By Leslie Boghosian Murphy (candidate in the April 28 NYC Council District 3 Special Election) | Walk down Eighth or Ninth Avenue any morning, and you’ll find the heart of Chelsea: It’s the diner that’s been serving neighbors for decades; the bodega that never closes; the gallery where emerging artists get their first shot. These places aren’t just businesses–they’re the threads that hold our neighborhood together.

But those threads are fraying.

Chelsea has always been a vibrant neighborhood of contrasts: Historic brownstones beside new developments, long‑time residents alongside newcomers, and independent shops next to bigger brand stores. Yet in recent years, the balance has tipped. Rising commercial rents, corporate competition, and the economic aftershocks of the pandemic have pushed many beloved local businesses to, even past, the brink.

While many of Chelsea’s small businesses have survived recessions, rent spikes, and a pandemic that nearly hollowed out entire corridors, many are still struggling. The weight of rising commercial rents, neighboring empty storefronts, and competition from national chains that can absorb losses local owners simply can’t are challenges that are difficult to overcome. When a small business closes in Chelsea, we don’t just lose a storefront, we lose a gathering place, a familiar face, a piece of our shared story. These businesses are economic engines, cultural anchors, and community stabilizers. They give Chelsea its texture, its warmth, its sense of belonging. And once they’re gone, they rarely come back.

And this is where local leadership matters.

It starts with recognizing that small businesses need structural support–that means exploring policies that help stabilize commercial rents, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and provide real relief for independent shops trying to stay afloat. As a Council Member, I will help create the conditions that allow small businesses to thrive. 

A thriving small‑business ecosystem doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by supporting programs that help small businesses access grants, legal assistance, and technical support so independent shops have the same tools larger corporations take for granted. I will work with building owners to encourage long‑term leases and fairer terms that keep storefronts occupied instead of sitting empty for years. I also believe in rethinking how we use our ground‑floor spaces. Chelsea has room for innovation: pop‑ups, cooperatives, shared retail spaces, and community‑driven models that give local entrepreneurs a foothold. With thoughtful planning, we can ensure that new development includes space for small businesses, not just box chains.

Before leaving Albany, NYS Senator  Brad Holyman-Sigal targeted the current Commercial Rent Tax (CRT), a relic that punishes businesses south of 96th Street. The CRT was introduced in the 1960s when Manhattan’s commercial real estate market was booming and policymakers wanted to capture revenue from large corporate tenants. But the landscape has changed and our political approach must change with it. Currently, the CRT adds approximately 3.9% on top of rent, hitting those with slim profit margins the hardest. Ironically, the CRT contradicts the city’s stated goals–supporting small businesses, reducing storefront vacancies, and encouraging entrepreneurship. I support ending the CRT and replacing it with a modern approach to commercial policy that reflects the realities of today’s economy.

But policy is only part of the story. We need a cultural shift, one that values the businesses that make Chelsea feel like Chelsea. That starts with us choosing to support them. It starts with leadership that listens to owners, understands their challenges, and fights for their future. But it also means something simpler: Showing up.

I will be the first to admit, it’s sometimes tough to choose the neighborhood bookstore over the online giant when I am looking for the perfect gift from the comfort of my home or grabbing lunch from the corner deli instead of a chain. These choices matter. They add up. They keep the lights on.

There are practical steps, achievable, measurable, and rooted in the belief that Chelsea’s future should be shaped by the people who live and work here right now. With thoughtful policy and steady leadership, we can build a neighborhood where small businesses have the stability they need to grow, where storefronts stay active and vibrant, and where the character of Chelsea remains grounded in history and community, not corporate sameness.

Chelsea’s small businesses have always been there for us. Now it’s our turn to be there for them.

NOTE: The views expressed by our Guest Opinion writers are not necessarily those of Chelsea Community News.

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