Legalizing Street Vendors

In February 2022, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Street Vendor Project coalition to discuss Bill A5081, on which I am a proud co-sponsor. Street vendors have been an integral part of New York City’s landscape since the city’s earliest days. Business owners who have been excluded from the formal economy, many of whom have immigrated here, rely on street vending as a pathway toward financial stability for themselves and their families. The very limited number of vending permits currently allowed has created a black market in the use of these permits. This bill would allow street vendors to more easily obtain permits, providing them with legal rights and protections not currently afforded them. It would also establish penalties for those who violate the existing regulations that delineate where vending can occur and increases compliance by having a legal permit one would have incentive to keep.