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Empty Storefronts Jolt NYC Council Into Action on Small Business

  • A City Council law will require yearly surveys of retail space
  • Some Manhattan landlords have cut rents 25%, realtor says
Vacant storefonts in New York City.
Vacant storefonts in New York City.Photographer: David ‘Dee’ Delgado /Bloomberg

In New York City, big businesses like Amazon and Google are adding space. It’s the small ones local politicians are worried about, with vacant storefronts taking up as much as 20% of some retail areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The City Council passed a law last month requiring landlords to register the status of their retail space, with updates when businesses come and go. The council said it enacted the law after having seen “a slew of beloved local establishments across the city closed amid skyrocketing costs.”