The number of vacant storefronts has doubled since the start of the pandemic as businesses struggle to make ends meet. The loss of institutions like Absolute Bagels lowers the quality of life for everyone. Edafe will support the Small Business Jobs Survival Act, which would stabilize rents for locally owned small businesses and help them to compete with big box stores. 

Caps on street vendor permits dating back to the 1980s have led to a backlog of 10,000 applicants, leading to many vendors operating illegally. By processing more street vendor permits, we can improve consumer protection while also preventing the largely immigrant workforce from being criminalized–and while generating revenue for the city. 

New York City has set a goal of producing 1,000 megawatts of solar electricity by 2050. And over the next five years, many building owners will face increasingly stringent carbon footprint requirements from the city. By funding Public Solar NYC, the city can help small and medium sized building owners finance, permit, and install solar arrays on their buildings, leading to 600 megawatts of new solar power over 8 years.