New York City is suffering a retail catastrophe, with 11.2% of storefronts empty — nearly twice the 6% of 2019. Oswald Feliz is a Democratic member of the City Council representing District 15 in The Bronx and also chairs the Small Business Committee, says the city and state must take action to staunch the bleeding — particularly on the scourge of retail theft.
New Yorkers work hard, and none harder than first-time small-business owners.
These are individuals who spend long days and long nights away from their family, and filled with excitement and pride about owning their own shop.
They toil not only to achieve economic stability, but also to open new doors and opportunities for their children.
How disheartening, then, is it for them to see shoplifters destroying their life’s work, knowing that they can get away with theft again and again?
Would you feel comfortable opening a business in a community facing this challenge?
Would it even be possible for a business to stay afloat under these circumstances?
There must be deterrence and accountability for individuals who profit by vandalizing the hard work of small-business owners and harm our small-business corridors.
Not a poor problem
These aren’t poor people desperate for food and money.
We must sympathize and treat with compassion those that, for example, engage in theft because they are hungry.
I’ve spoken with countless bodega and small-restaurant owners and they’ve consistently stated they would never deny basic necessities to someone in that position.
Many of these small-business owners have faced economic instability before and know what struggle looks like.
But the real and escalating threat is the small number of individuals who engage in theft because they know they can get away with it.
Those that enter bodegas and retail stores, and walk away with all of the high-ticket items, which they then resell.
When I meet with small business owners in my area — and I represent Fordham Road, the busiest corridor in The Bronx, along with Arthur Avenue and East Tremont, lifebloods of the community — the No. 1 issue is retail theft.
Politicians who say bills that have decriminalized shoplifting are not an issue and the problems are being exaggerated are in denial.
Before you know it, we have streets full of “going out of business” signs. It hurts the business owners, but it also hurts the customers and the neighborhoods and the social fabric of the entire city.
Vandalizing hard work
We cannot accept a system where individuals are allowed to vandalize their hard work — and make a profit by doing so.
The issue of burglaries also deserves attention.
In February, a bodega in the Bronx was broken into, and the owner lost over $100,000 in cash.
Just imagine how many days and months that owner spent away from his family to save up that amount?
Just think about the plans and dreams he had with those funds — including potentially expanding his business.
And then, from one second to the next, his savings are gone.
That is unacceptable.
Recently, I introduced the Small Business Protection Act, to provide grants that would help small businesses cover security-related expenses such as cameras, plexiglass, and alarms, to help deter unlawful conduct.
I’m also grateful that Governor Hochul has made the matter a priority, and has taken new measures at the state level to protect retail businesses and workers.
The benefits that small businesses bring to our communities are countless.
We must stand up for them now, before those empty storefronts become a blight we cannot stop.