MAYOR DE BLASIO EXTENDS POPULAR OPEN RESTAURANTS PROGRAM TO OCTOBER; ANNOUNCES MORE LOCATIONS FOR EXPANDED DINING ON OPEN STREETS

  Mayor de Blasio today extended the City’s overwhelmingly popular Open Restaurants program until the end of October, giving nearly 9,000 participating restaurants two extra months to serve diners in safe, socially distant outdoor spaces. The Mayor also unveiled 26 more locations for the weekend expansion of outdoor dining options under an initiative that combines two popular programs, Open Streets and Open Restaurants. 

 

The program expands restaurant seating options onto car-free streets for select corridors throughout the five boroughs. 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 and emergency vehicles. Selected corridors will be operational on Friday from 5-11 P.M., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11 P.M. The 26 new locations bring the citywide total to 47 participating streets.

 

The City will continue to work with the restaurant industry to ensure there is clarity on the guidelines for roadway seating setups.

 

“Open Restaurants has given New Yorkers more than just a meal away from home – it has given our city a sign that better times are ahead,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m proud to give small businesses another two months to get back on their feet, and I’m looking forward to enjoying a meal on our expanded Open Street program soon.”

 

"Our Open Restaurants initiative has been a tremendous team effort and we are excited to give more restaurants -- in places like Forest Hills, Queens and University Heights in the Bronx -- additional room to serve their customers and put people back to work,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We thank Mayor de Blasio, the teams from DOT and our sister agencies, and all the BIDs and other neighborhood organizations which have been working with us to make outdoor dining part of an expanded Open Streets program.” 

 

The first round of Open Restaurant locations, announced July 2^nd, focused on streets that are already participating in the Open Streets program, and on corridors represented by organizations that have worked with DOT on street closures in the past. This second tranche of locations includes additional applicants from partners and restaurant groups new to DOT.

 

New streets will be in the following locations:

 

Organization	On Street	From Street	To Street	Borough
Salsa Con Fuego  *This location will open on Saturday, July 24th.	Cedar Ave	W Fordham Rd	Landing Rod	Bronx
Concord Hill	Graham Ave	Skillman Ave	Conselyea St	Brooklyn
Sunset Park BID	5th Ave	40th St	41st St	Brooklyn
Park Slope 5th Ave BID	5th Ave	President St	3rd St	Brooklyn
Park Slope 5th Ave BID	5th Ave	10th St	13th St	Brooklyn
Blind Tiger	Jones St	Bleecker St	W 4th St	Manhattan
Von Design Ltd	Bleecker St	Mott St	Bowery	Manhattan
MacDougal Merchants Association	MacDougal St	W 8th St	W 3rd St	Manhattan
Sushi Vida	Dyckman St	Broadway	Seaman Ave	Manhattan
St Tropez Soho, LLC	Spring St	6th Ave	Thompson St	Manhattan
Village Alliance	W 8th St	5th Ave	6th Ave	Manhattan
Hangawi Restaurant	E 32nd St	5th Ave	Madison Ave	Manhattan
Alliance for Downtown NY	Pearl St	Broad St	Hanover Sq	Manhattan
Alliance for Downtown NY	Pine St	William St	Pearl St	Manhattan
Rezdora	E 20th St	Park Ave	Broadway	Manhattan
Rivington East Merchants Association	Rivington St	Essex St	Norfolk St	Manhattan
Osteria Morini	Lafayette St	Spring St	Kenmare St	Manhattan
Derossi Global	E 7th St	Ave A	1st Ave	Manhattan
Village Alliance	St Marks Place	3rd Ave	2nd Ave	Manhattan
The Hairy Lemon	Ave B	E 2nd St	E 3rd St	Manhattan
Flatiron 23rd St Partnership	W 22nd St	5th Ave	6th Ave	Manhattan
Cervo's	Canal St	Orchard St	Essex St	Manhattan
Kettle of Fish	Christopher St	Waverly Pl	7 Ave South	Manhattan
Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce	70th Rd	Austin St	Queens Blvd	Queens
Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce	Austin St	72nd Ave	72nd Rd	Queens
Thai Community USA	Woodside Ave	76th St	78th St	Queens

"Outdoor seating for restaurants and bars remains the only bright light in an otherwise bleak outlook for our neighborhood hospitality businesses and its thousands of workers. We thank the Mayor for expanding this well received program that is transforming streets and parking spaces into welcoming dining oasis. We also appreciate his willingness to work with us to clarify guidelines and improve efforts to ensure compliance among program participants,” said Andrew Rigie and Robert Bookman, Executive Director and Counsel to the NYC Hospitality Alliance.

 

“We’re excited to see that the city is extending and expanding the Open Restaurants program. It’s clear that it’s been popular with patrons and purveyors, and it’s impossible to overstate the importance to New York City’s economy of getting our restaurants back on track. We’re grateful to Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg and their teams, and all the partner organizations, for their efforts in making Open Restaurants a success," said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC.

