COVID 19 Recovery Resources
Federal, State & City Operations
- According to a NYS mandate, all bars and restaurants must provide PPE, and their employees must wear a face covering when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. Bars and restaurants can adopt a policy that prohibits customers from entering your restaurant or being served without a face covering. More about face covering requirements for restaurants and other essential businesses can be found here.
- Questions about the Phases of Reopening NYC? Contact the city hotline for reopening questions: 888-727-4692.
- All businesses reopening MUST complete a Business Safety Plan. Access it online, print it, and fill it out. Keep it in your business at all times of operation. Find it here.
- UPDATE: Governor Cuomo again extended the eviction and foreclosure moratorium for commercial tenants and property owners across New York state amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The ban prohibits landlords from seeking court-authorized removal of any tenant behind on their rent payments, including retail establishments and restaurants.
- The City of New York has important updates on the Open Restaurants Program to make all roadway seating areas as safe as possible. These safety enhancements will help structures better withstand the stresses that winter may bring – such as slippery roads, snow removal operations, and snow piles pushing against barricades. Because these have not been published anywhere online yet, please see all details below.
Open Restaurant Programs
- Barriers must have a fully built interior wall and bottom to hold filler material.
- All 18-inch roadway barriers must be completely filled with soil or sand.
- Continuous reflector tape must be added along the top outside edges, and snow sticks must be added to the corners of the two barriers facing traffic.
- A plastic water-filled barrier in front of the roadway barrier facing oncoming traffic will be required for a majority of restaurants; “high priority” restaurants for whom a water-filled barrier will be required will be identified based on the street’s crash rates and traffic volumes, as well as if it’s a truck route. These restaurants will be contacted separately to confirm this requirement applies to them. For all other restaurants, similarly placed water-filled barriers are highly recommended.
- Sandbags, reflector tape, snow sticks, and plastic barriers will be available to all participants, free of charge. Limited deliveries of plastic barriers will be made to the “high priority” restaurants; those restaurants will be contacted separately. All other distribution and pickup details to follow
Small Business Resources
- The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) has compiled a number of resources for businesses affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Access assistance here.
- Women business owners: the New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping small businesses who are suffering substantial economic hardships as a result of the Coronavirus. Complete this form for assistance.
- SBS offers free business courses to guide NYC entrepreneurs through each step to start, operate, and grow a business. See and sign up for all their FREE workshops and seminars (now online), here.
- The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is supporting small businesses by providing local business resources such as loan assistance, sales tax measures, and other relief information. Download The Brooklyn App to tune into their ‘Brooklyn’s Small Business Hotline’ Channel, so your business can communicate with the Chamber seamlessly. Learn more here.
- Need equipment for your Open Restaurant set up? Check out the Directory of Equipment Rentals for Safe Outdoor Dining to find materials for rent or purchase! Learn more here.
- The Mayor announced the launch of MEND NYC, a program to provide mediation to New Yorkers and hospitality businesses across the city who are in disputes over quality-of-life issues. This is a free, innovative alternative that can bring solutions to local issues due to COVID-19. Learn more here.
- SBS held a webinar back in September featuring city agency representatives who shared guidelines, mandates, and best practices information regarding the return of indoor seating. You can view the recorded event on YouTube, here.
- FDC has face masks available for local businesses and their staff; please reach out to us at nleonard@fdconline.org if you’re in need.
Additional Resources
Text COVID to 692-692 to receive regular updates via text message from NYC Health (text COVIDESP to 692-692 for Spanish). Protect yourself and others from COVID-19. To prevent further widespread, use and share these tips from NYC Health + Hospitals to stop the spread of Coronavirus, including prevention, symptoms, and when to get tested. For businesses, there are links to download posters and guidance sheets for your business. Be sure to check out the list of other helpful government resources