine less than normal at all poll sites I visited. I also noticed that several Election Districts were combined at one table, thus meaning there were less poll workers at each polling site. 

In speaking to poll workers I heard that the two page ballot was not explained to them correctly. A few sites had new Coordinators running them, which at one site I could only find one Coordinator who really didn't wanted to be bothered by anything. That Coordinator did not know what to do when poll workers asked a question. I reported this directly to the Board of Elections. I saw at one poll site candidate workers almost outside the entrance handing out palm cards. I could hear a police officer on his way back from lunch say "didn't I tell you that you had to be across the street"? There seemed to be an awful lot of Affidavit ballots at a table in one poll site. That was because it was a split poll site and the ballots from the second congressional district never were delivered so voters there had to use Affidavit ballots to vote. 

According to the Board of Elections website in the Bronx almost one-hundred thousand Absentee Ballots were mailed out to voters who requested them. As of June 26, 2020 only close to eighteen thousand have been returned, with a deadline of June 30, 2020. Mind you during the petition process when candidates claimed they received their hearing notices after the date of the hearing the answer from the BOE was that the BOE can not be responsible if the USPS can not deliver the mail on time. 

However the Board of Elections may have a bigger problem as it printed ballots before all the court cases were heard. It seems that Ruben Diaz backed candidates in the 79th and 87th assembly districts for party positions who were ruled off the ballot by the BOE were placed back on the ballot by the courts. One has to wonder why the BOE appealed that decision, while printing up absentee ballots and regular ballot with the names of the Diaz backed candidates. The appeal was upheld, and the candidates were ruled off the ballot again. I tried to ask Michael Ryan the head of the Board of Elections that question, or even the Chief Law Clerk for the BOE as I did with the candidates receiving notice of hearings after the hearing date. This time I was transferred  to Ms. Valerie Vazquez-Diaz the media contact at the BOE.  I said that I had a legal question about something, and told her about finding the names of candidates on the ballot that I thought were suppose to be off the ballot. After a while I called her back whereas she said the ballots were printed up before the appeal was decided. The BOE had placed the names on the ballot not knowing the outcome of the court case, and that since the candidates were ruled off the ballot that those ballots would not count if anyone voted for the candidates. 

In the 79th A.D. there was a full slate of party candidates down to Judicial Delegates, while in the 87th A,D, there were only two party positions with a slate of Judicial Delegates. In viewing the primary night results in the 79th A.D. twenty-three votes separate the first and second place Male District Leader candidates, and it is not known how many votes the Ruben Diaz backed candidate received who is not listed on the recap. Had that candidate not been on the ballot that may have changed the voting. This is also seen for Female District Leader, Male and Female State Committee members also since there is a small difference from the first and second place candidates that could be different if these candidates were not on the ballot. Also something to wonder is if any of the Diaz backed candidates received the highest amount of votes would that be considered a write in vote?

With all that happened on primary day 2020 one has to wonder who may have the best lawsuit against the Board of Elections. I have also been told by reliable sources that shortly after the votes are counted there will be certain people fired at the Bronx Board of Elections.

Above - People waiting on line outside a Parkchester poll site.

Below - Shows on the right side the names of Ruben Diaz backed candidates Barbara Brown (top), and Mohammed Mujumder at the bottom. 

MAYOR DE BLASIO, COMMISSIONER BRANN ANNOUNCE DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST 17 OFFICERS, INCLUDING FOUR SUSPENSIONS WITHOUT PAY, FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH OF LAYLEEN POLANCO

The Department of Correction has now concluded its own internal investigation after the Bronx DA found no criminal activity following its six-month investigation 

  Following the conclusion of an internal investigation, Mayor de Blasio today announced that 17 uniform Department of Correction staff will be charged for their conduct surrounding the death of Layleen Polanco. Three officers and one captain will be suspended without pay immediately. This comes as the Bronx District Attorney filed no charges following their own six-month investigation into the circumstances surrounding Polanco’s death. 

