A good number of non-chain cafes in NYC have restrictions on laptops during work hours, weekends, or whenever it's really busy (common sense rule). Also anecdot

A good number of non-chain cafes in NYC have restrictions on laptops during work hours, weekends, or whenever it's really busy (common sense rule). Also anecdotal but I haven't had issues with homeless at the libraries. There's even a huge, policed library / research center in midtown that has dedicated quiet rooms, highly recommend.