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CURE Initiative

Coordinating a United Resolution with Establishments (CURE)

Since the establishment of the NYC Office of Nightlife (ONL), numerous voices across the nightlife community have said that the Multi-Agency Response to Community Hotspots (MARCH) operations initiated during the 1990s had not been effective at solving problems.Under the former MARCH program, nightlife establishments (bars, restaurants, music venues, and dance clubs) faced unannounced, nighttime, multi-agency inspections led by the New York Police Department (NYPD), and supported by a broad array of inspectors. In December 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced a new procedure to address issues and incidents at nightlife establishments and replace MARCH operations.

The new initiative, CURE (Coordinating a United Resolution with Establishments), requires city regulatory agencies, such as NYPD, Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and Departments of Buildings (DOB), Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and Environmental Protection (DEP), to engage with the NYC Office of Nightlife (ONL) at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) before taking enforcement actions. ONL serves as a liaison between the nightlife industry, residents, and city agencies.

Learn More About the CURE Initiative

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Goal

The goal of CURE is to inform businesses about community concerns, complaints, and potential violations. By educating venue owners on how to address these issues, ONL helps them develop solutions and provides multiple opportunities to resolve problems in partnership with city agencies. Businesses are also warned about potential additional multi-agency enforcement actions if improvements are not made. This approach helps businesses avoid unnecessary fines, violations, or liquor license suspensions or revocations.

CURE ensures that only venues which have shown a clear and intentional disregard for community concerns — by failing to cooperate with agency inspectors and ONL non-enforcement personnel it can and will lead to enforcement.

Process

CURE requires a series of steps to be taken in coordination with ONL before multi-agency inspections or additional referrals can be implemented. These steps may include:

  • One-on-one business support and case management
  • In-person prearranged daytime or nighttime visits at establishment with venue personnel
  • Written documentation of incidents of concern
  • In-person meetings between business owners, ONL, and officials from other agencies either at local precinct of concern or venue

As part of the procedure, agencies will not initiate city or state interagency inspections outside of the CURE process. Only agencies relevant to issues observed at CURE-involved establishments may be included in joint inspection operations, and only on an as-needed basis.

This procedure does not limit NYPD from any necessary real-time response to address immediate public safety concerns. Additionally, agencies that have previously participated in MARCH operations, such as the FDNY, DOB, DOHMH, DEP, and New York State Liquor Authority (SLA), will continue to conduct their regular course of business, independent compliance inspections to ensure safety.

City law also requires that nightlife establishments must receive written notification at least 30 days prior to any CURE inspection, unless such notice would “compromise an active criminal investigation” or would pose a “serious risk…to health and safety.”

Information for Nightlife Establishments

Common reasons ONL may contact your venue include:

  • compliance issues with licensing and permits
  • noise complaints
  • safety and security protocols
  • health and sanitation standards
  • other regulatory matters affecting your operations

We will discuss these issues, provide recommendations, explore ways to mitigate them, and share information about available city resources, additional training, programs, and initiatives to enhance safety and compliance at your venue. By following our recommendations, venues can improve safety, strengthen community relations, and maintain compliance.

However, it is important to note that failure to address any issues or resources of incidents even after taking steps to improve conditions at your location can still result in actions being taken by various enforcement agencies.

If you are a business owner and have received a 30-day notice that an inspection may be conducted at your establishment, please contact the NYC Office of Nightlife by email or call (917) 273-0065.

Mediating Establishment and Neighbor Disputes (MEND NYC)

For issues involving disputes with residential neighbors, ONL and the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)’s Center for Creative Conflict Resolution offer free mediation for nightlife venues and their neighbors through Mediating Establishment and Neighborhood Disputes (MEND NYC).

Request MEND Mediation

Reports

ONL will continue to compile and release semi-annual reports on inspections that result from the CURE procedure. The data in these reports are available in machine-readable format as required by Charter section 20-d(e)(2), and may be downloaded here.

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CURE Request Form for Agencies

If you are an NYPD officer or regulatory agency official, please request CURE form by calling us at (917) 273-0065.