MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF HIS SENIOR TEAM

 

Today, Mayor Eric Adams announced members of his senior staff who will oversee operations at City Hall and advance his strategic policies and priorities.

 

“This team has the experience, knowledge, and skill to take our government — and our city — to new heights,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Our motto is Get Stuff Done — and we are already off to a flying start. Together, we will work day in and day out to make New York City safer, more equitable, and more prosperous for all.”

 

“We are at a pivotal moment in our city’s history, and we need strong leadership to bring New York back better than ever,” said Chief of Staff Frank Carone. “Mayor Adams has already proved himself in the early days of his administration to be exactly that kind of leader. I am honored to join his team and serve the city that I love. As chief of staff, I will be focused on ensuring City Hall runs smoothly, keeping our City agencies aligned, and delivering on the mayor’s vision for the city.”

 

The full list of appointees are below:

 

Frank Carone, Chief of Staff

Frank Carone will join the Adams administration as chief of staff. Most recently, he was a partner at Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara, Wolf & Carone, LLP. He also served as law secretary for the Kings County Democratic Committee. Carone earned a B.S. from St. John’s University and a JD from Brooklyn Law School.

 

Dawn Miller, First Deputy Chief of Staff 

Dawn Miller will join the Adams administration as first deputy chief of staff. Most recently, she was Vice President for Policy and Partnerships at Coord, a mobility technology company partnering with cities across the country. She previously served as chief of staff at the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). Dawn launched TLC’s Research and Evaluation practice, serving as its first director, and worked as a researcher at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC. She has a M.P.A. from Princeton University and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.

 

Madeline Labadie, Deputy Chief of Staff 

Madeline Labadie will join the Adams administration as a deputy chief of staff. Most recently, she served as the director of strategic initiatives at TLC, where she led Vision Zero efforts and priority projects for the commissioner. She has also worked in policy and research roles for the Hotel Trades Council and Council Member Brad Lander. She holds a M.P.A. and a B.A. from New York University.

 

Ryan Lynch, Deputy Chief of Staff

Ryan Lynch will join the Adams administration as a deputy chief of staff. Before joining the Adams administration, he served as chief of staff for then-Borough President Adams, and prior to that as policy director. Lynch began as a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso, and has also served as an Alternative Livelihoods Officer for WEAVE, a small, community-based organization working to support economic empowerment for Burmese refugees along the Thai-Burma border. He served as the associate director for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Lynch earned a B.S. in psychology from Mary Washington College, and his M.S. in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

 

Menashe Shapiro, Deputy Chief of Staff

Menashe Shapiro will join the Adams administration as a deputy chief of staff. Most recently, he ran his own consulting firm where he advised candidates for public office as well as companies and non-profits waging large public-facing campaigns. In 2021, Shapiro was a key advisor to Mayor Adams’ campaign and a member of the appointments committee on his mayoral transition. Prior to that, he worked on Michael Bloomberg’s presidential and mayoral campaigns, as a managing director at Tusk Strategies, and in private law practice. Shapiro earned his B.A. cum laude in economics from Yeshiva University and his J.D. from Cardozo Law School of Yeshiva University.

 

Tiffany Raspberry, Senior Advisor for External Affairs

Tiffany Raspberry is joining the Adams administration as senior advisor for external affairs, where she will be the key liaison between the mayor and key stakeholders and leaders both nationally and globally. She started her career working at the House of Representatives as a legislative assistant and scheduler, and later as a policy analyst and chief of staff at the New York City Council. Most recently, Raspberry was a senior team member of Mayor Adams’ campaign and co-led the intergovernmental committee on his mayoral transition. She earned her B.A in political science and African-American studies from Fordham University and a M.P.A in global public policy and management jointly from New York University and the University College of London.

