The Main Street Deal
A Bill of Rights for Neighborhood Storefronts
New York's neighborhood storefronts are the backbone of our communities — yet small business owners face mounting pressures from repeat offenders, unpredictable leases, punitive enforcement, rising costs, and unfunded mandates. The Main Street Deal is a five-point agenda to ensure that the people who keep our blocks alive aren't left to absorb every risk alone. Below is the coalition's platform — a practical blueprint so Main Street can keep the doors open.
Safe Storefronts
A real plan for repeat offenders and visible safety on retail corridors — so small businesses aren't left to absorb the risk alone.
The problem: Owners and employees should not have to accept repeat theft, harassment, and violence as the cost of doing business.
Storefronts deserve visible safety on key corridors and a real plan that prioritizes repeat offenders and organized patterns — so small businesses aren't left to absorb the risk alone.
What we're calling for:
Fair Leases + Less Vacancy
Predictable renewal notice and basic disclosures so businesses aren't blindsided, and long-term vacancies don't hollow out our neighborhoods.
The problem: The single greatest threat to a beloved neighborhood business is the end of its lease. Too often, tenants face sudden rent spikes, hidden fees, or non-renewal — with no time to plan.
No thriving storefront should be forced out by surprise renewals, hidden costs, or last-minute non-renewals. Businesses deserve predictable notice, basic disclosures, and a fair chance to renew.
What we're calling for:
Fair Enforcement (Not a Fine Trap)
Warning + cure for first-time non-hazard issues, clear notices, and modern reminders — so compliance comes before punishment.
The problem: Too many storefronts get buried under confusing rules, inconsistent inspections, and escalating fines for minor, non-safety issues — often for signage and paperwork rather than real public harm.
For first-time, non-hazard issues, compliance should come before punishment: clear notice, a warning, and a realistic cure path — so small businesses aren't bankrupted by technicalities or default judgments.
What we're calling for:
Accountability targets (12 months):
Affordable Taxes + Fees
No new mandates without offsets or phase-ins for small storefronts — so Main Street can keep the doors open.
The problem: Main Street cannot absorb endless new costs — especially when those costs show up as higher prices for residents and fewer jobs in neighborhoods.
City policy should not stack new costs onto Main Street without relief. If government adds a mandate or fee, it must come with an offset, phase-in, or small-business protection — so neighborhoods don't lose essential services.
What we're calling for:
Economic Accountability
Independent impact analysis before new mandates pass — so good intentions don't become neighborhood closures.
The problem: Too often, new rules are passed without calculating the real cost for small storefronts — until closures rise and the damage is already done.
Before the City creates new compliance burdens, it must show the real cost, the real enforcement impact, and the real small-business consequences — so well-intended laws don't unintentionally drive closures.
What we're calling for:
I stand with Main Street.
By signing below, I pledge my support for the five pillars of the Main Street Deal and commit to advocating for the neighborhood storefronts that keep New York's communities alive.