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Dear Friends,

As New York City continues the process of reopening, the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) is working with our colleagues in government and engaging in ongoing conversations with our industry stakeholders to monitor the impacts of the pandemic, support businesses with restart and recovery planning, and keep you informed about updates and available resources.

This week, Governor Cuomo extended the 50-person limit on non-essential gatherings until September 19 and the moratorium on commercial evictions until September 20. Bowling alleys are now open in New York City, and low-risk indoor arts and cultural activities, such as museums, historical sites, and aquariums, can open as of next Monday, August 24. The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs co-hosted a webinar on Reopening Museum Spaces with the NYC Museums Reopening Task Force which is available to view here along with other helpful resources.

Mayor de Blasio announced BE NYC to help create equity of opportunity by advancing Black entrepreneurship. As part of the City’s commitment to close the racial wealth gap and support Black-owned businesses, the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is leveraging partnerships to provide Black business owners with access to world-class business experts, capital and business education, digital business solutions, and a business accelerator.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has announced a new grant opportunity with a deadline of Sunday, August 23, at 11:59pm. Thanks to generous funding from Lowe's, small business owners in New York City are invited to apply for the Neighborhood Business Grant program. This program is separate from previous small business grant applications from LISC. You must submit a new application to be considered for a Neighborhood Business Grant.

MEDIA PRODUCTION

Phase 4 production guidance is available on the Film Permit website. All production activity, whether it requires a Film Permit or not, must comply with New York Forward Industry Guidance. For more information see, please refer to the State Department of Health’s Interim Guidance for Media Production During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Please review the guidelines and FAQ before submitting permit applications. The Film Office is operating remotely, so please allow additional time for Film Permit processing.

OUTDOOR DINING

New York City’s Open Restaurants program continues until October 31. Information about Restaurant Reopening is also available at nyc.gov/restaurantreopening or by calling the SBS hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC. To assist businesses participating in outdoor dining, the Office of Nightlife has made the following guides and informational materials available for download at www.nyc.gov/nightlife:

• ”What to Expect When You’re Inspected”

• “Multi-agency Reopening Toolkit for Restaurants and Bars”

• It’s Up to You, New York social distancing guides and graphics

• Take Out, Don’t Hang Out posters

In addition, the Office of Nightlife in partnership with the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) launched a free mediation program for New Yorkers and hospitality businesses across the city who are in disputes over quality-of-life issues. MEND (Mediating Establishment and Neighbor Disputes) NYC will create opportunities to resolve such disputes by referring cases where there may be chronic or urgent quality-of-life complaints related to a restaurant, bar, or other nightlife venue to OATH’s Center for Creative Conflict Resolution. By providing residents and businesses an opportunity to collaboratively design creative solutions and repair tense relationships, MEND NYC aims to mitigate the need for formal enforcement, such as issuing summonses, which can add financial hardship to small businesses that are already under tremendous strain.

RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES

Information and guidelines for businesses reopening in Phase 4 are available at NYC.gov/nycbusiness. Under the State’s New York Forward plan, each business must develop a written Safety Plan for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Businesses may fill out this template or develop their own Safety Plan, which must be conspicuously posted on site and made available to the New York State Department of Health or New York City health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection.

The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is hosting Small Business Resource Fairs to provide information about requirements and guidelines to re-opening, safety plans, financial assistance, regulatory changes, employee support, licensing, inspections, and more. They also have a small business hotline—888-SBS-4NYC or 888-727-4692—to answer questions about the latest guidelines and regulations.

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) offers information about reopening requirements and health and safety guidelines for the workplace, including FAQs for NYC Workers and an update about workplace laws for employers and employees to stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition, they have set up a Worker Protection Hotline at 311 or 1-212-436-0381 for questions about reopening or to report an employer that is not following reopening requirements.

DCWP and SBS also are working with business-serving partner organizations throughout the five boroughs to distribute free face coverings citywide to small businesses and their employees. If you are a small business looking to secure free face coverings for your employees, information is available here.

The NYC PPE + Reopening Supplies Marketplace provides a one-stop-shop for easy-to-access suppliers of (i) face masks and coverings, (ii) face shields, (iii) gloves, (iv) cleaning and disinfectant products, (v) physical barriers and portable furniture, and (vi) other supplies needed for re-opening. It represents both local and national suppliers and manufacturers to provide a wide range of order minimums.

New York State’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory remains in effect. Travelers from 33 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival to New York.. The State Department of Health issued an emergency health order mandating that travelers from designated high infection states provide local authorities with contact information upon entering New York to help enforce quarantining. For more information, visit the New York State website at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/ or call the New York State hotline at 888-364-3065.

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Harlem Week celebrates its 46th year and continues through August 23. With support from MOME, the annual celebration of Harlem culture and history is virtual this year and features film screenings, music, dance performances, children’s activities and more.

In addition, our Virtual NYC Curator Collections, launched in partnership with NYC & Company and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, continues online. The collection features a series of virtual experiences of New York City attractions, arts institutions and entertainment venues handpicked by some of the city’s leading cultural influencers.

We also remind you to join the #AllinNYC social media campaign to help showcase New York stories of resilience. All in NYC invites residents and businesses to share their love for their neighborhoods, elevating a diverse range of voices across channels to celebrate the locals who make the City so engaging and encourage visitors to enjoy a deeper, authentic experience in NYC’s many enclaves. Information on how to participate is available here.

For the latest updates, sign up for MOME’s newsletter, follow our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or visit our website at www.nyc.gov/mome.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns or for support.

Stay safe,

Anne del Castillo

Commissioner

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

www.nyc.gov/mome

@NYCMOMECommish

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

nyc.gov/mome

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