 

Stefan Ringel, Senior Advisor to the Mayor

Stefan Ringel is joining the Adams administration as senior advisor to the mayor. He served in the same capacity to Borough President Adams and was a key advisor on media and communication to Eric Adams campaign for Mayor. Previously, he served in the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office in various capacities, first as communications director for former Borough President Marty Markowitz, and subsequently as then-Borough President Adams' communications director. Prior to that, Ringel was media relations director to then-Council Member Jumaane Williams. Ringel earned his BA in political science and international studies from the University of North Carolina, and his MA in Elections and Campaign Management from Fordham University.

 

Andrea Shapiro Davis, Senior Advisor for Talent and Appointments

Andrea Shapiro Davis will join the Adams administration as senior advisor for talent and appointments. She had been serving as CUNY’s interim vice chancellor for university advancement since August 2019. Since 2013, she has served as CUNY’s associate vice chancellor for Corporate, Foundation and Major Gift Development, a role in which she has spurred the growth of initiatives for women’s rights and diversity. Shapiro Davis also served in the administration of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in which she served as special adviser to the mayor, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Appointments, and executive director of the NYC Commission on Women’s Issues. She also spent four years as an assistant district attorney in Queens County and was an attorney in private practice. Shapiro Davis is a proud graduate of Queens College and Hofstra University School of Law.

 

Eric Ulrich, Senior Advisor to the Mayor

Eric Ulrich joins the Adams administration as senior advisor to the mayor. He served as a member of the New York City Council for 12 years, representing the diverse communities of southwest Queens. He was instrumental in passing legislation that established the New York City Department of Veterans Services (DVS), and following Superstorm Sandy he organized relief efforts that helped displaced residents rebuild and recover. He is the product of New York City public and parochial schools, and is the first member of his family to earn a college degree. Ulrich earned his B.A. from St. Francis College and his M.P.A. at Baruch College School of Public Affairs.

 

Edward Mermelstein, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office of International Affairs

Edward Mermelstein joins the Adams administration as the director of the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs. He joins the administration after as career as an attorney and an investment advisor with a broad range of international clients.  Fluent in English and Russian, Mermelstein emigrated as a refugee to the United States in 1976. He holds a B.A. from NYU and a J.D. from Western Michigan Law School. In addition to his work, he is involved in numerous charitable organizations supporting local as well as national causes rooted in culture, politics, education, and the arts.

 

Fred Kriezman, Commissioner, Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit

Fred Kreizman will join the Adams administration as commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU).  From 2002 to 2014, Kriezman worked at CAU serving Mayor Bloomberg, rising through the ranks from Brooklyn director to deputy commissioner. He also served on the board of directors of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation from 2005 to 2016.  Recently, he worked at Capalino, serving as a managing director. Kriezman earned an M.P.A in government from Pace University, and a B.S. from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business.

 

Roberto Perez, Director for Intergovernmental Affairs

Roberto Perez is joining the Adams administration as director of intergovernmental affairs (IGA). Most recently, he served in the de Blasio administration as commissioner of CAU, where led efforts to connect communities with the City’s COVID -19 recovery efforts. Prior to that role, Perez was senior executive director of intergovernmental affairs at the New York City Department of Education (DOE) where he managed city, state, and federal legislative affairs on behalf of the chancellor.

 

Dan Steinberg, Director, Mayor’s Office of Operations

Dan Steinberg will join the Adams administration as director of the Mayor's Office of Operations. Steinberg is an urban planner with degrees from the University of Chicago and Columbia University. He recently served as Chief of Data Analytics for the NYC Vaccine Command Center (winner of the Citizen's Budget Commission Prize for Public Service Excellence), and played a number of instrumental roles throughout the City's pandemic response. He previously served as the deputy director of project and performance management at the Mayor's Office of Operations. Steinberg originally began his career as State Senator Liz Krueger's first legislative aide, and also worked as a researcher and advocate.

