Pass the Street Vendor Reform Package
New York City Council
Street vendors across New York City share the same dream—upward economic mobility. But that dream has become a nightmare. New York City's governance of street vending is broken, and it is time we fix it.
Though street vending is as old as New York City itself, across our city, the vast majority of vendors operate in the shadows due to arbitrary caps on vending licenses and permits. Vendors operating without licenses means vendors without access to proper information and education on how to do their work in ways that are harmonious with our communities and promote health, safety, and public well-being.
The Street Vendor Reform Package, led by Council Members Sanchez, Farías, De La Rosa, and Krishnan and the Public Advocate, aims to reform the city’s current street vending system, letting vendors provide the services New Yorkers want - in a regulated, predictable, enforceable system - and giving these small businesses a real chance to build wealth in their neighborhoods. We're calling on our City to invest in services and education for street vendors, rather than only punitive enforcement that destabilizes working families and pushes them into debt.
Petition by
To:
New York City Council
From:
[Your Name]
Dear New York City Council Members,
The history of street vending in the City of New York showcases its significance in the city's economy. From contributing to the sale of 15% of produce in 1927 to providing nearly 18,000 jobs in 2015, street vending has played a vital role in the city's growth, supporting immigrants, people of color, and military veterans to successfully operate microbusinesses. Yet, the current way the city regulates street vendors often leaves many in the shadows, harassed, and unregulated. It is clear that we need comprehensive reform to dramatically overhaul the dysfunctional status quo.
The Street Vendor Reform Legislative Package puts forth a clear vision for a functional street vending system, that allows vendors to provide the services New Yorkers want - in a regulated, predictable, enforceable system - giving these small businesses a real chance to build wealth in their neighborhoods.
We urge you to support the following four pieces of legislation:
- Intro 431: Access to Business Licensing, introduced by Councilmembers Pierina Sanchez and Amanda Farias
- Intro 47: Reduce Criminal Liability, introduced by Councilmember Shekar Krishnan
- Intro 408: Create a division within the department of small business services to assist street vendors, introduced by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
- Intro 24: Reform Siting Rules, introduced by Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa
We also urge you to demand the Department of Sanitation appropriately follow their own policies announced in May 2023 of taking a “compliance first approach” to street vending, rather than a “license check first approach,” prioritizing public safety, cleanliness, and sidewalk congestion issues. Their actions directly contradict this policy - Gothamist reported that over half of the tickets issued by street-vendor enforcement officers in the last year were for unlicensed vending. DSNY must stop cracking down on street vendors who are following siting regulations, but can’t obtain business licenses due to government failure and outdated rules.
By bringing vendors into the system, these bills will end the unregulated, chaotic status quo that takes advantage of workers, customers, and fellow small businesses. We urge you to support the Street Vendor Reform Package and bring these critical pieces of legislation to fruition.