Elizabeth Adams Testimony: Transportation Alternatives

This was a bright spot during the pandemic.

But this year so far, only 3,400 restaurants even bothered to apply, and just 60 permits have been approved.

This is nothing short of shocking.

New Yorkers love outdoor dining, from sidewalk cafes to eating on rooftops and parks.

It is a New York City staple.

It is what makes us who we are, and why the open restaurants program was instantly popular.

The benefits out of outdoor dining are clear.

Using a parking space for dining can raise revenue by 75%.

And open streets with outdoor dining have more businesses on the street now than before the pandemic because they make our neighborhoods more vibrant.

Outdoor dining has created thousands of jobs, benefited small businesses, and made our streets lively, active, and engaging.

But because of challenges like seasonal restrictions and lack of investment, businesses are not applying and they're not being approved.

The chairs raised the issue of equity earlier that I wanted to speak to.

And the truth is that during the pandemic, outdoor dining was actually more equitable than it is today.

Open restaurants brought outdoor seating to 17 neighborhoods that did not have any pre-COVID dining, and it allowed communities of color to double their share of establishments to 41% from 20%.

But that is far what is happening, far from what is happening today.

And a major reason is that the program is now seasonal, which creates huge costs and unrealistic expectations for businesses.

It is prohibitive to smaller restaurants who often don't have the resources to build new structures each year or so materials during the off months, which you heard about from restaurant owners earlier.

And the result is what we expected.

The program is diminished, and the concern is that outdoor dining will now be concentrated in wealthier neighborhoods.

I have to say to DOT earlier saying that this program is working well and everything's fine.

Everyone walking around, anyone walking around the city knows that that is simply not true.

Almost all the outdoor dining restaurants, all the outdoor restaurants in my neighborhood are gone.

They've shut down.

Uh and that's the case.

So your time has expired.

We should be doing what we can to return public space to New Yorkers.

Thank you.

Thank you, Elizabeth.

I think Councilmember Palladino had questions.

Good afternoon, Elizabeth.

How are you?