 

Rachel Atcheson, Special Assistant to the Mayor

Rachel Atcheson will join the Adams administration as senior assistant to the mayor, and will also be the at-large director of the SUNY Downstate Committee on Plant-Based Health and Nutrition. She most recently worked as deputy strategist for Borough President Adams, working on plant-forward nutrition initiatives such as launching NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue’s Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine Program, and expanding healthy and sustainable food options in New York City schools. Previously, Atcheson served in the Office of the Mayor as the animal welfare liaison. Outside of government, she was senior campus outreach director for The Humane League, growing the organization’s campus outreach program from 18 to 52 campuses. She received a B.A. from Boston University.

Office of NYS Comptroller DiNAPOLI: NYC'S RESTAURANT, RETAIL AND RECREATION SECTORS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE DURING PANDEMIC

 

Ongoing Aid Programs Necessary; Better Information Needed to More Effectively Target Businesses

 New York City’s restaurant, retail and recreation (RRR) sectors continued to struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic, even before the latest surge in cases, with 169,700 fewer jobs in November than from two years ago, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The losses accounted for 41% of total private sector jobs lost in the city during the pandemic.

“While communities across the nation felt the impacts of the pandemic on their restaurant, retail and recreation sectors, New York City was hit especially hard,” DiNapoli said. “As economic activity returns, foot traffic in key corridors should improve and reinvigorate market demand, but policy makers should recognize that many of these businesses, particularly those in disadvantaged communities, are likely to need continued support, especially in light of the recent severe surge in positive cases. The governor and mayor need to work together to help these businesses keep their doors open.”  

Currently, New York City’s overall economic recovery continues to lag behind the rest of the country. The city lost a higher share of jobs between the second quarter of Calendar Year (CY) 2019 and the second quarter of CY 2021 than any of the other five most populous counties in the nation. Approximately 10% of the jobs lost in the nation over the period and 62% of the jobs lost in the state were based in New York City.

DiNapoli’s report found that while some of the jobs lost during the pandemic have returned, the restaurant subsector still employs 30% fewer workers than in 2019. The arts, entertainment and recreation sector was 24% smaller, and retail trade had 14% fewer jobs. Nationally, those sectors overall were just 3.4% smaller.

Between the second quarter of CY 2019 and the second quarter of CY 2021, the RRR sectors were hit hardest in Manhattan, where jobs declined by 40% compared to an average of 13% for the other boroughs. While slow growth can be attributed to lower rates of foot traffic and overall economic activity in the borough, resignations in the overall national workforce were also concentrated in these sectors.

The federal government provided a range of COVID-19 relief options to businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) totaling nearly $1.3 trillion. These include the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program.

Businesses in the city received at least $45 billion dollars in federal funding that, in turn, helped many small businesses manage payroll and operating expenses, pay rent, bolster protective equipment and cleaning materials, and construct outdoor dining structures. However, not all eligible businesses received funding. The SBA was so overwhelmed with applicants for RRF awards, for example, that the money ran out quickly, leaving many restaurants across the nation unfunded. In New York state, only 35% of the restaurants that applied for RRF funding received it before the program ran out of money.

DiNapoli’s report also assesses distribution of aid in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities and historically underutilized business (HUB) zones, where past distributions for small businesses have lagged high-income areas and established business corridors. LMI status serves as a proxy for funding minority communities, since the average LMI census tract in the city is over three-quarters minority.  

The Comptroller found that while data remains limited for a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of aid and its success in reaching LMI communities, the information available for RRF funding shows these restaurants received a proportionately smaller share of loans when compared to the percentage of all city restaurants. For example, in Manhattan’s Chinatown and the Lower East Side, only 30% of RRF dollars made it to the 59% of businesses located in LMI communities, whereas the remaining 70% of RRF dollars went to businesses in more affluent parts of the neighborhood.  

While the state and city have expanded relief efforts targeted at businesses in the tourism industry and support businesses, the recent surge in COVID cases and the new Omicron variant pose a risk to the ongoing recovery. Better targeting of distribution of aid will be necessary going forward; a slump in market demand due to the decimation of the tourism industry led to a 5.5% rise in vacancies across premier shopping corridors over the first half of 2021 alone.

