Hundreds of Complaints Flood In About New York Store Signs, but From Whom?

The calls to 311 started to pick up steam about a year ago. They were complaints about an arcane New York City statute requiring special permits for businesses to hang signs or awnings larger than six square feet. The caller — or callers — was clearly targeting certain commercial strips, making complaints in batches, as on Nov. 26, when calls came in reporting 25 businesses along a two-block stretch of Eighth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The businesses did not have a license for their signs, the complaints said.

Metro Sign & Awning's Insight

When a sudden spike of anonymous 311 calls started coming in to report improper signs or awnings on establishments, business owners in New York began scrambling to take theirs down. Now, many areas have unrecognizable businesses due to the lack of signage. The motive of the caller or callers is unknown, but businesses aren't taking the chance of having to pay a significant fine. Metro Sign & Awning is committed to protecting your business by ensuring compliance with regards to local regulations.