Title: The Impact of Excessive Rent Increases on Queens’ Small Businesses
Introduction:
Queens, a vibrant borough in New York City, is home to numerous small businesses that form the core of its communities. However, these businesses are facing significant challenges due to excessive rent increases. This article delves into the experiences and concerns of small business owners in Queens, highlighting the need for commercial rent stabilization and advocating for the passage of Intro 93, which aims to establish rules that protect the small business community.
Section 1: The Current State of Small Businesses in Queens
– Diversity Plaza and its significance as a gathering place for small business owners and advocates in Queens.
– The impact of doubling and tripling rent on small businesses, leading to closures and gentrification.
– State Senator Jessica Ramos emphasizes the importance of supporting local businesses and their struggle with rising rents.
– The need for business rent stabilization to ease the burden on entrepreneurs and promote economic growth.
Section 2: The Call for Commercial Rent Stabilization
– Council Member Shekar Krishnan expresses solidarity with immigrant-owned small businesses and the need for fair and stable environments.
– Small businesses and nonprofits in Queens supporting those affected by the pandemic and struggling with inflation and rent debts.
– Testimonials from small business owners, including Sonia Kaur from Jackson Heights, illustrate the impact of rent increases on their businesses.
– Tsering Sherpa, owner of Pema Nails in Astoria, highlights the uncertainty faced by small business owners due to unpredictable rent increases.
Section 3: The Consequences of High Commercial Rents
– Jenny Dabnau from the Western Queens Community Land Trust discusses the role of exorbitant commercial rents in gentrification and displacement.
– The loss of beloved local businesses, job opportunities, and cultural workplaces due to chain stores and empty storefronts.
– The need for a commercial rent stabilization model to protect the aspirations of immigrant entrepreneurs and preserve the vitality of neighborhoods.
Section 4: The Importance of Passing Intro 93
– Highlighting the potential benefits of Intro 93 in establishing commercial rent stabilization rules.
– Exploring examples from other cities where similar rent stabilization measures have been implemented successfully.
– Discussing the impact of stabilized rents on local economies, job creation, and the ability of small businesses to thrive.
Section 5: Expanding Perspectives: Exploring Solutions Beyond Rent Stabilization
– Analyzing other strategies that could support small businesses, such as tax incentives, mentorship programs, and partnerships with larger businesses.
– Examining the role of community involvement and support in sustaining local businesses.
– Showcasing success stories of small businesses that have overcome challenges and found innovative ways to thrive despite rising rents.
Section 6: Conclusion and Call to Action
– Reinforcing the urgent need for action to address the challenges faced by small businesses in Queens.
– Encouraging readers to support the passage of Intro 93 and advocate for the implementation of commercial rent stabilization rules.
– Emphasizing the importance of small businesses in fostering vibrant neighborhoods, promoting economic growth, and preserving the character of Queens.
Additional Piece:
The Challenges of Starting and Sustaining Small Businesses in Queens
Starting and running a small business is no small feat, especially in a borough like Queens. The article sheds light on the challenges faced by small business owners, such as rising rents, as they strive to establish and grow their enterprises. However, it is crucial to explore the broader context and understand the multifaceted obstacles faced by entrepreneurs in Queens.
1. Economic Landscape and Competition:
– The competitive nature of the business environment in Queens, with an abundance of diverse businesses vying for customers.
– The impact of online retail and e-commerce on brick-and-mortar stores, necessitating innovative strategies to attract and retain customers.
– The role of demographic shifts and changing consumer preferences in shaping the demand for goods and services.
2. Regulatory and Administrative Hurdles:
– Navigating through complex licensing and permit requirements, which can be time-consuming and arduous for small business owners.
– Raising capital and securing financing amidst stringent lending practices and limited access to funding for startups.
– Complying with tax regulations and understanding the intricacies of maintaining accurate financial records.
3. Workforce and Talent Acquisition:
– The challenges of recruiting and retaining skilled employees in a competitive labor market.
– The importance of providing fair wages, benefits, and growth opportunities to attract and retain qualified staff.
– Creating a positive work environment and fostering a strong company culture to promote employee satisfaction and productivity.
4. Market Research and Adaptability:
– Conducting thorough market research to identify gaps and opportunities in the market.
– Adapting to changing consumer trends and preferences to stay relevant and competitive.
