New York City bodegas can apply to get high-level security equipment installed in their stores beginning on the first of next month.
New York Assemblymember Amanda Septimo announced a million-dollar fund for bodegas in the Bronx, Harlem and Washington Heights.
The pilot program will cover high-resolution cameras and panic buttons.
Grants are reportedly being released on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Fox 5 New York.
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"We will fund physical security upgrades, like cameras and panic buttons, in bodegas throughout these areas because we know that bodegas are important community anchors and deserve to feel safe," Septimo told Fox Business Digital in an email on Tuesday morning.
Speaking with Gothamist, Septimo explained that total equipment and installation costs are estimated to average around $3,000 per bodega.
After that, the stores' owners would pay monthly system costs.
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If the program is successful, the goal is to expand citywide.
"This small business security initiative is essential because it comes to serve small businesses during a time when bodegueros are victims of crime and lack of consequences around the city," Francisco Marte, president and founder of the Bodega and Small Business Group, said in a release. The organization is a partner in the initiative.
The Small Business Security Initiative is funded by the Bronx Community Foundation.
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"In this moment where New York is grappling with public safety concerns, we are proud to step up and support our small businesses in the effort to keep themselves, their employees, and our community members safe," Septimo wrote to Fox Business Digital.