“The death of Layleen Polanco was an incredibly painful moment for our city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “What happened to Layleen was absolutely unacceptable and it is critical that there is accountability.”

"We are committed to ensuring that all of our facilities are safe and humane. Even one death in our custody is one too many and this swift and fair determination on internal discipline makes clear that the safety and well-being of people in our custody remains our top priority,” said Department of Correction Commissioner Cynthia Brann.

  

Michael Blake - Demand YOUR VOTE be counted

Sisters and Brothers,

This race is not over. This fight is not over. I cannot, in good conscience, concede at this time.

There are still roughly 43,000 absentee ballots that were mailed out that have not returned and/or been counted, and, we will not be satisfied with the outcome until every last ballot is counted, and every last voice was heard.

You know and feel the history that we share - too many of our sisters and brothers died to protect our right to vote. Too many people have marched. Too many people were beaten. Too many people gave their last breath to see the Voting Rights Act of 1965 become the law of the land. This is about our sacred right, that we have fought and died for, to vote.

Voting must be easy. Voting must be fair. Voting in this election was already difficult; people were made to either follow confusing and changing rules to vote from home, or they had the option of voting in person, potentially exposing themselves to the worst pandemic of our time. We cannot overlook the fact that intentional Black and Latino voter suppression exists, and it exists right here in The Bronx.

Voting was not easy on Tuesday nor throughout Absentee Voting, and it should have been. At Concourse Village, the largest polling site for Black voters in the 79th Assembly District, was moved with little notice, forcing confusion, and in many cases older residents gave up altogether. Many Bronx voters were forced to vote by Affidavit Ballot, because of confusion over something that should be simple. Their ballots are not counted immediately. In fact, we know that in one case, the number of affidavit ballots was so great that the ballot lockbox was impounded by police and taken to an unknown location. Other polling sites in Black neighborhoods were not open on time, forcing voters to wait as the temperatures climbed close to 90 degrees. This meant many voters gave up for health reasons. So many voters never even receive their requested absentee ballots, so many people wouldn’t vote to protect their health. There needs to be a better way.

Friends, I am not giving up, and you shouldn’t either. Voting is our Voice. I BELIEVE in the power of our VOICE. I BELIEVE that the City of New York and the State of New York must investigate voter suppression claims immediately. I BELIEVE that any person who the Board of Elections has in its system that requested an Absentee Ballot and didn’t receive it should be able to vote through an emergency action. Every person by law has to have equal access to voting, and it is the responsibility of the state to make these accommodations.

This fight is not over. We want justice at the polls, and we cannot stand down until I know that every ballot has been counted, and every voice has been heard. It’s not only my duty as a candidate, but my duty as a voter in the United States. Demand a fair fight. Demand a fair count. Demand a fair election.

Michael Blake, Candidate for Congress, NY-15

The Bronx Democratic Party - Statement from Chairman Marcos A. Crespo

Statement from The Bronx Democratic Party Chairman Marcos A. Crespo

“When I announced back in February my intentions not to seek re-election, I confirmed that I would finish the session calendar and see the Bronx Democratic Party through the primary elections. And now that the voters have spoken, I want to congratulate all the Democratic winners, wish them immense success in November and announce that I will step down as Chair of the Democratic Party in The Bronx to coincide with my official resignation as a Member of the NYS Assembly effective today.

I'm proud of all we have accomplished over the last five years thanks to the work of talented and committed staff and volunteers. We supported the election of young, dynamic, and diverse progressive elected officials. We made history with the first black female District Attorney in the state of New York. We also strengthened the judiciary by supporting and electing dozens of women of color to the bench. The Party has become more inclusive, and the community now has a more welcoming space for larger gatherings and political activities with our newly built out headquarters.

The Bronx continues to be the epicenter of tremendous growth and improvements, but much work remains. Our beloved borough still has an arduous road ahead to address the long-standing socioeconomic disparities that were so aggressively exposed with the COVID-19 pandemic. But I have full trust and faith in our voters, I believe they have made great choices in this election cycle, and I am certain that the collective wisdom and experience of these elected Democrats will steer the party into the future with success. 