 

"Mayor de Blasio's Open Streets Program has brought new life to New York City's streets," said Nick Sifuentes, Executive Director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "Not only is the program a critical lifeline for struggling businesses, it's also a historic demonstration of how the city can safely reopen and thrive as we rebound and retrench in the wake of COVID-19. Repurposing space for outdoor dining is making some neighborhoods feel as vibrant as they were over half a century ago, before our streets were surrendered to cars. We commend the Mayor for expanding this program and we hope that it remains a tool for long-term reimagining of New York City's streets."

 

“The restaurants on 70th Road and on Austin Street near 72nd Ave are so excited to expand their seating with the open street closures,” said Leslie Brown, President of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce. “The street closure can really benefit the restaurants and at the same time bring the community together on these summer evenings! I encourage everyone to come out, invite friends and don't forget the other small businesses that you know and love by supporting them!”  

 

“The first section of Open Streets: Restaurants on Fifth Avenue (between Dean Street and Park Place) has been so successful that we've received a number of requests from restaurant owners along Fifth Avenue to expand the program. With these additional sections closed Fifth Avenue is now a top outdoor dining destination in NYC,” said Mark Caserta, Executive Director of Park Slope Fifth Ave BID.

 

“Open Streets: Restaurants truly brings Greenwich Village together. The program provides a much-needed lifeline to our businesses while allowing for socially responsible dining,” said William Kelley, Executive Director of Village Alliance BID.

 

 

MAYOR DE BLASIO AND COMMISSIONER SHEA UNVEIL END GUN VIOLENCE PLAN

 Today, Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea unveiled the End Gun Violence Plan, which utilizes the NYPD and community organizing to ensure New Yorkers’ safety in all five boroughs. The NYPD will shift patrol and detective resources to areas with high gun violence, organize gun buy-back events, increase coordination with Cure Violence, and reorganize the Community Affairs Bureau to provide more proactive engagement in communities that have seen increased violence.  

“For seven years, we have made this city safer through the NYPD’s close partnership with communities and by recognizing the leadership of community leaders, organizations, and clergy,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We will continue to build peace in our communities and strengthen the relationship between communities and the NYPD.”

"The increase in shootings and violence tears at the fabric of life in our city," said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. "The NYPD has vigorously advanced reforms for the last nearly seven years, and our men and women officers continue to work hard to strengthen relationships with the communities they are sworn to serve. But we must do more. These new efforts are critical to stopping this violence but we need everyone in public to step forward to help.”

This NYPD action builds off community plans for central Brooklyn and Harlem that the Mayor previously announced, including a take-back-the-block effort, youth town halls, Occupy the Hot Spots, peace marches led by community and clergy, open streets resource fairs, and mobile trauma units. 

The End Gun Violence Plan includes:

Shift patrol resources to areas with high shootings: 

The NYPD will increase foot patrols to proactively deter crime and enhance deployments in high violence areas to increase deterrence and closer engagement with the community.

  

Enhance shooting investigations: 

The NYPD will shift detective and investigative resources toward areas that have experienced increases in shooting incidents.

Reorganize the Community Affairs Bureau: 

Under newly appointed Chief of Community Affairs Maddrey, Community Affairs Officers will be deployed proactively to areas that have seen increased violence, focusing on areas with the highest need. 

Organize gun buy-back events: 

The NYPD will be organizing additional gun buy back events in communities with recent upticks in gun violence. 

Work with Community Partners: 

The NYPD will increase coordination with Cure Violence to better focus resources and hold multi-agency commander council meetings in communities with recent upticks in violent crime.

Omnipresence:

Officers from the Critical Response Group and Strategic Response Group will be deployed across the city. Many of the locations where they are typically assigned remain closed and do not necessitate the same level of resources.

No. 202.52: Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency

No. 202.52

E X E C U T I V E  O R D E R

CONTINUING TEMPORARY SUSPENSION AND MODIFICATION OF LAWS

RELATING TO THE DISASTER EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order Number 202, declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York; and

WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and are expected to continue;

WHEREAS, the State of New York has gone from having the highest infection rate to one of the lowest in the country and is one of only a few states reported to be on track to contain the spread of COVID-19;

WHEREAS, the Governor has undertaken a cautious, incremental and evidence-based approach to reopening the State of New York; 

WHEREAS, other states that may have taken a less cautious approach are experiencing an increased prevalence of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon business owners and local governments to enforce public health requirements to allow our safe reopening to continue;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, and to issue any directive during a disaster emergency necessary to cope with the disaster, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify, and direct, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through August 15, 2020 the following:

• Any provision of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to the extent necessary to require that all businesses that are licensed by the State Liquor Authority for on premises service of alcoholic beverages, and which are required as a license condition to make food available, shall serve alcoholic beverages for on premises consumption or for off premises consumption only if the service of such alcoholic beverage is accompanied by the purchase of a food item by each individual that is being served an alcoholic beverage, consistent with the food availability requirement of the license under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. The Chairman of the State Liquor Authority shall be authorized to promulgate any reasonable guidance to effectuate this provision. 

