Mayor Adams Reforms Business Violations to Reduce Burdens on Businesses

By Hamodia Staff

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today took major steps to reduce burdens on and cut red tape for the city’s small businesses by announcing reforms to 118 city regulations. The reforms ensure local businesses face fewer needless fines and penalties without jeopardizing public health or safety.

Amongst the reforms are the total repeal of 30 provisions, the reduction of civil penalties of 49 provisions, and amendments to 39 provisions to include a first-time warning or cure period or to extend an existing cure period.

The mayor’s program, Small Business Forward, is a critical first step to fundamental overhaul how the city engages with small business. The Small Business Advisory Commission — established earlier this month — will partner with the city to continue this crucial work of cutting red tape, reducing fines, and introducing more cure periods and first-time warnings.

“From the earliest days of my administration, I made clear that the city would be a partner to the small business community, which is the backbone of our economy,” said Mayor Adams. “The reforms we are outlining are a direct result of us listening to nearly 1,000 small business owners and putting in place a plan of action to help fill their needs. Today, we are cutting red tape, reducing burdensome regulations, and saving our small businesses approximately $8.9 million — supercharging our recovery and paving the way for an equitable, five-borough economy.”

The reforms are expected to be implemented by December 31, 2022. These efforts will represent the most comprehensive citywide overhaul of small business regulations in New York City’s history.

Examples of the reforms include:

• Introducing a cure period when a business fails to prominently and conspicuously display its price list;
• Introducing a universal 60-day cure period across all Class 2 “Major Violations” and Class 3 “Lesser Violations” related to small businesses;
• Removing the penalty for failure to maintain required bins for disposal of compostable straws in restaurants;
• Increasing time for restaurants to address maintenance and replacement issues with grease interceptors;
• Reducing maximum fines for violations of time/temperature control for preparing foods safely;
• Eliminating the violation for a failure to conspicuously post electrical work permit while work is in progress.