Council committees hear bills to help small businesses comply with accessibility laws

A joint hearing of the New York City Council committees on Small Business and Civil and Human Rights examined three bills intended to help small businesses meet federal and local disability-access requirements.

The bills under consideration would: create a city-administered fund to underwrite storefront accessibility projects for qualifying small businesses (Intro 2-82); require the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to provide training and information on workplace accessibility and inclusion (Intro 6-39); and expand the city—s legal-services program to offer individualized, free legal help through a designated organization for small business tenants on compliance with federal, state and city accessibility laws (Intro 12-60).

Why it matters: Council members and business groups said the combination of building costs, confusing overlapping rules and what some described as predatory litigation leaves many small enterprises unable to afford compliance. Councilmember Julie Menon said the fund proposed in Intro 2-82 would allow a mayoral-designated agency —to create a fund of loans or grants— and would set a timeline of —at most 90 days for applications to be reviewed— and provide —funds of up to $250,000 per storefront to be dispersed.

Administration testimony and data: Joanne Grama Ford, deputy commissioner…