BY BETH DEDMAN
Leaders in restaurants, nightlife, retail, real estate, economic development and tech have joined forces to advocate for urgently-needed relief with a “Blueprint to Save Small Businesses.”
The Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, NYC BID Association, New York City Hospitality Alliance, NYS Latino Restaurant, Bar & Lounge Association, New York State Restaurant Association, Queens Chamber of Commerce, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, Tech:NYC and The Real Estate Board of New York have partnered to submit a letter to Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio and other elected leaders in New York.
“The magnitude of the crisis has been felt across New York City, and its impact on families, communities, and economy has been profound,” according to the letter. “Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have been laid off or furloughed and small business owners have been left grappling with the immense pressures of sustaining their businesses and keeping workers employed or rehiring them after the pandemic is contained.”
In the letter, the group outlined four key policies they think are necessary to help struggling small businesses and revamp the economy. The policies entail direct financial assistance for rent and mortgages for the duration of the shutdown, extending business interruption insurance to cover the COVID-19 pandemic and converting sales tax collection into cash grants for small businesses.
In the meantime, business alliances and partnerships are working to provide crucial information regarding applications for the Paycheck Protection Program, the Small Business Administration’s Injury Disaster Loan and other financial resources to their communities.
