New York, NY—Today, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that the City intends to move enforcement of street vending regulations responsibilities from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) on April 1, 2023.
Theodore A. Moore, Vice President of Policy & Programs, New York Immigration Coalition:
“The diversity and dedication of New York City's immigrant street vendors are part of what makes New York City so unique. But for too long, the City has hampered this industry with confusing and burdensome rules, enforced by ever-changing agencies. The City should allow the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to do what they are charged to do in the first place: protect the City’s workers. The Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) purpose is to keep NYC clean; they should be allowed to focus on that, rather than regulating small businesses. We should be recognizing the contributions of our street vendors, and creating systems that support their existence and growth. To start, the City should remove the caps on vending licenses and permits, update its existing street vending regulations to better reflect the reality of available spaces, provide more supportive services to these small businesses, and repeal criminal liability for street vendors currently forced to choose between unlicensed street vending and destitution.”