Author: Frank V

NYC’s Small Business Services  (SBS) has provided the following announcement:

We are excited to share that gyms are allowed to officially reopen tomorrow, September 2nd once the owner has submitted a Gym and Fitness Facility Inspection Request and Attestation Form to the NYC Health Department. By completing the form, a facility is affirming it has met COVID-19-related New York State requirements and is ready for inspection.     Indoor pools and indoor fitness classes will remain closed in New York City until further notice. Health and safety remain the number one priority as the City reopens.    You can find all guidance related to gym reopening using the buttons below.

Reopening Gyms and Fitness Facilities: What Operators Need to Know

Interim Guidance for Gyms and Fitness Centers During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

New York State Business Reopening Safety Plan Template

Summary of Guidance

New York State Business Reopening Affirmation Form

Have questions? Our team is here to help and support you as you reopen your business and navigate new guidelines.     Join us for a webinar on September 10 to learn more about reopening your gym. Learn more and RSVP.   You can also visit us at nyc.gov/reopeningbusinesses or call our hotline at (888)SBS-4NYC.

Upcoming Reopening Webinars   Reopening your business in NYC? We can help. Join us at one of our upcoming webinars designed to help you understand the requirements and best practices to reopen.

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RSVP for Thursday, 9/10 about gym reopening

RSVP for Friday, 9/18 with the Washington Heights BID

Are you a minority or woman business owner? Get certified   The City spends up to $17 billion per year on goods and services. Getting certified as an M/WBE will help you compete for these opportunities and access exclusive programs to help your small business grow.    Want to learn more? Join us for an upcoming webinar!

RSVP for 9/2

RSVP for 9/9

RSVP for 9/16

RSVP 9/23

RSVP for 9/30

Make sure you’re prepared this hurricane season.    From gas leaks and fires, to major hurricanes, flooding, and blackouts, NYC business owners face many challenges that can impact your operations and assets. The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is here to help guide you through the start of a business continuity plan.     Join us for a webinar to learn how to:   Stay in business: Identify your key business functions, employees, and documents  Protect your investments: Understand how to protect your assets and navigate insurance processes  Be ready for action: Create a business continuity plan for your business

*NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS ON A ROLLING BASIS*

To help New York City’s small businesses experiencing financial distress due to the impact of COVID-19, Citizens Committee has launched Neighborhood Business Grants.   

Small businesses, vital to the fabric of their neighborhoods, will receive grants of $5,000 – $10,000 to maintain payroll and operations. We will prioritize businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, and women. Proposals that focus on adapting businesses to the challenges of COVID-19 (i.e. delivering orders, fulfilling online requests for products, conducting training and classes online) will also be prioritized. Grants may be made to barber shops, restaurants, food carts, vegetable stands, and other small businesses. Unlike many financial opportunities currently available to small businesses, this program will provide grants rather than loans.

The application is intended to be accessible and short, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If you have any questions, please email businessgrants@citizensnyc.org.

Access the online application by going to https://www.tfaforms.com/4842203

To view a sample of the application, please go to  https://www.citizensnyc.org/sites/default/files/sample_-_small_business_neighborhood_grants_application.pdf

From NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs:

Important Update about License Renewal 08/2020

Under NYC’s  COVID-19 Relief Package, the license expiration dates and renewal application deadlines covered by Emergency Executive Orders (EEO) 107 and 110 are extended.  In general, the extension applies to licenses with expiration dates ON OR AFTER March 12, 2020 when NYC declared a pandemic  state of emergency.

Where to Find Your License Expiration Date: • License expiration date is on your license.

◦ For businesses, see “Expires” field on your license document.

 ◦ For individuals, see “Expiration Date” field on your license ID (card).

 • You can also visit nyc.gov/BusinessToolbox and click “Renew” for the list of licenses and their expiration dates to see if the EEO covers your industry.

Exception Industries: • Employment Agency and Scrap Metal Processor licenses are not covered by EEO; these license expiration dates are set by State law: ◦ Employment Agency license expiration date was May 1, 2020. ◦ Scrap Metal Processor license expiration date was June 30, 2020.

• If your license is expired—that is, the expiration date is not extended—you may not operate until you get your renewed license. In addition to Employment Agency and Scrap Metal Processor, industries that may not operate without a renewed license are:

 ◦ Process Server Individual ◦ Process Serving Agency ◦ Scale Dealer Repairer • License expiration date for these industries was February 28, 2020. Stay Informed:

 • Monitor nyc.gov or nyc.gov/dca for updates. Once the City issues a new Mayoral EEO with guidance for renewing your license, your extended license will expire 45 days from the date of the Mayoral EEO

For further information on Business licenses, go to:  https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dca/downloads/pdf/businesses/licensing_industries_list.pdf

There is yet another FILING REQUIREMENT from NYC: The NYC Storefront Registration Requirement.

Local Law 157 of 2019 required the Department of Finance (DOF) to implement a storefront registry within one year of the effective date of the law (November 21, 2019).

