Mayor Eric Adams announces the launch of CURE at a news conference | Photo via Ethnic & Community Media
NEW YORK – To improve public safety responses to nightlife establishments and more equitably engage with nightlife business owners, the “Multi-Agency Response to Community Hotspots” (MARCH), which dates back to the 1990s, is being replaced by “Coordinating a United Resolution with Establishments” (CURE), Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday during a news conference.
CURE is a new approach that focuses on communication with business owners. It requires local NYPD precincts, along with the city Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and the New York City Office of Nightlife (ONL), to communicate directly with business owners and managers about any potential violations, giving them several chances to fix the issues before conducting an inspection.
The Adams administration said the transformative, engagement-first approach augments the impact of other successful initiatives that it has launched, such as the Small Business Forward, that save small businesses time and money while upholding public safety and health standards.
Under the former MARCH program, an initiative launched by the Giuliani administration, nightlife establishments — which include bars, restaurants, music venues, and dance clubs — could have faced unannounced, nighttime, multi-agency inspections led by the NYPD, and supported by a broad array of inspectors from the Fire Department of the City of New York, the New York City Departments of Buildings (DOB), the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA).
Since 2020, 44 MARCH operations have included an average of 17 inspectors, resulting in significant disruptions for local businesses and patrons. Just two MARCH inspections have been conducted since July 1, 2022.
“Today, we are changing the way we engage with nightlife establishments by opening direct lines of communication with local businesses and giving them a chance to correct issues before enforcement takes place,” Adams said. “New York City is the nightlife capital of the world, and this new initiative will help us protect public safety, ensure better quality of life, and keep business doors open for all to enjoy.”
According to the administration, CURE ensures that the only venues subject to significant enforcement action have demonstrated an apparent and intentional disregard for community concerns by failing to heed multiple opportunities for cooperation with the NYPD and non-enforcement personnel at ONL. The new initiative requires steps to be taken at the precinct level in coordination with ONL before inspections can be approved by the NYPD’s Patrol Services Bureau, including in-person daytime visits, written documentation of incidents of concern, and in-person meetings between business owners and local precinct officials.
“CURE is clear — it is a transformative moment for the nightlife community, and I am proud that the Office of Nightlife will be able to help even more with this new engagement-first approach. Public safety extends beyond law enforcement,” said ONL Executive Director Jeffrey Garcia. “A thriving nightlife industry keeps the lights on, with more eyes on the street. Most importantly, without worrying about unannounced multi-agency enforcement, nightlife venues will be set up to succeed and able to focus on what they do best: run their businesses and create more jobs.”
In cases involving complaints from local residents, ONL’s Mediating Establishment and Neighborhood Disputes NYC free mediation program will be engaged to help improve neighborhood relations through the support of neutral, third-party mediation. The program is administered in partnership with the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
NYPD will not initiate city or state interagency inspections outside the new CURE process as part of the new procedure. Only agencies relevant to issues observed at CURE-involved establishments may be included in joint-inspection operations with the NYPD, and only on an “as-needed” basis.
The procedure does not limit NYPD from any necessary real-time response to address immediate public safety concerns. In addition, agencies that have previously participated in MARCH operations, such as the FDNY, DOB, DOHMH, DEP, and SLA, will maintain their regular independent inspection processes to maintain compliance and ensure safety.
“Mayor Adams made it clear on day one: small businesses will drive our city’s economic recovery,” said SBS Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “I’m thrilled to see ONL’s years of hard work culminate in this announcement. This engagement-first approach in solving issues between nightlife establishments and the community will help more bars, restaurants, and nightclubs thrive while maintaining public safety. CURE is another promise fulfilled on the road to making New York City’ City of Yes’ for all small businesses.”
–-With Ricky Rillera/PDM
