NYC Council Small Business Committee Hearing on Construction, Security Grilles, and Red Tape (June 8, 2026)
NYC Council Small Business Committee Hearing on Construction, Security Grilles, and Red Tape (June 8, 2026)
The New York City Council Committee on Small Business, chaired by Councilmember Shanel Thomas-Henry, held a hearing on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 1:00 PM in Hearing Room 1 at 250 Broadway. The committee discussed three bills and one resolution aimed at supporting small businesses: Int. 0799 (establishing a support fund for businesses affected by roadway construction), Int. 0910 (repealing retroactive security grille visibility requirements), T2026-2025 (coordinating inspections to accelerate business openings), and Res. 0328 (calling on the state for a tax credit for infrastructure-disrupted businesses). All four items were laid over after testimony and discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Matthew Bauer (NYC BID Association) – Supported Int. 0910 but urged clarifications to ensure existing grilles are not deemed noncompliant; recommended extending the education timeline and holding installers accountable.
- Mark Caserta (Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce) – Supported Int. 0910 and called for improved outreach, installer compliance, and consideration of character-based loans for businesses with poor credit.
- Joanna Tallant (Parkside Fifth Avenue BID) – Supported Int. 0910, noting that micro-businesses face replacement costs of $2,000–$15,000; urged holding installers accountable and extending the education window.
- Andrew Rigie (NYC Hospitality Alliance) – Supported Int. 0910 but argued it should grandfather all existing grilles installed before a future date (e.g., July 1, 2028); supported Int. 0799 and suggested expanding eligibility to disruptions from utilities and MTA.
- Lisa Soren (Bronx Chamber of Commerce) – Supported Int. 0910, 0799, and T2026-2025, emphasizing that compliance costs threaten small businesses and that outreach should be prioritized over penalties.
- Andrea Tan (Legal Aid Society) – Supported T2026-2025 (Red Tape Relief Act) but urged language access requirements and clearer program details; also noted that some delays are outside business owners' control.
- Pedro Suarez (Third Avenue BID) – Supported all bills; estimated 30–50% of businesses in his district are noncompliant with Local Law 75; recommended city-wide mailers and site visits similar to DSNY’s recycling outreach.
- Jessica Walker (Manhattan Chamber of Commerce) – Supported all four items; stressed that relief must be timely (14-day disbursement) and that coordinated inspections are the cheapest economic development tool.
- Christopher Leon Johnson (public) – Fully supported Int. 0910, calling Local Law 75 a “cash grab” and urging repeal.
- Nargis Basile – No testimony delivered (not connected).
Discussion Items
- Int. 0799 (Roadway Construction Small Business Support Fund) – Councilmember Salaam introduced the bill, which would provide loans (up to $50,000) and grants (up to $15,000) per storefront per year, plus services, to businesses impacted by city construction. SBS Commissioner Kenny Minaya supported the intent but raised operational concerns about prescribed timelines, underwriting standards, and scaling. Councilmember Salaam explored potential amendments such as annual aggregate ceilings, objective eligibility criteria (e.g., construction duration, proximity), and creditworthiness requirements. SBS indicated flexibility on these points but noted that partnering with a CDFI would be critical.
- Int. 0910 (Security Grille Visibility Requirements) – Councilmember Stevens (statement read by Chair) explained that the bill would repeal the July 1, 2026 enforcement deadline for 70% see-through grilles, instead requiring compliance only when grilles are replaced. DOB Assistant Commissioner Reynaldo Hilton acknowledged insufficient outreach over 15 years, with no direct notifications to businesses. SBS supported the bill but advocated for giving business owners choice regarding grille visibility. Public testimony highlighted confusion about the bill’s language and urged that existing grilles be grandfathered in. DOB stated it would not enforce the current law while the bill is pending.
- T2026-2025 (Red Tape Relief Act) – Councilmember Zhuang introduced the bill, which would establish a permanent interagency inspection coordination program, prioritizing restaurants and child care businesses, with an online portal and annual reporting. SBS supported the intent but noted that Executive Order 11 (due July 2026) already addresses time-to-open reforms and that the NYC Best Team has saved businesses over $6 million since the start of the administration. Councilmembers questioned the current average time to open and the fate of a previous version of the program that “secretly faded out.”
- Res. 0328 (Tax Credit for Infrastructure-Disrupted Businesses) – Councilmember Salaam’s resolution calls on the state legislature to pass and the governor to sign a tax credit for businesses negatively affected by infrastructure construction. No detailed discussion beyond opening statements.
Key Outcomes
- All four items (Int. 0799, Int. 0910, T2026-2025, and Res. 0328) were laid over by the committee (no vote taken). The hearing was held to receive testimony; additional written testimony may be submitted within 72 hours.
