New York City Street Vendors Have Been Treated Poorly for 300 Years

New York City is grappling with outdated regulations that hinder street vendors, particularly impacting the estimated 23,000 sellers, many operating without permits. Despite the city's vibrant commercial history, street vendors face punitive enforcement rather than fair regulation. The number of legal permits remains stagnant since 1979, leading to a black market for permits and a long waiting list. Mohamed Attia of the Street Vendor Project emphasizes the urgent need for a legitimate licensing process, as current crackdowns by multiple city agencies exacerbate the already precarious situation for these vendors, many of whom are immigrants.

"Street vendors are doing really bad right now, under the current system that has been existing for the last half a century. They don't have a legal pathway to access business licensing, which is square one for any small business in the city."

"What this administration is offering is crackdowns over and over again. We're seeing the sanitation police going after our vendors. We're seeing the NYPD getting involved and issuing more tickets than ever before."

Read at New York Magazine