Once again, to every colleague, District Leader, State Committee Member, community partner, financial supporter, Democratic voter, even our opponents, I say thank you for the opportunity to work together. The Bronx will always be my home, but I look forward to the next generation of leadership continuing the fight to uplift every resident and make life better every day for our great Borough.”

OPEN RESTAURANTS MEET OPEN STREETS: MAYOR DE BLASIO COMBINES POPULAR PROGRAMS TO EXPAND OUTDOOR DINING OPTIONS

Mayor de Blasio today combined two popular programs, Open Streets and Open Restaurants, by announcing expanded seating options for restaurants on select restaurant corridors throughout the five boroughs. By July 4^th, 10-20 corridors citywide will be open to pedestrians and approved for expanded street dining. Another 10-20 corridors will be approved starting Friday, July 17^th. Restaurants on these corridors will go farther away from the curb than other Open Restaurants participants, and the rest of the streets will be open to pedestrian traffic.

BIDs and community-based organizations can apply starting on DOT’s website starting Monday, June 29^th. The City will quickly review applications and consult with elected officials and Community Boards to ensure optimal safety and appropriate design.

“New Yorkers have earned as much open space as we can give them – and combining our popular Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs will give them more options than ever,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Restaurants will be invaluable partners as we fight back COVID-19 and rebuild our local economy, and we can’t wait to work with them throughout the reopening process.”

“Today’s announcement brings an exciting new opportunity for restaurants to expand their use of streets across the City — and reach even more customers,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “With more than 5,000 Open Restaurants now signed up, some BIDs and neighborhood organizations have made a compelling case about the need to grow outdoor dining to even more of the street. But make no mistake, devoting entire streets to open-air dining is a big change — and we will make sure that these streets remain safe and passable for emergency vehicles.”

“New York City is defined by our creativity and innovation,” said Anne del Castillo, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “Expanding Open Streets to support our local restaurants and bars is a creative way to use our public spaces to help stabilize beloved businesses, and keep our city strong.”

“This is a great new model that really addresses all the needs to get New York back on its feet safely and still make room for a magical summer,” said Ariel Palitz, Senior Executive Director of the Office of Nightlife at the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “We’re hearing it across the city, restaurants and residents are excited about the possibilities that come with expanding Open Streets and Open Restaurants.”

The first tranche of corridors, which will be open for street dining starting July 4th weekend, will focus on streets that are already participating in the Open Streets program and/or corridors with organizations that have worked with DOT on street closures in the past. The second tranche, which will be operational starting Friday, July 17^th, will include additional applicants such as ad hoc groups of restaurants that coordinate through a single entity acting as a partner organization.

The hours of operation for this new expanded seating option for restaurants will be from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday nights, and noon to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Expanded seating will last until Labor Day.

NEW YORK CITY PREPARES FOR PHASE 3 OF RE-OPENING

  Mayor de Blasio announced additional guidance and assistance for businesses that can re-open in Phase 3, including personal care services and indoor dining. Because of the hard work of New Yorkers in flattening the curve and following health guidance, Phase 3 is  projected to begin on July 6th.   To protect workers and help businesses safely enter Phase 3, the City will also distribute an additional 2.5 million face coverings to businesses citywide.

"New Yorkers have shown incredible resilience during this crisis, and it’s because of their hard work that we are on track for Phase 3 on July 6th," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "We are offering businesses across the City assistance so they can re-open safely and get New Yorkers back to work." 

HELP FOR WORKERS AND BUSINESSES

Guidelines for businesses reopening can be found here. Questions concerning reopening procedures should be directed to the City’s Small Business Services hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC. Over 17,000 calls have been made to the hotline so far. 

SBS has already distributed five million face coverings to business, and will continue to distribute 2.5 million more. If you are a small business with fewer than 100 employees looking to secure free face coverings for your employees, find a distribution site here.

Workers can call the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection at 311 or 1-212-436-0381 with questions about reopening, health and safety guidelines for the workplace, or to report an employer that is not following reopening requirements.