New York City’s 220,000 small businesses are the heartbeat of our city, from vibrant bodegas in Brooklyn to entrepreneurs in Queens to family-run shops in the Bronx. These aren’t just places to grab a coffee or pick up groceries—they’re the catalyst for our community ties and relationships, and the cornerstone of our neighborhood economies, offering jobs, stability, and character to every part of our city.
But these businesses face an all-too-common New York obstacle: bureaucratic fines that come with layers of confusion and ambiguity that make it harder to succeed.
Think about a new hardware store trying to get up and running that gets hit with thousands of dollars in fines due to not adhering to signage regulations. Or an important community laundromat that gets fined for not realizing they were improperly recycling. Even minor fines can accumulate and become a real threat to the stability of these essential neighborhood hubs.The large number of regulations is not only difficult to navigate but also disproportionately impacts small, community-rooted businesses.
Recognizing this obstacle, the City Council last year passed Local Law 151 as part of the Mayor’s Small Business Forward Initiative. By reducing penalties and extending the time to address violations, this legislation was a great step forward and we’re seeing the impact in our communities already – but there’s still work ahead. Business owners and advocates need more transparency to navigate the fine process—a system that all too often acts as a roadblock to thriving communities.
This is why passing the Fine Transparency for Small Businesses bill – introduced by Council Member Oswald Feliz – is vital.
The legislation would require an annual study from the NYC Department of Small Business Services to gather data on common fines to better understand trends, affected industries, and geographic patterns of fines. This data will aid the Mayor and City Council in ensuring that businesses of different types and in different neighborhoods are being treated fairly, and to make informed policy decisions that support small businesses. Insights from this analysis will also guide targeted efforts from local business advocates, such as workshops and outreach programs, helping businesses to avoid fines from the start. With better data will come smarter policymaking and more targeted community engagement, making compliance easier and making it easier for businesses to thrive.
The Fine Transparency for Small Businesses bill has gained strong support from organizations citywide, including the Five Borough Jobs Campaign—a coalition of 30 local economic development corporations and business improvement districts from all five boroughs. From Brooklyn, to Queens, to the Bronx, we know the impact that more transparency will have in helping small businesses grow and create more jobs to keep New York vibrant and strong.
This is the type of legislation that every New Yorker can get behind, no matter who you are. When it comes to unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape that makes it harder for working people to do their jobs and live their lives, we should all be aligned in any measures we can take to simplify. This legislation is crucial – and our small businesses need it now more than ever.
So, the next time you pass by your favorite shop or stop by the corner café, remember: these businesses are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods. Let’s support them, including by championing this bill and working together to make it just a little easier for them – and ultimately our city – to succeed.
Council Member Oswald Feliz represents District 15 in the Bronx, Justin Rodgers is the president and CEO of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, and Randy Peers is the president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