– Developing effective marketing strategies and utilizing digital platforms to reach target customers.
Summary:
The article highlights the pressing issue of rising rents on small businesses in Queens, emphasizing the need for commercial rent stabilization. It explores the stories and concerns of small business owners, showcases testimonials, and advocates for the passage of Intro 93. Additionally, the piece delves into the broader challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Queens, exploring the economic landscape, regulatory hurdles, talent acquisition, and the importance of adaptability.
Overall, the article and its additional piece shed light on the struggles faced by small businesses in Queens and the importance of supporting their growth and sustainability. By addressing the challenges of rising rents, implementing commercial rent stabilization measures, and exploring other strategies to support small businesses, Queens can foster a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that contributes to the local economy and community.
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State Senator Jessica Ramos expresses her solidarity with Queens business owners who are burdened by rising rents. (Photo courtesy of Fair Rent NYC)
June 15, 2023 By Bill Parry
Small business owners and advocates from across Queens met with elected officials at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights on June 14 to highlight the challenges excessive rent increases are creating in neighborhoods across the county.
Dealers accused “predatory landlords” of doubling and tripling business rents that have crowded out small businesses and exacerbated gentrification for decades.
“Keeping our local business corridors vibrant with small businesses is good for public safety and it’s good for the economy,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos. “It’s not just working families feeling the pressure of rising rents, small business owners feel it too. The best way to support entrepreneurial New Yorkers is to ease the burden of one of your biggest expenses with business rent stabilization. That money can go back to growing your business and paying living wages to your employees.”
He urged the City Council to pass Intro 93 to finally establish commercial rent stabilization rules that would strengthen the small business community.
“We stand in solidarity with immigrant-owned small businesses, the vibrant heart of our communities, and vehemently oppose any rent increase that threatens their livelihoods,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan. “These companies have already overcome countless obstacles to contribute to our economy, and we must ensure they have a fair and stable environment in which to thrive. Business rent stabilization will protect the aspirations of our immigrant entrepreneurs and the vitality they bring to our neighborhoods.”
The small businesses and nonprofits that gathered at Diversity Plaza said they were there to support New Yorkers who were affected during the worst months of the pandemic and are now struggling even harder to plan for their future with inflation, increases in the minimum wage and the additional disadvantage of returning – rent and other accumulated debts.
“While there is a narrative that the pandemic caused a drop in commercial rents, that is a story focused on office buildings in midtown Manhattan,” said Sonia Kaur, owner of Didi Dukan, a clothing store on 74th Street in Jackson Heights. “That’s not what’s happening in Jackson Heights. Rents keep going up. Since I opened just before the pandemic, my rent has gone up almost 40%. My rent used to be affordable. I paid $6,500 when I opened and now it’s almost $9,000. I don’t know how much the landlord is going to charge me in my next lease. I am worried that I will have to close my business. We need a commercial rent stabilization system or businesses like mine will have to close.”
Tsering Sherpa, who has owned Pema Nails in Astoria for the past 23 years, agreed.
“As a business owner, you should have a predictable rent increase. I shouldn’t have to invest in my business, to comply with the laws, have a safe space for my staff and not know if I’ll be open next year,” Sherpa said. “I have a very small space and I pay $4,050 in rent every month plus $3,500 per year in property taxes for a space I don’t even own. My lease is up next year. My landlord has already been raising my rent.
“I am very anxious about what can happen. My landlord owns the space next door and just two months ago the grocery store had to close because they couldn’t pay the rent they were charging,” Sherpa continued. “I’m afraid my landlord may raise the rent on my nail salon knowing that a Starbucks or drug store will move in and pay my rent if I can’t. Our City Council needs to act now. Pass Intro 93 to build a commercial rent stabilization model.”
Jenny Dabnau of the Western Queens Community Land Trust blamed “inconceivably high” commercial rents for contributing to gentrification and displacement in neighborhoods across the borough.
“We are losing our beloved restaurants, bookstores and hardware stores to chain stores and empty storefronts,” Dabnau said. “And how many local jobs are lost when local businesses are forced to close? Locally owned stores provide local jobs, as do manufacturers and cultural workplaces, which are often located in industrial zones. It is common sense to now approve the Stabilization of Commercial Rents”.
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Small business owners rally against commercial rent hikes at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights
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