Even with the numerous programs and partnerships geared to help businesses survive, the city will face challenges in identifying neighborhoods and businesses in need due to a lack of information. The city and the state should make every effort to gather data on the results of the programs meant to close the gaps in the federal relief programs for small businesses. This data is especially important for program evaluation. As aid is disseminated to struggling communities, the city and the state must regularly assess their approach to identify any barriers to reaching those communities and improve results and ensure the efficient use of funds.

Report

New York City Restaurant, Retail and Recreation Sector Still Faces Uphill Recovery

DEC ANNOUNCES $11 MILLION FOR CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITY PROJECTS

 

Grants Help Support State’s Climate Goals through Green Infrastructure, Greenhouse Gas Reductions, and Storm Resiliency

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that DEC's Climate Smart Communities Grant program awarded $11 million to municipalities across the State as part of the $196 million in Regional Economic Development Council awards announced by Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this month. The projects will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the ongoing impacts of climate change, including reducing flood risk, increasing natural resiliency, and relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure.

“Municipalities that become Climate Smart Communities serve as models for others across the State by taking local action to reduce pollution and protect residents from severe weather and other consequences of our changing climate,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Governor Hochul recognizes the severity of the challenges before us and these Climate Smart grants demonstrate New York State’s ongoing commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping all cities, towns, and villages, especially environmental justice communities, become stronger and more resilient.” 

Established in 2016, this 50/50 matching grant program supports municipalities seeking to become certified Climate Smart Communities and implement projects that advance that State’s climate change goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating flood risk, and helping to prepare for extreme weather. The program is jointly sponsored by seven state agencies: DEC, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), New York Power Authority, Department of State, Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of Public Service. It supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which requires New York reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Since the program’s inception, DEC awarded more than $50 million to municipalities in support of local climate mitigation and adaptation projects. More information about the grant program is available on the DEC website.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy-wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $33 billion in 102 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting nearly 158,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2020, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - JANUARY 4, 2022

 

76,279 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

99 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19. 

"The best way to protect ourselves and our children from getting hospitalized with COVID is with the vaccine and booster," Governor Hochul said. "As we continue to fight the winter surge, let's continue to use these tools: Get your second dose and booster when eligible, get your children vaccinated, remember to wear a mask and stay home if you're not feeling well. If we don't, many more New Yorkers will continue to get sick."

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

• Test Results Reported – 236,904
• Total Positive – 53,276
• Percent Positive – 22.49%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 21.81%
• Patient Hospitalization – 10,411 (+848)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 1,758
• Patients in ICU – 1,302 (+94)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 625 (+28)
• Total Discharges – 235,245 (+887)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 99
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 48,798
  
  The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 
• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 61,607
  
  This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings. 
• Total vaccine doses administered – 33,869,900
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 76,279
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 640,460
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 89.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 80.7%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 82.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 78.2% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 69.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 84.0% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 71.8%

Attorney General James Issues Warnings to EZ Test NY and Keep Health Safe to Stop Misrepresenting Turnaround Times for COVID-19 Test Results

 

New Yorkers Complain of Waiting More Than a Week for Test Results From Both Companies

Two Letters Follow Similar Letters to LabQ, Labworq, Sameday Health, and ClearMD Health

 New York Attorney General Letitia James yesterday issued two warning letters to two companies facilitating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing — EZ Test NY (a Brooklyn-based collection center) and Keep Health Safe (a Fort Lee, New Jersey-based collection center) — for not meeting promised turnaround times for test results. Both companies have testing sites throughout New York City where they are advertising the delivery of results within 24 hours (EZ Test NY) or 48 to 72 hours (Keep Health Safe), yet both companies have made customers wait in excess of seven days for results, with some complaints to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) detailing wait times as long as 11 days. The two letters notify both companies that New York law prohibits false advertising and instructs the companies to immediately update their websites and any signage at test sites to accurately reflect how long individuals can expect to wait before receiving COVID-19 test results.

