In July, the system for assigning licenses and permits for mobile food sales in New York City entered a moment of transition. According to the new local law , the compass was opened, To assign 445 new permits per year, in the next ten years.
As expected, there is already an extensive waiting list of interested parties who qualify to receive these new permits. Although there is a much longer list: those who know that they will not be able to “compete” for these new positions.
In effect, when the Municipal Administration takes a different view of how to approach the controversial street vendors, there are still many regulations to review, new laws to discuss and a series of agreements to reach.
In the immediate term, the only alternative for thousands continues being thrown into the streets “begging” not to be fined or removed.
For example, the daily life of a seller of orange juice, “instantly squeezed”, in a busy corner of Manhattan, it’s challenging. And he describes with “all the letters”, the daily life of thousands of these workers.
“I only have a health permit, so when you go out into the street every morning, you know it’s an adventure. People want to cool off in these hot days. There are days when nothing happens, but there are others when you have to face consequences”, commented the South American immigrant who preferred to withhold his identity.
“Many stakeholders…”
The new Street Vendor Review Board (SVAB) that emerged after the approval of the local law 18, in January 2021, among other aspects, opens the possibility of new permits to sell in food mobile units in the streets, a process that had been paralyzed since 1983.
In this new opportunity that opens, many are interested, but very few will be chosen.
In this summer, the City begins to analyze and provide the new ‘supervised permits’ only for those licensed vendors, who began working in this sector before March 1, 2017.
Will be granted 45 new permits to work in Manhattan, 300 for the other counties and 45 exclusive licenses for veterans or disabled people.
Teresa Serrano from Puebla, from 38 years old, who has been “dealing” for five years in the streets of Corona, in Queens, selling handicrafts and special embroideries from his native Mexico, he assures that the new law “means nothing” for most vendors.
“They will only give something like 400 permits, but only for those who sell food. You see in the streets and we also offer other services to visitors and residents, such as unique handicrafts. I will continue like this on the sidelines, while other proposals are advanced”, commented Teresa.
After the approval of the Local Law 10, the Municipal Council is promoting a series of ideas that make it easier for thousands of these informal workers, the vast majority of whom are immigrants of color, can become micro-entrepreneurs, without the fear of being persecuted by officers of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
“There are more vendors”
While the City and the new board move forward in offering alternatives to at least 20, street vendors, mothers of families like the Mexican tamalera Flor Salazar, from 45 years, insist that “they cannot expect”. And much less waste the hottest days of the year.
“I understand that there are new laws and that there is hope. But there are accounts such as income, which do not expect regulations. I still get up and get in my cart and sell my tamales. Yes indeed. I must admit that the police have not bothered me for months. Although the truth is there are many more vendors on the street, “said the immigrant who has been selling her products in Jackson Heights for 10 years.
Now, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is the agency in charge of coordinating all sales activities ambulant.
“Our role at this time is to issue warnings to unlicensed sellers and we offer them the opportunity to avoid inconvenience before being sanctioned. If necessary, in problem areas, we resort to stronger strategic enforcement tactics and escalations,” a DCWP spokesperson told El Diario.
For its part, the City of New York (DOHMH) is managing the waiting list for newcomers 445 permits to be granted this year. It also grants licenses to street vendors per season and fixed ones that must be renewed every two years.
The granting of new licenses for food carts had been frozen a while ago 42 years, and only about 5 are renewed each year, 000, which have already been issued, and which are usually sub-leased on a black market: The biannual cost of these licenses is $200 dollars, but sellers for decades have reported that they rent between $10,000 and $,000 Dollars.
All the new permits that will be granted in the coming years 10 years, must be in the possession of someone present or working on the car, truck or unit of sale. The current authorizations must pass to this new system within this period of time. This means that only license holders can be at your food stand.
The streets of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens with one of the nerve centers of street vending in NY : (Photo: F. Martínez)The City hopes to reduce fines
In a past statement 25 May, Mayor Eric Adams took a much clearer stance on the future of street vending in the Big Apple.
The municipal president promised to reduce and align the schedules of fines, for general and food vendors alike. At the same time, it maintains its commitment to manage public space and maintain the codified restrictions of time, place and form so as not to affect formal commercial establishments.
“Together, we can balance the needs of vendors street vendors, physical companies and residents. Our idea is to reduce the lengthy processes and create new opportunities for street vendors to operate legally, as well as improve access to healthy food in the five boroughs,” Adams announced.
Local Law 18 of 2021 requires the SVAB to review all state and municipal regulations, which together, regulate street vending in New York City, in addition to proposing recommendations to be applied immediately.
In general, the new board proposes that the City create new spaces and opportunities for street vending in pedestrian plazas and offer support through the Department of Small Business Services (SBS), also repeal criminal liability for selling on the streets without licenses.
The truth: There are more fines
In fact, it is specified that the fines to these merchants have increased this 2022.
Based on a report from the digital publication City Limits, which in turn cites data from the Street Vendors Project, “the deployment of a greater number of police officers in metro stations comes at a time when fines against street vending have intensified again after a pause in 2020”.
The number of fines during the first quarter of 2048, have reached levels “higher than before the pandemic”.
In general, the balance is that they were issued 570 fines during the first quarter of 2022. In the same period of 1200: 200.
Most of the sanctions this year have been issued to street vendors of food.
“Solid steps have been taken to update the city’s obsolete, inefficient and unfair sales system. However, bolder steps toward system reform should be considered to ensure that all street vendors in our city can formalize their businesses and earn a living without being treated like criminals,” warns the NYC Street Vendor Coalition in a statement. Justice.
Permissions have big enemies
On these hot days, already in many busy areas of the Big Apple, new rows of food carts appeared and the presence of more “informal” in the streets. In neighborhoods in Upper Manhattan, Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, and the South Bronx, a variety of new food and other options are emerging. This dynamic is not seen favorably by everyone.
Historically, the owners of restaurants and other businesses have been staunch enemies of the expansion of permits for informal merchants who take over sidewalks and some parks.
“I understand that they are families that have to survive. Myself when I arrived in this country ago 33 years I worked in a cart. But the problem is that you see several streets here ive from Queens and more in seasons like Christmas and the summer fully blacked out. The same people cannot walk. In no city in the world is anyone who wants to sell something on the street allowed to go out and set up a table on the sidewalk,” said a restaurant owner on Roosevelt Avenue.
Several established business associations continue to fiercely criticize the legislation that would facilitate the legalization of street vendors, a growth that they associate with blocking the facades of their businesses and in some cases unfair competition.
Andrew Rigie, director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, an organization that represents the city’s restaurant and bar industry, said he was concerned about these new rules because they don’t completely eliminate the underground market. And it does not extend the distance requirements with traditional restaurants.
In numbers:
- 24, is estimated to be the number of New Yorkers who make a living through street vending.
- 300 Annual licenses will begin to be delivered by the City in the next 10 years.
- 70% of the vendors work without a license or permit to sell food. 20220505
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