Package invests in small business owners, protects consumers from rising insurance costs, and improves quality-of-life with sanitation and neighborhood cleanliness initiatives
Today, the New York City Council approved a package of landmark legislation to lower costs, strengthen neighborhood quality of life, and support small businesses across the five boroughs. The package includes legislation to make outdoor dining available year-round, create the nation’s first Office of Insurance Affordability to help protect consumers from rising insurance costs, and establish new standards to improve neighborhood cleanliness and responsible pet ownership.
Together, the initiatives demonstrate the Council’s commitment to lowering costs, supporting families, empowering small businesses, and elevating the quality of living for New Yorkers across a range of issues that impact their lives every day.
“As a former restaurant owner, I know firsthand how difficult and costly it is to own and operate a small business in New York City. At a time when families and entrepreneurs are facing rising costs, government should be making it easier to succeed,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “That’s why the Council took action today to make outdoor dining available year-round, support thousands of neighborhood restaurants, and create the nation’s first Office of Insurance Affordability to help bring greater transparency and lower insurance costs for businesses and consumers. These are the investments that strengthen our neighborhoods, support small businesses, and make New York City more affordable and more livable for everyone.”
Protecting Consumers and Addressing Rising Cost of Insurance
Rising insurance costs are increasingly becoming a major barrier to business and housing development across the city. For example, business liability insurance has increased by 10% annually, forcing many nightlife establishments to change how they operate or even shut down. Additionally, rapid increases in insurance costs are adding pressure to landlords to increase rents and putting the financial viability of affordable multifamily rental housing at risk. As a result, Speaker Julie Menin, Council Members, housing advocates, and business leaders are spearheading legislation that would increase insurance accountability and transparency as rising insurance costs continue to drive up rents, consumer prices, and the cost of living across New York City—and calling on the State to follow suit.
Introduction 685-B, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin, would establish an Office of Insurance Affordability. The office would provide information on types of consumer insurance and issue generalized guidance for consumers on selecting insurance plans; track legal actions alleging deceptive, fraudulent, or other unfair practices by insurance companies that harm consumers; conduct an annual study and issue reports on issues facing consumers of insurance; provide legislative and policy recommendations that would benefit consumers of insurance; and create a unit to assist consumers in resolving insurance-related issues, headed by an insurance affordability advocate.
Resolution 395, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.6356/A.4188 prohibiting increases in rates of homeowners’ insurance in excess of twenty-five percent per year.
Resolution 389, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, the Automobile Insurance Consumer Information Act (S.1196/A.3893).
Resolution 387, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.07828A/S.07939, A.9015 and A.9016A to mitigate the rising cost of property insurance for affordable housing.
Year-Round Expansion of Outdoor Dining Program
Following the emergency Open Restaurants program established in June 2020, the New York City Council approved the permanent Dining Out NYC program in August 2023, with applications opening in March 2024. The permanent program established an application process for “sidewalk cafes” (a portion of a ground floor restaurant located on a public sidewalk fronting a restaurant) and “roadway cafes” (an open-air portion of a ground floor restaurant located in the curb or parking lane of a roadway fronting a restaurant). Sidewalk cafes may operate year-round, while roadway cafes may operate only from April 1 through November 29, requiring participating restaurants to dismantle and reinstall their roadway setups each year. Sidewalk cafes may operate year-round, while roadway cafes may operate only from April 1 through November 29, requiring participating restaurants to dismantle and reinstall their roadway setups each year. 1,649 restaurants currently hold fully issued outdoor dining licenses.
Introduction 655-A, would expand the City’s outdoor dining program by removing seasonal restrictions on roadway cafe operation. This bill would also allow the use of weatherproofing and winterizing materials to facilitate the operation of a roadway cafe year-round. The bill prohibits any DOT rule that would allow a roadway or sidewalk café to operate later than 11:00 PM daily.
Introduction 894-A, would allow sidewalk cafe operators to enclose their year-round sidewalk cafes annually from November 30 through March 31. The bill also permits weather protection materials that may be used at other times during the year, which DOT shall prescribe by rule.
Introduction 917-A, would require roadway and sidewalk cafe operators to ensure that their outdoor setups are clear of trash, debris, graffiti, vermin, food scraps and unsanitary conditions. Operators who violate this provision would be subject to civil penalties ranging from $200 for the first offense to $500 for the second and subsequent offenses.