- DOB confirmed it will not enforce the 70% visibility requirement (Local Law 75 of 2009) while Int. 0910 is under consideration, providing a de facto grace period.
- SBS will continue to work with the council on amendments to Int. 0799, particularly regarding eligibility criteria, loan underwriting, and timelines.
- The committee will await the results of Executive Order 11 (due July 2026) before finalizing T2026-2025, with an eye to avoiding duplication.
- Councilmembers emphasized the need for improved outreach—especially to non-English-speaking and offline businesses—and for holding grille installers accountable for compliance.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Welcome to the New York City Council Committee on Small Business. Please place your phone on Sign It or Vibrate Mode anytime during this hearing. Do not approach the days. Chair, we are ready to begin. This hearing is now called to order. Good afternoon, everyone. I am Councilmember Chanel Thomas Henry, Chair of the Committee on Small Business. Thank you for joining today's small business hearing. I've been traveling across the city speaking with business owners, and top of mind is outdated regulations and daily disruptions. With the goal of meeting entrepreneurs where they are and being responsive to their unique challenges, this hearing will focus on discussing three bills and a resolution that do just that. These include Introduction 799 from Council Member Salam, Introduction 910 from Councilmember Stevens, a preconsidered introduction from Councilmember Zwang, and Resolution 328 from Councilmember Salaam as well. I'd like to thank my council colleagues, representatives from the administration, and members of the public for being here, as well as members of the public participating remotely. Small businesses are the lifeline of New York City. They provide us with the diversity of experiences and are the first line of defense for preserving and celebrating the unique cultures that make us great. Beyond this, they help shore up our middle class by acting as engines of economic mobility, especially for our immigrant and minority communities who don't always find the means to enter and stay in the traditional workforce. Despite this, the city has fallen short in its support of our beloved small businesses. Becoming an entrepreneur isn't easy. Many would-be business owners never end up starting because they must navigate so much of the regulatory process alone. Coupled by the lack of access to capital to start their business and pay the workforce to put it into operation and grow. This journey becomes a daunting experience, and roughly 20% fail in the first year. Even when businesses finally get off the ground, many of them continue to operate on razor-thin margins. Is exists to help support these pioneers. They help entrepreneurs navigate and adhere to regulations and provide them with funding streams when needed. In today's hearing, we will discuss introduction 799 and a pre-considered introduction in resolution 328. Similarly, Councilmember Salaam's resolution 328 would ask the state of New York to provide a tax credit to business owners impacted by infrastructure construction. Councilmember Salaam's legislative measures would help ensure that we are not letting our businesses suffer in silence from actions taken by the city. Introduction 910 from Councilmember Stevens would repeal the requirement in local law 75 that all businesses must have 70% see-through security grills by July 1st. Instead, they would only be required to buy that specific security grill when obtaining a replacement. The Department of Buildings would also be required to perform outreach in the following six months to educate business owners of this requirement. This bill will also help ensure small businesses are not unfairly penalized by a law that they were never informed about in time. Councilmember Zwang is here today and will like to speak to us about her preconsidered introduction. This bill would require the mayor to establish a program to coordinate inspections and plan reviews among city agencies to speed up the time it takes to open a business. Councilmember Zwang's bill would help make things a little bit easier for entrepreneurs. The legislation that we hear today will not address all the systematic issues burdening our small businesses. But it is a start and it is timely. I look forward to hearing testimony from the Department of Small Business Services and hearing their positions on these bills. I similarly look forward to hearing from small businesses and advocates on today's legislation. I want to thank Tyler Walls and Rebecca Barillia from Central Staff for putting their putting the work together for this hearing, as well as my own staff, Franklin Richards, Sierra Smith, and Derek Slaughter, and anyone working in the background to help this make this hearing possible. I will now turn it over to Councilmember Salam to provide an opening statement on his bill. Thank you, Chair Thomas Henry. And thank you to the members of this committee for for hearing these two items today, including all the other bills as well. My bills um introduction 799 establishes a roadway construction small business support fund and resolution 328. The companion measure calls on the state legislature to pass and the governor to sign legislation providing a tax credit to businesses negatively affected by infrastructure construction. I represent Central Harlem, a district built on the backs of small business owners, the barber who has cut three generations of hair on the same block, the restaurant where neighbors gather, the bodega that knows your name. These businesses are not just not just commerce, they are the fabric of our communities. But here's the hard truth. When the city tears up a street to repair infrastructure beneath it, and we know that that work is necessary to keep our city running. The small businesses on that block often pay the price. Foot traffic disappears, deliveries cannot get through.
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