Support Year Round Outdoor Dining!
Send a letter to your City and State elected officials to support Intro 655.
The Open Restaurants program revealed a simple truth during the COVID pandemic: our curb lane is a valuable, dynamic public space that can support local businesses and create opportunities for New Yorkers to socialize and dine outside. At its peak, about 12,500 restaurants and bars participated across the five boroughs.
But in 2023, City Council restricted the program to April through November, returning beloved curbside cafes to car parking for a third of the year. As a result, participation shrunk by 90%.
We know the solution to this problem: a year-round option that allows establishments to choose how they invest in their infrastructure. We’ve seen how neighborhoods can successfully reclaim our curbsides to reimagine public space, provide services more equitably, and sustain the city’s economy. It’s time to serve this wildly popular idea to New Yorkers through Intro 1171.
As New York City maximizes its push for year-round Outdoor Dining, approval from state lawmakers will lend additional credibility. Together with A07598, sponsored by Assembly Member Tony Simone, we’d be able to fully expand our program within the bounds of “homerule authority.” Meanwhile, City Council bill, Int. 655 fills in the gaps locally.
A better framework for outdoor dining is finally on the menu, so please send a letter to your State and City representatives and let them know that we are hungry for more curbside cafés!