Jan 12, 2022

FDC Economic Development News

Jan 12, 2022
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Happy New Year! Omicron appears to have taken us by surprise. Several Ditmas Park businesses report having to close for a few days or have reduced hours given positive cases and staff shortages. We know how challenging this must be and hope that with each day the situation gets a little bit better. FDC was also impacted by Omicron but we remain open and optimistic that this latest variant will leave us soon.

The good news is that as of today, several news outlets are reporting that Omicron has peaked. Let’s hope it leaves with the fury it came with. We have a new Mayor, Eric Adams and 40th District City Councilwoman Rita Joseph. We welcome their leadership and collaboration for new opportunities in our community.

Here are a few small business resource updates. As always, please reach out if you need small assistance.

1. DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED PPE?

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce has the following PPE Inventory: Masks, Sanitizers, Wipes
You can submit a request directly via this link: https://www.nycsmallbusinessresourcenetwork.org/

2. THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY APPS – Important Update for Restaurants

(Source: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dca/about/Third-Party-Food-Delivery-Services.page).

The City of New York (NYC) has new laws regulating online third-party food delivery services (Delivery Apps). Starting January 24, 2022, each Delivery App will require a license to operate in NYC. Restaurants will now have greater protection when they interact with Delivery Apps. But restaurants also have a few new requirements they need to follow.

In addition to requiring Delivery Apps to obtain a license, the laws:

  • Set caps on the fees that Delivery Apps can charge restaurants: Delivery fees are capped at 15% of the purchase price of each online order. Transaction fees are capped at 3% of the purchase price of each online order, with limited exceptions. All other fees are capped at a total of 5% of each online order.
  • Prohibit Delivery Apps from charging you for telephone orders that do not result in a transaction during the call.
  • Require that if Delivery Apps list or link to a phone number for your restaurant, the Delivery App must list your direct telephone number and, if a Delivery App provides another telephone number, it must clearly identify each telephone number as either your number or a third-party telephone number. The Delivery App must also describe any fee associated with the use of each telephone number, whether imposed on you or the caller.
  • Prohibit unauthorized listings on a Delivery App’s website, mobile app, or other platforms without a written agreement between you and the Delivery App.
  • The written agreement cannot compel you to indemnify a Delivery App or any independent contractor or agent acting on its behalf for any damage or harm occurring after the food has left your business.

NEW REQUIREMENT FOR RESTAURANTS: Starting January 24, 2022, any written agreement you enter into with a Delivery App must contain a provision allowing delivery workers access to your bathroom, with limited exceptions for health and safety reasons.

  • In some cases, require Delivery Apps to provide you with certain customer data at your request unless the customer opts out. Customer data includes only: The name, telephone number; e-mail address, the delivery address of the online order; and the contents of the online order.
  • In those cases where customer data is required to be shared, prohibit Delivery Apps from limiting your ability to download such data and from limiting your use of such data for marketing or other purposes outside of the Delivery App’s own website or mobile app.

NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTAURANTS: You: cannot sell, rent, or disclose this customer data, except with the customer’s clear consent; must allow a customer to withdraw their consent allowing you to use their data; and must delete a customer’s data upon their request.
For more information: nyc.gov/DeliveryApps

3. APPLY FOR $10,000 RESILIENCE GRANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS:

The NYC Small Business Resilience Grant is a $10,000 grant to help eligible small businesses recover from the economic hardships that occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applicant must use the $10,000 grant to mitigate economic hardships that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by using the grant funds to offset operational expenses incurred between March 3, 2021, and December 23, 2024, for the small business that is the basis for the Applicant’s eligibility for the grant.

Examples of eligible expenses include the following:

  • Payroll and benefits
  • Mortgage
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Other operating costs

APPLY TODAY