JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
This pandemic has not only affected our health and well-being, it also led us into a financial crisis and impacted our economic development. There is no other way to say it — we are living through an economic pandemic, causing a crisis rivaled only by the Great Depression nearly a century ago.
Nine straight months of double-digit unemployment in Queens, peaking at over twenty-one percent last summer.
Hundreds of small businesses, the heartbeats of our communities, closed, many of them women- and minority-owned. Thousands more only survive on the margins — each week bringing new challenges and new threats to their very existence.
To support small business, immediate assistance for our vast network of entrepreneurs, especially those who have been overlooked and underserved for generations.
As Borough President, I have a five point plan to support small businesses and create jobs in Queens. This includes:
Virtual guides on navigating the maze that is securing PPP loans.
Educational workshops on starting a business and creating jobs in our communities
Town halls with the New York City Department of Small Business Services, connecting Queens’ businesses with the tools they need to not just survive but thrive.
An ombudsman in my office to oversee the quality of our recovery and rebuild.
A Director for Nonprofit Opportunities to help our community- based organizations build their infrastructure for new funding opportunities and resources both from the public and private sectors
In my short time as Borough President, I’ve heard from so many who are struggling to get by. I’ve heard so many stories of pain, but also of optimism. Optimism for a post-pandemic Queens where you don’t need to jump through hoops to start or grow a business. So let’s get to work.