Community Alerts 4.20.23

Forum with Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg on April 26

On Wednesday, April 26, at 5:30pm, Council Member Erik Bottcher will host an online conversation and Q&A with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. To register for the forum and submit questions for the Q&A, click here.

New COVID-19 Vaccine Authorizations

On April 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 bivalent mRNA vaccines to simplify the vaccination schedule for most individuals. Click here to find out everything you need to know. To find a vaccination location and schedule your appointment, go to nyc.gov/vaccinefinder.   

Traffic Advisories

On Friday, April 21, from 6:00pm through Saturday, April 22, at 6:00am, there will be no parking on 63rd Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue due to roadway milling.

On Saturday, April 22, the east side of Broadway between 60th Street and 61st Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 8:00am - 8:00pm due to a street fair. 

On Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23, West 65th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West will be closed, and there will be no parking, standing, or stopping from 8:00am to 6:00pm due to a crane on site.

On Tuesday, April 25, Time Magazine’s Time 100 Summit will take place at Jazz at Lincoln Center. There will be production activity in the curb lanes and sidewalks around 10 Columbus Circle from Sunday, April 23, to Thursday, April 27, related to this event. Be advised that traffic may be heavy.

On Sunday, April 30, Columbus Avenue between West 66th Street and West 72nd Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 8:00am to 8:00pm due to a street fair.

On Thursday, May 4, 61st Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from 12:30pm to 4:00pm due to a street fair.

Public Hearing on Proposed Rules for Open Streets Program

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing amendments to DOT’s Traffic Rules relating to its Open Streets program. This proposed rule would allow DOT to develop criteria for eligible Open Streets partners and corridors, as well as establish guidelines for how the program will be managed. The public meeting on the proposed rule will will take place on April 26, 2023 at 10:00am, and the deadline to submit written comments is at 5pm on April 26, 2023. To learn more, you can click here to visit the NYC Rules website or click here to view the official notice. 

New Waste Setout Times Are Now in Effect

We would like to remind you that waste setout times changed on April 1st! There is a one-month grace period in which businesses and residents will receive written warnings until May 1, 2023. Please click here to read the rules. To avoid getting a fine, make sure you comply with the new rules by then. If you have not been able to join one of the info sessions yet, you can sign up for one on April 24 at 7:00pm, April 26 at 7:00pm, and April 30 at 11:00am. You can also watch a recording of a session here.

Remembering John Doherty

Apropos of sanitation, we would also like to acknowledge the loss of New York City's former Sanitation Department Commissioner, John Doherty. We worked closely with him for many years and always appreciated his dedication and hard work for our city. He has certainly left a long-lasting legacy behind. You can read more about his life in his obituary here.

Department of Buildings Small Business Support Team

The Department of Buildings is launching a new program targeted to small business owners – Small Business Team. The goal is to help small businesses navigate DOB requirements, resolve issues, and enable businesses to open and operate in a timely and safe manner. A dedicated team of project advocates will offer information or assistance with property research, applications filling and signoff processes, or violations. Use the Small Business Help Form to contact SBT and get more information or read this flyer to learn more.

Online Business Courses from SBS

Check out upcoming online business courses from NYC Small Business Services on subjects including digital marketing as well as accounting and finance. Click here to see the events and sign up.

NYC Summer Youth Employment Program

The NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is the nation’s largest youth employment program that connects NYC youth ages 14 to 24 with a six-week paid summer work experience. Hiring young people through SYEP is a direct investment in the economic recovery of New York City. Click here to learn more, including how to particpate in the program.

On Sunday, May 7, from 1:00-4:00pm at the American Museum of Natural History, NYS Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal will hold his first West Side Town Hall in the newly-constituted 47th Senate District.There will be speakers on legislative initiatives and educational activities for children, but mostly he wants to hear from you. Please mark your calendars. In the meantime, you can RSVP for updates by filling out this form. Please call the Senator’s office at 212-633-8052 if you have questions.

Reminder to Remove Standing Water From Your Property

This is your yearly reminder to eliminate standing water on your property in order to control mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed in standing water and spread West Nile virus and other diseases. Keeping your property free from accumulated water is the best way to protect your community from mosquitoes. Removing standing water is also the law. Section 151.03 of the New York City Health Code requires property owners to remove accumulated collecting water from their property from April 1 through October 31. Failure to do so can result in summonses subject to fines. You can learn more about preventing mosquitos by reading this flyer and visiting the Department of Health website.

Apply NOW to Become a CERT Member

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members receive intensive training in emergency preparedness, fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, and more. If you are 18 or older and want to join NYC CERT, please click here to complete the online application. The next NYC CERT Basic training cycle is due to begin in late May 2023, so apply now!