MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES OPEN STREETS: RESTAURANTS WILL EXPAND TO WEEKDAYS AT 40 LOCATIONS CITYWIDE

 

First-ever weekday hours available for popular, car-free outdoor dining initiative

Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the first Open Streets: Restaurant partner organizations that will begin temporary street closures on weekdays for outdoor dining along select corridors. Earlier this month, the Administration had invited BIDs, community-based organizations, and groups of restaurants to submit applications to expand the enormously popular Open Streets: Restaurants, an initiative that combines the Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs. Previously, car-free hours had been limited to weekends. 

 

“Restaurants deserve every chance they can get to serve more customers this fall – and, as the weather gets cooler, New Yorkers deserve every chance they can get to enjoy outdoor dining,” said Mayor de Blasio. “The Open Streets: Restaurants program has been a success, and we’re proud to grow its reach and give restaurants more tools to make it through this crisis.”

 

“The success of the Open Restaurants program can be seen and felt in every borough,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “We are thrilled about this latest announcement which continues to address the needs we’ve been hearing from the restaurant industry.

 

“The Open Streets initiative has already saved tens of thousands of jobs across New York City, and so we expect that car-free outdoor dining on weekdays will give an even greater boost to the economy and the quality of life of our neighborhoods,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We thank Mayor de Blasio and all of our agency partners and community organizations who have stepped up to expand what has already been an incredibly successful team effort.  Open Restaurants has been a lifeline for the restaurant industry during the COVID crisis, and has also helped all New Yorkers see new possibilities for how to use our streets in the future.”

 

Open Streets: Restaurants is now operating on 87 participating streets across the five boroughs. The broader Open Restaurants initiative, which includes outdoor dining on sidewalks and in curbside parking spaces on streets open to traffic, and select pedestrian plazas, has surpassed 10,200 participating businesses in just over three months, saving an estimated 90,000 jobs across the five boroughs. The program continues through the end of October.

 

Weekday hours will begin as early as Thursday, September 17, varying by location. Hours for each participating location can be found on the Open Streets: Restaurants homepage.

 

Open Streets: Restaurants Locations Adding Weekday Hours: 