Introduction 918-A, would allow sidewalk and roadway cafe operators to pay their annual revocable consent fees in quarterly installments to reduce their upfront costs. Revocable consent fees are annual charges cafe operators pay for the private use of public sidewalk or roadway space, based on the cafe’s square footage and geographic sector.
Resolution 592, would set forth findings of the Council concerning the environmental review conducted for Introduction 894-A.
Supporting Community Cleanliness Through Improved Containment and Disposal of Dog Waste
Year after year, 311 has seen a sustained increase in constituent dog waste complaints. In 2026 alone, 311 received 2,926 complaints (up to August 13), already 10% greater than the number of total complaints last year, in only the first eight months of the year. In response, Council Members, dog enthusiasts, and animal rights advocates came together in support of the Safe and Clean Outdoor Ownership Practices (SCOOP) Act, a package of legislation aimed at improving community cleanliness, enhancing support for dog owners, and ensuring dog waste is picked up throughout all five boroughs. The SCOOP Act would expand access to dog waste bags, launch a new pilot program to compost dog waste collected from dog runs, establish a new public education campaign, and strengthen enforcement in certain areas.
Introduction 857-A, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin, would require the Department of Sanitation to install at least 1,200 dog waste bag dispensers on public litter baskets across the five boroughs.
Introduction 872, would require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene, in consultation with the Commissioner of Sanitation, to develop and conduct a public education and outreach campaign to inform the public about dog waste removal and the dangers of failing to remove dog waste.
Introduction 864-A, would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to establish a pilot program that would designate volunteer-led dog run groups that have experience maintaining dog runs to collect dog feces from dog runs under DPR’s jurisdiction for composting. At dog runs, the designated groups, with aid from DPR when requested, would install dog feces collection bins, provide compostable dog feces bags for the purposes of composting such waste. This bill would also require DPR to report to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council and post online on the amount of dog feces collected and composted, where the compost was used, the efficacy of dog feces composting efforts, program implementation challenges, and potential program expansion.
Introduction 880, would require the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation to post signs at the entrances and exits of parks, and at certain park facilities, summarizing the rule prohibiting a person from leaving dog waste on the ground and the associated penalties for violation.
Making the Certification of No Harassment Program Permanent
Introduction 839-A, would make the Certification of No Harassment (CONH) pilot program permanent, with a new program list published by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) every 3 years beginning on April 15, 2027. This bill would require that the building qualification index, used as a criterion for buildings on the program list, be recalculated every 3 years. Additionally, this bill would require buildings with the same owner, indicated by information provided on annual building registrations, as buildings where a final determination of harassment has occurred within the prior 60 months or buildings where a CONH has been denied in the prior 60 months, be added to the program list.
Requiring Reporting on Confirmed Firearm Discharges
Introduction 935-A, would require the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to report on the number of confirmed firearm discharges in the city on a quarterly basis. NYPD would be required to report the date, time, and location of each firearm discharge, as well as a description of the circumstances of the discharge.
Codifying the Official Flag of Staten Island
Introduction 320-A, would codify into law the current flag of the borough of Staten Island as its official flag.
Declaring August 2 Annually as James Baldwin Day
Resolution 218, would declare August 2 annually as James Baldwin Day in the City of New York to honor his legacy as a groundbreaking essayist, novelist, playwright, poet, and civil rights activist, who fought racial and sexual discrimination with candor, sensitivity, and lasting influence.
Land Use:
50-20 108th Street Rezoning– an application to facilitate the development of two new mixed-use buildings with 196 dwelling units, 51 of which will be permanently affordable under MIH Option 1, in Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry’s district.
63-02 Fresh Pond Road Rezoning – an application to enable the development of a new 7-story mixed-use building with 54 dwelling units, 13 of which will be permanently affordable under MIH Option 1, in Council Member Phil Wong’s district.
Queens CD2 Walk to Park Site Selection – an application to facilitate the site selection and potential acquisition of 31 privately-owned properties by the Department of Parks and Recreation in collaboration with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services as part of a citywide plan to support a more equitable distribution of open space. These acquisitions will facilitate the creation of new parkland in the districts of Council Members Shekar Krishnan and Julie Won.
Flatiron NoMad Major Concessions – an application to facilitate the expansion of the existing Flatiron District concession area boundaries in the districts of Council Members Carl Wilson and Harvey Epstein.
Finance:
Transparency Resolution approving new designations and changes of certain organizations receiving funding in the Expense Budget.
Preconsidered Introduction, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee (By Request of the Mayor), would require the Department of Finance Commissioner to establish a temporary program to resolve outstanding ECB judgement penalties.
