MERCHANTS SEEK HELP

Rep. Nydia Velázquez (standing) was among the guest speakers at the June 29 Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) meeting. Seated behind her are BID directors Theodore Renz (left) and Herman Hochberg. Programs aimed at boosting small business owners that have been negatively affected by the recent economic downturn were explained by Rep. Nydia Velázquez during her appearance at the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District’s (BID) 23rd annual meeting last Wednesday night, June 29, at Amalgamated Savings Bank’s Ridgewood branch.

Velazquez stated that she would fight to allow local shopkeepers to thrive by promoting the Economic Recovery Act (ERA), which has unlocked $21 billion in new lending and investment opportunities.

The bill, she detailed, incentivizes banks to lend through the elimination of fees on Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and by raising the portion of the loan that the SBA can guarantee.

“Without you we cannot get this economy back on track, and what you do best is create jobs,” Velázquez told local merchants in attendance. “We told banks the more they lend to credit worthy businesses, the rate they’ll pay back will be lower if they prove that they have given more loans to small businesses.”

The congresswoman recommended that BID stakeholders put together a solid business plan prior to applying for a loan. She mentioned LaGuardia Community and York colleges as two examples of institutions that would provide them with technical assistance if they needed help putting together an acceptable proposal.

To that end, Velázquez mentioned that local businesses are eligible to receive small scale advances of $50,000 and large loans of up to $10 million.

Financial aid given to a kitchen design center in Red Hook and other locations throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan has reportedly resulted in 50,000 new jobs, but the congresswoman conceded that she has “a long way to go” in order to reach her goal of creating 150,000 new occupational opportunities.

On a positive note, Velázquez communicated that the unemployment rate in the five boroughs has steadily declined in recent months from 10.5 to 8.6 percent, which puts New York City in better shape than the rest of the United States.

The congresswoman noted that 44 percent of local commercial businesses are owned by foreigners, but she advised BID members to be innovative and attract younger generations of residents entering the communities of Bushwick, Ridgewood and Williamsburg.

“Consumer spending is down, but I believe in the next few months the picture will get better. If you have any ideas, let us know. We are here to work with you. I am your voice,” said Velázquez.

BID Chairperson Herman Hochberg shared the elected official’s enthusiasm by declaring Ridgewood as “the next hot spot” and stating that what the commercial zone truly needs is a the right mix of young people and visionaries for future success.

Hochberg, the proprietor of Queens Wines and Liquors, informed his fellow store owners that they are getting “the best bang for their buck” for the dollar a day they pay in dues as members of the local BID, which extends from Fresh Pond Road to Wyckoff Avenue. The fees, he said, go toward security, sanitation, beautification and the installation of holiday lights.

Top cop tackles safety

Capt. Michael Cody, the commanding officer of the 104th Precinct, singled out Venditti Square, located at the intersection of Myrtle and St. Nicholas avenues, as a frequent source of community complaints. To alleviate the problem, the precinct has set up a command post with officers inside an NYPD truck in the area of Myrtle and Cypress avenues to monitor the commercial district.

On the issue of skateboarders who interfere with pedestrian traffic in the aforementioned square, BID Executive Director Theodore Renz told the crowd that a professional welder would make modifications to prevent teens from performing dangerous maneuvers on their skate boards on benches at the location.

In response to a suggestion on the part of a property owner to add more surveillance along the shopping strip, Cody agreed with the complainant by confirming that video cameras do reduce crime. The captain promised that his command is recording all types of outdoor activity behind the scenes at unspecified locations.

When addressing homeless people loitering along the BID, the precinct spokesperson noted that his officers are trained to offer the vagabonds counseling and other services if they haven’t committed a crime. But upon being approached, these individuals will routinely get up off their benches and leave the neighborhood, reported Cody.