Partner	On Street	From Street	To Street	Boro	Days
Belmont BID	Arthur Ave	E 188th St	Crescent Ave	BX	Thur-Sun
Atlantic Avenue BID	Hoyt St	Atlantic Ave	State St	BK	Fri-Sun
GERTIE RESTAURANT LLC	Grand St	Marcy Ave	Roebling St	BK	Thur-Sun
Red Hook Business Alliance/Hometown BBQ	Reed St	Conover St	Van Brunt St	BK	Tue-Sun
Alliance for Downtown NY	Ann St	Nassau St	William St	MN	ALL
Alliance for Downtown NY	Pearl St	Broad St	Hanover Sq	MN	ALL
Alliance for Downtown NY	Pine St	William St	Pearl St	MN	ALL
Becaf LLC	Ave B	E 2nd St	E 3rd St	MN	ALL
Bistro Les Amis	Spring St	Thompson St	W Broadway	MN	ALL
Blind Tiger	Jones St	Bleecker St	W 4th St	MN	ALL
Casa Nomad restaurant and Akin Hospitality Group	Broadway	W 29th St	W 31st St	MN	ALL
Cervo's	Canal St	Orchard St	Essex St	MN	ALL
Chinatown BID	Doyers St	Bowery	Pell St	MN	ALL
Chinatown BID/CCBA	Pell St	Bowery	Mott St	MN	ALL
Derossi Global	E 7th St	Ave A	1st Ave	MN	ALL
Dyckman Gardens	Dykcman St	Broadway	Seaman Ave	MN	ALL
Flatiron 23rd St Partnership	W 22nd St	5th Ave	6th Ave	MN	ALL
Flatiron 23rd St Partnership	Broadway	W 25th St	W 28th St	MN	ALL
Flatiron 23rd St Partnership	Broadway	E 21st St	E 22nd St	MN	ALL
Hopkins & Hawley	Front St	Beekman St	Peck Slip	MN	ALL
il Buco	Bond St	Lafayette St	Bowery	MN	ALL
LES Partnership	Orchard St	Grand St	Delancey St	MN	ALL
LES Partnership	Broome St	Ludlow St	Allen St	MN	ALL
Mari Makan LLC	Spring St	Mott St	Elizabeth St	MN	ALL
Meatpacking BID	9th Ave	W 14th St	W 15th St	MN	ALL
Meatpacking BID	W 13th St	Hudson St	Washington St	MN	ALL
Meatpacking BID	Little W 12th St	9th Ave	Washington St	MN	ALL
Meatpacking BID	Gansevoort St	Hudson St	Washington St	MN	ALL
Osteria Morini	Lafayette St	Spring St	Kenmare St	MN	ALL
Peasant	Elizabeth St	Spring St	Prince St	MN	ALL
Rezdora	E 20th St	Park Ave	Broadway	MN	ALL
Scarpetta Restaurant	E 29th st	Madison Ave	5th Ave	MN	ALL
St Tropez Soho, LLC	Spring St	6th Ave	Thompson St	MN	Thur-Sun
Von Design Ltd	Bleecker St	Mott St	Bowery	MN	Tue-Sun
Gramercy Neighborhood Associates	E 18th St	Park Ave S	Irving Pl	MN	ALL
Times Square Alliance	W 46th St	8th Ave	9th Ave	MN	ALL
Times Square Alliance	W 46th St	6th Ave	7th Ave	MN	ALL
Restaurant Marc Forgione	Reade St	W Broadway	Greenwich St	MN	ALL
KioRestaurant, LLC (d.b.a. Khe-Yo)	Duane St	Hudson St	W Broadway	MN	ALL
Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce	70th Rd	Austin St	Queens Blvd	QN	ALL

Governor Cuomo Announces Infection Rate Drops Below One Percent

 

0.87 of Yesterday's COVID-19 Tests were Positive

4 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

SLA and State Police Task Force Visits 1,057 Establishments; Observes 1 Establishment Not in Compliance

Confirms 652 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 446,366; New Cases in 41 Counties

  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the infection rate in New York State dropped below one percent again to 0.87. The number of new cases, percentage of tests that were positive and many other helpful data points are always available at forward.ny.gov.

"Our numbers continue to remain low, thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers, who rose to the occasion and ultimately flattened the curve," Governor Cuomo said. "We have been calibrating our reopening based on real-time data, and we will continue to make decisions based on science and facts, because this thing is not over. Having our infection rate come back down to 0.87 is great news for us - we don't want to see our infection rate go over one percent for any period of time. There is no margin for error: It's going to take all of us to keep wearing our masks, washing our hands and remaining socially distant."

Yesterday, the State Liquor Authority and State Police Task Force visited 1,057 establishments in New York City and Long Island and observed 1 establishment that was not in compliance with state requirements. A county breakdown of yesterday's observed violation is below:

• Manhattan - 1

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization - 483 (+2)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 69
• Hospital Counties - 35
• Number ICU - 138 (-6)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 67 (+7)
• Total Discharges - 75,903 (+56)
• Deaths - 4
• Total Deaths - 25,410

Governor Cuomo Announces Special Enrollment for Uninsured Extended Through the End of 2020

 

New Yorkers Can Apply for Coverage Through NY State of Health or Directly Through Insurers

Consumers Can Apply for Coverage Through NY State of Health, by Phone at 1-855-355-5777, Or Connect with a Free Enrollment Assistor

  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Special Enrollment Period for uninsured New Yorkers will be extended through December 31, 2020, as the State continues to provide supportive services during the COVID-19 public health crisis. New Yorkers can apply for coverage through NY State of Health, New York State's health insurance marketplace, or directly through insurers.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and it's more important than ever for New Yorkers to have access to high-quality, affordable health insurance," Governor Cuomo said. "New York has resources available to help those who need coverage during this difficult time, and anyone who doesn't currently have health insurance, regardless of the reason, should visit NY State of Health and enroll today."

