A 17-year-old law is about to go into effect in New York City — and small business owners aren’t happy.
In 2009, the New York City Council amended a law to restrict what types of storefront gates small business owners could use (1). The law requires gates to be transparent, with “at least 70%” visibility for the area the gate covers.
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But many small business owners say they didn’t know about the bill until now, and they won’t be able to afford to make the swap in time. Here’s what to know about enforcing this storefront gate law and how it affects New York businesses.
Why this law is a burden to small business owners
Because of the expense associated with replacing a storefront gate, council members gave business owners until July 1, 2026 to make the required changes.
“The typical gate, with regular maintenance, lasts anywhere from 10 to 15 years,” says Jeffrey Haberman, a lawyer for the City council (2). “Most businesses that have roll-down gates now will have replaced their gates over the normal course of business by 2026.”…