Community Alerts 11.13.26
Donate Non-Perishable Food for the City Harvest Food Drive
St. Agnes Library (444 Amsterdam Avenue) and the Library for the Performing Arts (40 Lincoln Center Plaza), have partnered with City Harvest for their Annual Food Drive. Neighbors can drop off donations of non-perishable food items, including canned proteins, canned vegetables and fruit, canned soups, peanut butter, rice, pasta, boxed macaroni and cheese, hot and cold cereals, and baby food and formula.
Please note that the libraries cannot accept glass containers, open or damaged packages, expired items, or items requiring refrigeration.
For more details, visit the City Harvest Annual Food Drive page.
Restaurants Invited to Join NYC Restaurant Week This Winter
NYC Restaurant Week is back this winter, following a summer program that featured more than 650 restaurants. The event will be live from Tuesday, January 19 to Thursday, February 11, and we encourage restaurants in our neighborhood that might be interested to take part.
Key Deadlines
- Regular Registration: Monday, November 30, 2026
Menu Pricing
- Two-course prix-fixe lunch: $30, $45, or $60
- Three-course prix-fixe dinner: $30, $45, or $60
To learn more and register, click here.
Small Business Credit Survey
The Federal Reserve’s 2026 Small Business Credit Survey is now open, and the NYC Department of Small Business Services is a partner in this effort.
Your voice shapes the policies and programs that affect your business. Owners and key financial decisionmakers of for-profit businesses, share your recent operational and financial experiences, whether and how you use debt, and more. Answers to these questions contribute to data that directly inform the Fed, federal government agencies, service providers, policymakers, and others – a public good ultimately benefiting your business and others like yours.
The survey is open to businesses currently in operation, those recently closed, and those about to launch. All responses are confidential. The survey closes Friday, November 13. Take the survey here.
West Side Shred Day
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal is hosting West Side Shred Day on Sunday, November 15, from 10:00am to 2:00pm outside her District Office at 230 West 72nd Street, between West End Avenue and Broadway.
Free Food Safety Workshops for Restaurants
The NYC Health Department is offering free food safety workshops to help restaurant owners and operators improve food safety practices and achieve an A grade on inspections. Learn about inspection requirements, daily self-inspections, and resources to help avoid violations. A virtual workshop will be held on Tuesday, November 17. All sessions run from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
Register for the workshops here. For questions or accommodations, call 212-676-1600 or email infobfscs@health.nyc.gov.
Volunteer with DOROT – Connect with an Older Adult for Thanksgiving
On Sunday, November 22, DOROT is inviting volunteers to bring warmth to older adult neighbors by delivering a Thanksgiving meal and sharing an in-person or phone visit. Volunteers check in, pick up a package, deliver it to a DOROT older adult participant, and spend time connecting with them.
To learn more and register, visit DOROT’s website.
Learn About WE NYC
Women Entrepreneurs NYC (WE NYC) is an initiative based out of the NYC Department of Small Business Services that is dedicated to helping women start and grow their businesses. Explore all of WE NYC’s upcoming events and webinars here.
Know Before You Hire: Verify Your Contractor Before Starting a Project
Before hiring a contractor, the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) encourages property owners to verify credentials, registration status, and the permit requirements of their project. Unpermitted work can lead to safety risks, violations, fines, and delays, and hiring a qualified contractor helps protect your investment.
DOB maintains a Contractor Watch List of contractors who have performed work without the required permits. Checking it before you hire helps you make an informed decision and avoid costly violations.
Three Easy Steps
- Verify: Check your contractor’s status on DOB’s Contractor Watch List.
- Confirm: Confirm the permit requirements and contractor credentials before work begins. You can check contractor and permit information through the DOB NOW Public Portal.
- Hire: Hire a licensed contractor and build your project with confidence.
Penalties for work without a permit can be significant. For commercial and 3+ family buildings, DOB civil penalties range from $6,000 to $15,000, with ECB summons fines of $2,500 to $25,000. Penalties are subject to change, and additional violations, Stop Work Orders, and other enforcement actions may also apply.
To view the Contractor Watch List and learn how to verify your construction professional, visit the DOB Construction Safety Compliance page.