New York State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore said, "With the ongoing public health emergency, the ability to enroll in coverage prior to next year remains important. The extension of the special enrollment period through the end of the year will overlap with the annual Open Enrollment Period, which will permit consumers to continue coverage into 2021 without a break in coverage. "  

Superintendent of Financial Services Linda A. Lacewell said, "Thanks to New Yorkers, we bent the COVID-19 curve. However, as the pandemic continues, it is especially important for New Yorkers to have access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.  Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York is establishing a special enrollment period through the end of the year, providing uninsured New Yorkers another opportunity to sign up for the health coverage they need."

NY State of Health, together with the State Department of Financial Services and New York State insurers, are taking this action in light of the COVID-19 public health emergency so that individuals do not avoid seeking testing or medical care due to a lack of health insurance coverage. Individuals who have lost employer coverage must apply within 60 days of losing that coverage and individuals who have lost income may be eligible for Medicaid, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, or subsidized Qualified Health Plans.

Individuals who enroll in Qualified Health Plans through NY State of Health or directly through insurers by October 15, 2020 will have a choice of coverage start date of either October 1, 2020 or November 1, 2020.  Those enrolling between October 16 and December 15, 2020 will have a choice of coverage start date of November 1 or December 1, 2020.  Those enrolling between December 16 and December 31, 2020 would get a January 1, 2021 coverage start date.  Importantly, consumers will have the option to continue their enrollment in the same plan in 2021 without a break in coverage.  Individuals who are eligible for other NY State of Health programs - Medicaid, Essential Plan and Child Health Plus - can enroll year-round.  Finally, as directed by Governor Cuomo, all New York insurers have waived cost sharing for COVID-19 testing. 

As always, consumers can apply for coverage through NY State of Health online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, by phone at 1-855-355-5777, and by connecting with a free enrollment assistor. 

Additional information on NY State of Health insurance options during the Coronavirus emergency can be found here. 

Department of Financial Services information and resources during the Coronavirus emergency can be found here.

DiNAPOLI: STATE'S FINANCIAL HOLE DEEPENS, TAX REVENUES TRAIL $3.2 BILLION IN 2020

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today said that state tax receipts are $3.2 billion lower than last year, as he released the State Cash Report for August. DiNapoli noted state tax receipts of $4.3 billion in August were $309.3 million above the latest projections by the state Division of Budget (DOB), but $219.1 million below collections in August 2019.

“Tax revenues continue to fall short of levels needed to fund education, health care and other vital services in this year’s budget,” DiNapoli said. “The revenue hole the pandemic created is getting deeper. Unless Washington acts to provide further fiscal relief for New York, painful budget decisions lie ahead.”

Other key numbers in the report:

• Personal income tax (PIT) collections totaled $2.7 billion in August, $157 million higher than anticipated, but $185.5 million, or 6.4 percent, lower than last year. Year to date collections were $1.6 billion, or 6.7 percent, lower than last year.
• Sales tax receipts totaled $5.1 billion through August, $1.3 billion, or 20.2 percent, lower than last year. August sales tax receipts were $97.2 million, or 7.8 percent, below those a year earlier.
• All Funds spending through August totaled $64.3 billion, down $2.5 billion, or 3.8 percent, from the previous year. Spending was $2.1 billion below the latest projections, primarily in local assistance grants ($1.4 billion below projections and $1.9 billion below last year). State operations spending was $369 million below projections through August.
• The General Fund ended the month with a balance of $13.5 billion, $972.7 million higher than projected and $6.6 billion higher than August 2019. This is partly due to $4.5 billion in short-term borrowing proceeds and delays in certain payments to local governments and other entities.

August Cash Report