Dear New Yorker,

The holiday season has begun, and nobody celebrates it quite like New York City!

Mayor Adams announced the transformation of Fifth Avenue from 48th Street to 57th Street into an Open Street forthree Sundays in December. This will ease crowding, facilitate access to the iconic holiday window displays and create a more pleasant holiday environment for New Yorkers and visitors, which enhancing public safety for all.

We encourage New Yorkers to shop small and support local businesses! For every $3 spent at a local small business, $2 stays in the community. New York City is home to the largest number of independent bookstores in the country! Support your local bookstores this holiday season and beyond.

On December 1st, New York City reflected on World AIDS Day with both a heavy heart for the lives lost and hope for the future from the progress made. United, New Yorkers gathered in remembrance to honor those lost to the epidemic while supporting those living with HIV/AIDS.

For the latest updates, please follow CAU on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out the Mayor’s ‘Week In Review’ video below!

All the best,

Fred Kreizman

Commissioner, Community Affairs Unit

Key Updates:

Need assistance on your latest construction project?

Now small business owners and entrepreneurs can use the Small Business Help Form to get one-on-one guidance on planned or ongoing construction projects, including inspections, permits, and general advice. DOB’s new Small Business Support Team (SBST) will handle the inquiries and project applications coming from our City’s small business community. Whether opening a new place of business or renovating an existing one, owners and entrepreneurs can get the dedicated support they need.

Contact SBST through the Small Business Help Form to get your project to completion and your business up and running faster. For additional resources and support, contact the NYC Department of Small Business Services’ NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST).

We invite you to join us for the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, a global rallying cry for the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence (GBV). The campaign began on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10, Human Rights Day.

There are several ways you can get involved in the campaign:

1. Mobilize your staff and community to wear orange and post on social media using the hashtags: #NYCAgainstGBV and #OrangeTheWorld.
2. Host an in-person or virtual activity or event about GBV.
3. Submit events via the campaign website here!
4. Use and share widely with your networks the campaign website, calendar, toolkit, and flyer.
5. Attend and amplify community and agency partners’ public events.
6. Amplify the City’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence social media campaign.

Awareness, engagement, and participation are key tools to prevent GBV and support survivors. We hope you can join us in this effort to create a safer city for all New Yorkers.

If you have any questions, please contact CGE Policy and Program Analyst Sarah Milner-Barry (smilner@cityhall.nyc.gov) or ENDGBV Executive Director of Outreach, Tesa Arózqueta (tarozqueta@endgbv.nyc.gov).

We Need You! Now Hiring Emergency Snow Laborers 2022-2023 Season

The New York City Department of Sanitation has announced that registration is now open for those interested in working as Emergency Snow Laborers for the 2022-2023 winter season. Emergency Snow Laborers are per-diem workers who remove snow and ice from bus stops, crosswalks, fire hydrants and step streets after heavy snowfalls. Snow Laborers earn $17 per hour to start, and $25.50 per hour after 40 hours are worked in a week.

Snow laborers must be at least 18 years of age, be eligible to work in the United States, and capable of performing heavy physical labor. Additionally, candidates must be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. All applicants must bring the following items at the time of registration:

• Two small photos (1 ½ square)
• Original and copy of two forms of identification
• Social Security card
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination

Those interested in becoming a Snow Laborer must register for an application appointment at nyc.gov/snow. Registration appointments take place at the Department’s 59 garages. Applicants should not attend the appointment if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.

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