“Across the city, labs and collection centers continue to make false promises about turnaround times for COVID-19 test results when there is no way for them to actually fulfill those promises,” said Attorney General James. “Both EZ Test NY and Keep Health Safe must immediately stop their false advertising and give New Yorkers realistic turnaround times for COVID-19 test results. Waiting more than 11 days when results were promised in 24 hours is completely unacceptable. We are demanding both companies to immediately update their websites and signage and to notify patients of realistic timelines in which they will receive results. Positivity rates have skyrocketed due to Omicron and holiday gatherings, so any company conducting COVID-19 tests must do so with realistic timeframes. Any New Yorker who continues to see misrepresentations about COVID-19 test turnaround times is encouraged to file a complaint with my office immediately.”

In addition to warning EZ Test NY and Keep Health Safe to update their websites and signage and to instruct their employees to provide accurate information concerning turnaround times, the letters issued by Attorney General James request that both companies contact all of their customers who are currently awaiting COVID-19 test results to let them know when they can realistically expect to receive those results.

Yesterday’s letters follows four separate letters Attorney General James sent last month to LabQ, Labworq, Sameday Health, and ClearMD Health demanding that the companies take similar steps to update their websites and their signage, and to inform consumers about realistic wait times for COVID-19 test results.

Attorney General James asks any consumer who believes a lab or other testing facility is making misleading statements about turnaround times for COVID-19 test results to file a complaint online with the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau or call the office at 1-800-771-7755.

FREE COVID-19 PCR Testing at Borough President Levine’s Northern Manhattan Office

 

DEC ENCOURAGES OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS TO PURCHASE NEW RECREATION-THEMED TRAIL SUPPORTER PATCHES

 

Patch Sales Enhance and Maintain Non-Motorized Trails throughout New York

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the release of the latest New York State Trail Supporter Patches. The 2022 patches consist of five designs that resemble the international symbols for some of New York State’s most popular outdoor recreation activities – cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, camping, and biking. Each patch will be available individually for a limited time; however, the entire series can be purchased at any time.

"New York State residents and visitors can show their love for New York's premier recreational trails by purchasing this year’s trail supporter patches, starting with the seasonally appropriate cross-country skiing patch,” Commissioner Seggos said. “All funds received will support projects to increase public access to outdoor recreation opportunities."

The public can purchase a Trail Supporter Patch for $5 (or the full series for $25) at any sporting license sales outlet, or online at the DECALS website.  The proceeds from patch sales go into the Conservation Fund's Outdoor Recreation, Trail Maintenance, and Development account to help maintain and enhance DEC’s non-motorized recreation trails throughout the state.

Since its introduction in 2007, patch sales have funded a variety of projects including the construction of a boardwalk and pit privy in Texas Hollow State Forest, foot bridges on the Northville-Placid Trail and at the Catskill Visitor Center, an accessible horse mounting platform at Brookfield horse assembly area, and multiple lean-tos in the High Peaks Wilderness. Patch funds were also used to purchase materials for the new mountain bike trails at Elm Ridge Wild Forest and to maintain the Otter Creek horse trails. For more information on the Trail Supporter Patch visit DEC's website.

DEC remains committed to promoting opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout the state and is actively working with partner organizations and tourism promotion agencies to highlight and encourage sustainable recreation and responsible use on State lands. DEC's 'Love Our New York Lands' campaign was launched in response to the steady increase in the number of visitors to state lands, both during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the decade prior, as more and more New Yorkers and visitors from other states and countries discovered the natural beauty of New York State. For details and more information, visit the Love Our New York Lands page on DEC's website.

MAYOR ADAMS SIGNS “SMALL BUSINESS FORWARD” EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REFORM SMALL BUSINESS VIOLATIONS

 

Reforms will reduce fine schedules and allow for warnings for first-time violations

 Mayor Eric Adams today signed the “Small Business Forward” Executive Order to reform existing business regulations, ensuring local businesses face fewer needless fines and penalties. The Executive Order builds upon Local Law 80 and calls on the Department of Buildings, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Sanitation, Fire Department, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to review business regulations with the goal of reducing fine schedules and allowing for cure periods or warnings for first-time violations.

