Photo Courtesy of Demetrius Freeman/Mayoral Photography Office
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday unveiled the “Small Business First” plan to reduce the regulatory burden on owners.
According to the administration, SBF will simplify the regulatory landscape many small businesses confront in the establishment and ongoing operation of their businesses by improving communication between business owners and city government; streamlining licensing, permitting and tribunal processes; providing support and resources to help businesses understand and comply with city regulations; and ensuring assistance is accessible to all communities across the five boroughs.
The $27-million-dollar investment will begin immediately and run through Fiscal Year 2019.
“To help our small businesses thrive, we need to streamline the many required regulatory and application processes and make it easier to work with government,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
While SBF is led by the Mayor’s Office of Operations and the Department of Small Business Services, the initiative features more than 15 partnering city agencies.
The comprehensive plan includes 30 smaller initiatives developed as a result of conversations with stakeholders, advocates, small business owners, neighborhood and community leaders, and elected officials representing “a diverse slate of city neighborhoods,” de Blasio’s office said. Mthan 600 unique comments and ideas were solicited, detailing the specific needs of small businesses in communities across the five boroughs.
In response, the SBF Initiatives, which will be rolled out immediately, include: consolidating locations for businesses to find and process applications, permits, and information across agencies—both in person and online; creating one place—both in person and online—for business owners to settle the majority of fines and violations; helping businesses navigate regulatory processes, such as providing pre-inspection walkthroughs to help them comply before receiving fines or violations; and translating resources and informational materials into multiple languages.
“Small businesses make the Queens economy tick—whether it is a day-care center in St. Albans, a dance studio in Maspeth, or a caterer based out of our Entrepreneur Space in Long Island City,” said Seth Bornstein, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corporation. “The Small Business First Initiative is a proactive way to help business owners work with city agencies in a positive way that will provide them with the time, knowledge and tools to focus on growing their operations.”
By Forum Staff
