For years now, food vendors in New York City have labored in a system which caps the number of legal vendors at a decades-old number, causing some to receive criminal tickets, street harassment, and over-policing as they attempt to make a living. On Thursday, August 15, City Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez, who calls the current system “broken” appeared at a march from Union Square to City Hall, along with hundreds of street vendors and other advocates. She is the lead sponsor of legislation that would combat this problem by increasing the number of food vending licenses. There are only 850 licenses for general merchandise vendors, and 5,000 permits for food vendors. Shockingly, over 20,000 venders are currently on a waiting list.
Read the full story by Crystal Lewis for The Chief-Leader, published August 16, 2024, here: https://www.thechiefleader.com/stories/street-vendors-push-for-councils-reform-package,52920
