The Lower East Side Partnership was fortunate to take New York City’s first Mom & Pop Czar, Delia Awusi, on a walking tour of businesses around the neighborhood. Watch our brief recap, or read on for more details on how Delia advocates for the city’s smallest businesses.
Delia is New York City’s first Mom & Pop Czar, a City Hall advocate dedicated to helping ultra-small businesses navigate city government and get the support they need not only to stay open, but to grow. The role is designed to help reduce the runaround small businesses often face across permits, inspections, fines and other city processes.
During the visit, Delia shared more about NYC BEST, a free service through the NYC Department of Small Business Services that helps owners understand which permits and licenses they need, navigate requirements across City agencies, prepare for inspections and resolve regulatory challenges.
She also highlighted the Commercial Lease Assistance program, which provides eligible small businesses with free legal assistance for negotiating new leases, renewing existing leases and addressing landlord issues.
The Lower East Side is home to incredible mom and pop businesses that give this neighborhood its unique flavor and character. During my walk with the LES, I had the opportunity to meet several business owners and hear firsthand about some of the issues they are facing. These conversations are so important because they help me bring real concerns back to City Hall as we work to make it easier to operate and grow a business in NYC.
— Delia A. Awusi, Mom and Pop Czar
Do you need assistance connecting your LES business to the right city services? Reach out to us via email at ops@les.nyc, or reach out directly to Delia via direct message at @momandpopczar.daa on Instagram.