Under the new law, owners of ground-floor or second-floor commercial premises that are visible from the street and accessible to the public directly from the street or from the interior of a building are required to file an annual registration statement providing information about the spaces. The requirement applies to commercial premises that are occupied or used, or could be occupied or used, for the purpose of offering or selling goods at retail. This includes restaurants and service-sector firms operating in storefront spaces.

TAX CLASS TWO AND FOUR PROPERTIES

As required by the local law, DOF will link the submission of storefront information to the Real Property Income & Expense (RPIE) statement that most landlords of tax class two and four income-producing properties with assessed values greater than $40,000 are already required to file with the department by June 1 each year. The registry submissions will begin with the upcoming RPIE filing season, which starts mid-February 2020 and ends June 1, 2020.

In addition to property owner information and basic descriptive information about the premises, tax class two and four owners of storefront spaces are required to provide for each commercial premises information about all occupancies or vacancies that have occurred during the 12 months preceding January 1 of the year in which the storefront registration statement is filed.

The following information is required for leases of commercial premises in storefront spaces:

the start date and expiration or renewal date of each such lease;

whether scheduled rent increases are contained in the lease;

information on lease concessions granted to the lessee, if any;

the average monthly rent per square foot charged for the premises for the 12-month period, excluding any period that the premises was not leased to a tenant; and

the type of economic activity conducted at the premises.

For an owner occupying the commercial premises, the following information is required:

the start date and end date of an owner’s occupancy; and

the type of economic activity conducted at the premises.

For any vacancies at the commercial premises for any time during the 12-month period, the property owner must provide the start and end date of each vacancy, and whether the premises was under construction or alteration during that time, including details about the projects.

For any commercial premises that was not leased to a tenant for the entire 12-month period, whether due to vacancy or owner occupancy, the property owner must provide the monthly rent per square foot paid by the most recent tenant, and, if vacant, whether the premises was under construction or alteration during that time, including details about the projects.

TAX CLASS ONE PROPERTIES

The law requires designated class one property owners to file an annual statement if their ground-floor or second-floor commercial premises was vacant or owner-occupied for any period during the 12 months preceding January 1 of the year in which the storefront registration statement is filed.

Designated class one properties are classified class one pursuant to section 1802 of the real property tax law as of January 1 of the year in which the owner registration statement is filed and located within a commercial district, as established in the New York City Zoning Resolution. Click here for the list of class one properties located within a commercial district.

For each of the ground-floor or second-floor commercial premises that was vacant or owner-occupied for any time period during the 12 months preceding January 1 of the year in which the storefront registration is filed, class one owners will be required to provide property owner information and basic descriptive information about the premises.

If the unit was leased to a tenant for any time in the 3 years before January 1st of the current calendar year, owners must provide the following:

the expiration date of the most recent lease;

the type of economic activity conducted by the most recent tenant;

the monthly rent per square foot under the most recent lease;

whether the premises has undergone construction or alteration during those three years and information on each construction project.

ADDITIONAL REGISTRY INFORMATION

Owners of ground-floor or second-floor commercial premises who meet the registry filing requirements and who fail to file an annual registration statement may be subject to penalties based on the prescribed penalties for failure to file an annual real property income and expense statement. The penalty can be assessed even if a property is not required to file a real property income and expense statement.

An annual fee will be charged for all registry filings to cover the cost of administering the program, except for class one properties or properties owned by not-for-profit organizations that are fully exempt from property taxation under sections 420-a or 420-b of the real property tax law, or properties owned by any federal, state, or local government agency.

Additionally, all class two and four owners of ground-floor or second-floor commercial premises who meet the registry filing requirements must file a supplemental registration to report any vacancies or ownership changes for the period from January 1 through June 30 of the year in which the storefront registration statement is filed. The supplemental registration is not required to be filed by designated class one property owners.

If you are required to register your storefront, visit www.nyc.gov/rpie.

NYC has announced the start of a new No-Penalty Business Accessory Sign Inspection Program. This initiative allows small business owners to obtain free inspections, without risk of penalty, to determine if they comply with City safety regulations.

Beginning July 31st until September 15th, 2020, the Department of Buildings will start accepting business accessory sign inspection requests from small business owners. For the first time, DOB is offering to inspect business signage at no cost and without penalty.

During the inspection, DOB’s team will come out and verify that business accessory signs comply with City regulations and are safely installed. Small business owners can take advantage of these no penalty inspections and avoid issues later by bringing their signs up to code if any deficiencies are found. Those interested in the No-Penalty Business Accessory Sign Inspection Program can contact 311 to set up an appointment.

As part of a moratorium from February 9, 2019 until February 9, 2021, the Department will not issue violations for business signs that existed on or before February 9, 2019, unless the sign is not eligible for the moratorium for reasons such as being an imminent threat to public health or safety. Businesses are encouraged to contact 311 to have their signs inspected to determine whether they comply with applicable regulations before the end of this moratorium to potentially avoid receiving future violations for signs that are not in compliance.

DOB will continue to respond to 311 complaints about signs to determine whether a business’ sign is compliant or eligible for this moratorium.

For more information, go to Business Accessory Sign Moratorium