New York City has taken a significant step towards increasing street vendor licenses, with the City Council voting to override former Mayor Eric Adams' vetoes on the issue. The move is seen as a major victory for advocates of street vendors, who have been seeking greater access to permits and regulations.
The council's decision expands licensing for both food and general vendors over several years, clearing up years-long waitlists and increasing the availability of licenses from 2,200 annually to 10,500 in 2027. The new law also boosts training, inspections, and cleanliness requirements for street vendors.
Street vendor advocates have hailed the move as a long-overdue recognition of their contributions to the city's economy. Many of these vendors are immigrants who come from low-income backgrounds, and lack of licenses has meant they can't operate legally. The Street Vendor Project advocacy group celebrated the news on social media, calling it "historic."
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams estimates that around 20,000 street vendors operate in the city, but many are operating without licenses due to decades-long waitlists. Currently, about 70% of vendors lack permits.
The decision comes after Adams vetoed a package of bills aimed at reforming street vendor regulations on his last day in office, citing concerns over sidewalk congestion and strained enforcement resources. However, advocates argue that the lack of available licenses has fueled these problems by leading vendors to operate illegally.
Council Speaker Julie Menin played a key role in advancing the legislation, with her office stating that this was one of the largest number of vetoes overridden in a single day in the past decade.
The council's decision expands licensing for both food and general vendors over several years, clearing up years-long waitlists and increasing the availability of licenses from 2,200 annually to 10,500 in 2027. The new law also boosts training, inspections, and cleanliness requirements for street vendors.
Street vendor advocates have hailed the move as a long-overdue recognition of their contributions to the city's economy. Many of these vendors are immigrants who come from low-income backgrounds, and lack of licenses has meant they can't operate legally. The Street Vendor Project advocacy group celebrated the news on social media, calling it "historic."
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams estimates that around 20,000 street vendors operate in the city, but many are operating without licenses due to decades-long waitlists. Currently, about 70% of vendors lack permits.
The decision comes after Adams vetoed a package of bills aimed at reforming street vendor regulations on his last day in office, citing concerns over sidewalk congestion and strained enforcement resources. However, advocates argue that the lack of available licenses has fueled these problems by leading vendors to operate illegally.
Council Speaker Julie Menin played a key role in advancing the legislation, with her office stating that this was one of the largest number of vetoes overridden in a single day in the past decade.
i'm literally so hyped about this news!!! 
first of all, it's amazing to see the city council taking action to help out our street vendors! they're basically the backbone of our economy and yet they've been fighting for licenses for years 
. now we can expect more people to join the ranks and contribute to the city's growth, which is a total win 
.
. these vendors are entrepreneurs and small business owners, they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity 
. and let's be real, 20k vendors operating in the city is a big deal 
.
. it's not always easy to make tough decisions, but he's showing that even when there are competing interests, we can still find ways to work together and make progress 
.
I mean, on one hand, 10,500 street vendor licenses is kinda awesome? I guess it's about time we recognized all those immigrants who are just trying to make a living on the streets? But, at the same time... like, what's gonna happen when there are 10,500 more vendors on the streets? 
Are they gonna take over Times Square or something? And don't even get me started on the costs of training and inspections... that's just gonna add to their already tiny profit margins... I dunno... 
Those poor guys have been stuck on waitlists for years and had to resort to doing their own thing because they couldn't get a permit. I mean, who hasn't been there right? 
It's crazy that the city was actually holding them back like that. But I guess it makes sense why Council Speaker Julie Menin played a key role in getting this done - she knows how hard those vendors work and deserve a break! 
Now they'll be able to operate with better training, inspections, and cleanliness requirements... win-win for everyone involved! 
. the stats are crazy - 70% of vendors are operating without licenses? that's wild 
. i guess it all comes down to who you ask about this - some ppl think it's gonna clog up sidewalks, but idk... maybe it's time for a change in thinking 
idk how much longer people can keep operating without licenses tho... it's like they're just trying to survive on the streets 
anyway, I'm glad the council finally listened to those advocates and is making changes 
I mean, who doesn't love a good game of "let's give street vendors more licenses"? Like, it's not like they're just trying to make some extra cash or anything... 
Anyway, I guess this is kinda cool that the council decided to override Eric Adams' vetoes and all. I'm sure it's totally not related to the fact that his administration was kinda slow on getting these permits out... 
20,000 vendors operating without licenses? That's like, a whole lotta "help wanted"... 
. and let's not forget about all the other immigrants who've been struggling to get their businesses off the ground because of this issue... it's a major win for them too! 
. Bring on 10,500 new licenses and watch this city thrive! 
.
. And kudos to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for speaking out on this issue 
. It's like, we need these people, right? They bring energy and flavor to our food scene (and not just the good stuff either 
).
But I guess that's what happens when the system is slow 
!