Media Advisory:
Bronx Merchants Unite to Emphasize Need for Rent Relief in State Budget
Small Businesses and Their Allies Call for Commercial Rent Relief
Fordham, Bronx, N.Y. – On Thursday, March 25, 2021, small businesses from the Burnside Jerome Tremont Merchant Association, Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation, and other community groups will hold a rally holding a rally calling on New York state legislators to include commercial rent relief for small businesses in this year’s state budget.
In the past year, local groups in the Bronx and across New York State have been hearing from business owners that the biggest concern for their business’s survival is the ability to pay their rent. The Bronx has had some of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the city, especially in communities of color and immigrant communities. Business owners who have faced drastic decline in their revenues have been disappointed by the difficulty of securing working capital to stay afloat.
On the 25th, businesses fearing closure due to rent burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic will be sharing their experiences and what is at stake for them if the State does not take action. Legislative budget proposals currently allocate $1 billion for small business grants and rent relief; business owners want to ensure that this level of support ends up in the final budget and that the aid is easy for business owners to apply for and access, as well as being targeted to the most vulnerable.
WHAT: RALLY & PRESS CONFERENCE FOR COMMERCIAL RENT RELIEF
WHEN: THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021, 11:00 AM
WHERE: 5W Burnside Ave (corner of Burnside and Jerome Avenue), Bronx 10453
WHO:
United for Small Business NYC
Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation
Burnside Jerome Tremont Merchant Association (BJT Bronx)
NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives
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