G I V E N   under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany this sixteenth of July in the year two thousand twenty.

BY THE GOVERNOR  

Secretary to the Governor

CITY PROVIDES FREE COMPLIANCE CONSULTATIONS TO HELP BUSINESSES OPEN SAFELY UNDER OPEN RESTAURANTS PROGRAM

NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Jonnel Doris announced the expansion of its no-cost compliance consultation services to help businesses open safely under the Open Restaurants program, avoiding costly fines and penalties. The new program is a virtual service focused on rules and regulations for the Open Restaurants Program, and helps small business owners understand common compliance challenges.  

 

“Running a restaurant is a great feat and we want all 27,000 restaurants in New York to have the tools to survive and thrive during this time,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “This free, no-cost consultation helps our small businesses avoid costly fines and helps them comply with the latest regulations. We want the best for our small businesses and this program helps them succeed and empowers them to grow.”  

 

During the hour-long consultation, an SBS team member will survey the restaurant to look for violations. The team member will note any updates that need to be made and provide the business owner with a checklist of potential non-compliance issues. Fines will not be issued during this visit although the consultation will not exempt a business from the inspection and enforcement processes of City, State, or Federal agencies. 

 

Business owners need a communications device with a microphone and camera, and access to WiFi or cellular service. Businesses can fill out the following application or call 888-SBS-4NYC to schedule a no-cost virtual compliance consultation.  

 

Avoiding Costly Fines and Penalties: Topics covered during visit  

• New York State guidelines 
• Personal protective equipment 
• Outdoor seating  
• Accessibility  

 

About the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) 

SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information, visit nyc.gov/sbs, call 311, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

 

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES FREE CHILDCARE FOR 100,000 STUDENTS IN THE FALL

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that New York City is planning to provide quality, safe, free childcare options for 100,000 children this fall. This follows the release of the Mayor and Chancellor's preliminary school reopening plan, which utilizes a cohort-based blended learning system with both remote and in-person education for students. 

"This pandemic has been hugely disruptive in the lives of our kids, which is why we are working to provide as much in person learning as possible. Working families are being pulled in many directions trying to make a plan for the fall, and we are going to help them every step of the way by providing free childcare options," said Mayor de Blasio.

The City's childcare options will provide relief for families who cannot stay home or find alternate care for their children on days they are not in school buildings. Childcare will be made available for children in 3K through 8th grade, and there will be approximately 50,000 seats available each day. Given the nature of a blended remote and in-person approach, this means the City plans to serve at least 100,000 students total. The Administration is working to identify locations and maximize available space for childcare in schools, community centers, libraries, cultural organizations, and more. New Yorkers with available space that could potentially be  utilized for childcare should visit www.nycsca.org/realestate/sites. The City is working to have as many seats as possible ready for the first day of school, with capacity building out over time. 

                                                                                                  

The health and safety of students and staff will always come first, and the Department of Education is currently planning for a blended learning model in the fall, with an option for families who wish to do so to remain fully remote. Starting yesterday, parents and guardians are able to opt their child into a fully remote learning model by filling out this form. Families who choose full-time remote learning for September can opt back into in-person instruction up until Friday, August 7th by filling out the form again. After August 7th, families who chose full-time remote learning will be able to opt back into in-person instruction during designated timeframes during the school year, starting this fall.

The City will continue to coordinate closely with the State as re-opening plans develop. 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Raises $4.5M from Over 200k Donors in Q2

This came in from the Ocasio-Cortez Campaign.

Late wednesday evening, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress reported raising more than $4.5 million from more than 221,000 contributions during the second quarter.  Over 100,000 of those contributions came from new donors. The average donation was $20.57. The campaign ended the quarter with nearly $3 million in cash on hand.

“I’m immensely grateful to the working people who gave what they could during this incredibly difficult time to help us decisively defeat a Wall Street-backed opponent.  Our grassroots movement is growing stronger every day, and with their help, we will one day create a political system that answers to working people, not corporate lobbyists,” said Ocasio-Cortez in a statement. “I’m also extraordinarily grateful to all those who contributed to our COVID-19 relief efforts. With their help, we’ve raised nearly $1 million to support one of the hardest-hit districts in the country.”

To date, the campaign has raised nearly $940,000 in direct relief for community groups and advocacy organizations serving NY-14 constituents on the frontline. This relief has funded PPE, food pantries, bail funds and financial support for undocumented families, service workers, the food insecure, and Amazon warehouse workers.