 

“Our small businesses have been through so much during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “The last thing they need to deal with are unnecessary fines. We’re cutting the red tape and bringing real relief to the entrepreneurs who have made their dreams a reality and keep our local economy strong.”

 

“New York City is open for business,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, we’re going to drive real change that cuts red tape and allows small businesses across the five boroughs to power our economic recovery. I look forward to working with my colleagues across government to deliver on this mayoral priority.”  

 

“With this Executive Order, New York City is being decisive and focusing on what municipal government can do right now to help our small businesses,” said incoming Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services Kevin D. Kim. “This EO makes it clear to every City agency that we, as a city, must work together to reduce unnecessary fines on small businesses for them to thrive. Ultimately this EO will save small businesses millions of dollars and countless hours of dealing with red tape and bureaucracy. By setting a goal of reforming fine schedules and working with businesses who are issued first-time violations, we are implementing smart policy that will help small businesses get back on their feet. Thank you to Mayor Adams for making small businesses a top priority from day one.”

 

“My in-laws have been small business owners in New York City for 50 years, surviving recessions, hurricanes, blackouts, 9/11, and now a pandemic,” said Joanne Kwong, president and second-generation owner of Pearl River Mart, the longtime Asian American emporium. “For those of us still standing, we’ve made it through the worst but still need support and partnership from government to recover. We are incredibly heartened by Mayor Adams’ commitment to small business and feel hopeful for a new year, new mayoralty, and reenergized New York City.”

 

The Executive Order will require:

- Within three months, each Agency will identify the 25 violations that are responsible for the greatest number of summonses and fines issued to small businesses and submit the following:

   - Recommendations for which violations should be reformed via a) elimination, b) fine schedules scaled back, c) allowance of a First Time Warning, and/or d) allowance for a Cure Period for first-time violations.

    - If no reform action is recommended for a violation, provide an explanation as to why the status quo should be maintained (e.g. serious health or safety risk)

    - Identify the necessary actions for reform (e.g. rule-making, City legislation, State legislation, etc.)

- All enforcement agencies should immediately review and update their violation tracking systems, inspection procedures and trainings, and the language on their summons tickets in order to ensure that they are prepared to introduce cure periods and first-time warnings for violations in compliance with this EO.

- The establishment of an Inter-Agency Working Group - which includes each enforcement agency and to be chaired by a Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development and the SBS Commissioner - to review Agency submissions and oversee the ensuing business regulatory reform process.

 

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and our neighborhoods – and we must do what we can to help them succeed through difficult times,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. “Reducing barriers to their thriving businesses is critical for our city’s economy and the pocketbooks of New Yorkers.”

 

“Throughout the pandemic, small businesses have suffered despite larger businesses bringing in record profits,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “I’m grateful that Mayor Adams is taking steps to reduce burdensome fines, bureaucracy, and hurdles that our local small businesses face. Local business is the backbone of so many neighborhoods across the city, and I’m glad that city government will work together to support them.”

 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our small businesses and we must do all that we can to support them as these unprecedented hardships continue," said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L Gibson. "Our Bronx small businesses and entrepreneurs, who have been forced to adapt due to the extremely changing landscape created by the COVID-19 pandemic, are an essential component of our borough's recovery and make up the vibrant culture of The Bronx. I have been a long-time champion for small businesses. During my tenure in the City Council, I was a prime sponsor of Intro. 2233, which provided small businesses relief from violations including certain sanitation, health transportation, consumer affairs, noise control and building violations. Protecting vulnerable local job-creators, while preserving employment opportunities for our hard working residents and providing them with the necessary resources to recover, is more important than ever. I applaud Mayor Adams for putting this new Executive Order into action that will give our business owners clarity, and allow them to operate with less fear and look forward to working with this administration in my new role to continue fighting for our businesses.”