New Year’s Eve All Night Liquor License Permit Deadline
Monday, November 16, is the deadline to apply for a permit to serve alcohol on New Year’s Eve beyond your standard hours.
Current license holders who wish to stay open later on New Year’s Eve should log into their NYS Liquor Authority account now to apply.
Commercial Waste Zones Rollout
The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is rolling out Commercial Waste Zones across the city. Businesses in each zone must sign a contract with an authorized private waste hauler during their zone’s implementation period. Businesses in Brooklyn North and Upper Manhattan must sign up by Monday, November 30, or DSNY will assign them a carter at the maximum allowable rate. The West Side rollout is next year, but it’s never too early to plan.
Qualifying nonprofits in tax-exempt buildings may request free DSNY collection services, while certain licensed professionals operating in residential buildings may qualify for fee-based collection. Learn more about the Commercial Waste Zones rollout schedule, collection services for nonprofits, and fee-based collection for professional offices.
Alerts from Council Member Gale Brewer
Council Member Gale A. Brewer is hosting a dog licensing and mobile pet adoption event with Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on Sunday, November 15, from 12:00pm to 4:00pm at her District Office, 563 Columbus Avenue (at West 87th Street).
ACC will have cats and dogs available for adoption, while DOHMH representatives will help dog owners with new licenses and renewals. Dog licensing is required by NYC law and helps reunite lost pets with their owners, provides access to designated dog runs for eligible dogs, and supports animal welfare programs.
Licensing Fees
- Spayed/neutered dogs: $8.50 per year
- Unspayed/unneutered dogs over four months: $34 per year
- Unspayed/unneutered dogs under four months: $8.50 for the first year
What to Bring
- Current rabies vaccination certificate or veterinary record
- Proof of spaying/neutering to qualify for the reduced fee
- Existing license number for renewals, if available
Please note that cash will not be accepted. Dogs do not need to be present for licensing or renewals.
Share Your Idea for How to Spend $1 Million in District 6
Participatory budgeting (PB) is underway for this year, and we want to hear from you. PB allows residents of District 6 to decide how to spend $1 million on capital projects across our community each year. The process begins with members of the public proposing projects and ends with constituents voting on which options they want funded. We are currently working hard to gather project ideas from our constituents.
Please submit your idea online by Thursday, December 31.
Have Old City Debt from a Dirty/Unshoveled Sidewalk or Building Code Violation?
Don’t miss your chance to save money with NYC’s Debt Demolisher program. For a limited time, New Yorkers and businesses can resolve eligible Environmental Control Board (ECB) judgments at a reduced cost. Learn more and check your eligibility here, or call 311.
Year-Round Roadway Dining
New York City Council passed legislation allowing year-round roadway dining. Applications opened in early September 2026. New applicants can choose a year-round license with higher fees. Existing participants may upgrade their existing license or application by paying an additional fee. To learn more, click here.
NYC DOT Offers Funding for Off-Hour Deliveries
The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) is offering funding to businesses through its Off-Hour Delivery Incentive Program to encourage deliveries between
7:00pm and 6:00am. Funded through the Central Business District Tolling Program Mitigation funding, the initiative aims to reduce daytime traffic congestion and double-parking while improving traffic safety and protecting the environment. Businesses interested in shifting deliveries to off-peak hours can learn more and apply at ohdnyc.com. For additional information, view the program fact sheet.
Land Use Lookup Tool
The NYC Department of City Planning has introduced a Land Use Lookup Tool that lets users search by zoning district to find permitted uses or search by use to identify which zoning districts allow it. Watch this overview video to learn more.
For questions, contact Michael Carper at MCarper@planning.nyc.gov or Carolyn Grossman Meagher at CGROSSMAN@planning.nyc.gov.
Deadline to Install Natural Gas Alarms is January 1, 2027
On or before Friday, January 1, property owners must provide and install natural gas alarms in accordance with Section 908.13 of the New York City Building Code and relevant Department rules.
For additional information, review the Natural Gas Detection Devices FAQs and refer to 1 RCNY §908-02 and 1 RCNY 3616-06 for relevant standards regarding the installation and location of natural gas alarms. For assistance, please send inquiries to LL102of2025@buildings.nyc.gov.
