Smile back a bigger Thank You when buying your coffee from a Street Vendor

Smile back a bigger Thank You when buying your coffee from a Street Vendor

The Street Vendor Project provides direct services and support such as legal help (contesting violation tickets), business support (obtaining licenses/permits, complying with rules, and explaining new regulations), and general services (setting up e-payments, creating social media profiles, and contacting Small Business Services). Their core work is to organize a collective and to advocate for a better and fairer system for street vendors.

According to Attia, the 20,000 count of street vendors is a gross approximation, and he said the basis of this count is better understood with a deeper dive into what is happening on the streets of NYC pertaining to both Merchandise vendors and Food vendors.

Merchandise vendors need a General Vendor License, which since the late 1970s, is capped at 853, a number that most in the sector say was set without clear basis, and the City has not increased this number since then. Many prospects wait for non-renewals by current holders to get a valid license. In 2017, after negating the then current waitlist, a new waitlist was opened by the City for exactly one month. Almost 12,000 people registered, establishing a clear demand for these licenses. Attia explains, “If you want to set up a table on a sidewalk to sell clothing or sunglasses, you need one of these unique licenses or you are exposed on the streets to enforcement agencies such as the NYPD; arrests, fines, and confiscation of merchandise and property are common occurrences”.

Food Vendors need both a Food Vendor License (any individual can apply and get a license relatively easily) and a Food Vending Permit (permit paper that physically goes on the food cart). These permits, since the 1980s, are capped at 2,800. There is a waitlist that moves by a handful each year and there are few other special permits that bring the total to 5,100. “Overall, a small number of legal permits”, says Attia. The cap on legal permits has created a “scarcity pricing” for the licenses. While permits are not transferrable, nothing legally prevents partnerships or arrangements between the original permit holders and the new vendors. This has created a grey market for the licenses; the 2-year permit issued by the City costs $200 and is “rented” at almost $25,000 by original permit holders to any new vendors seeking a permit. Given the adverse economics of renting such a permit, some vendors resort to operating without one, and are exposed to enforcement actions as described above. To eliminate this grey market, 4,450 new permits were issued in 2021 which essentially require the permit holder, i.e., one with a “supervisory license”, to be present to operate the cart. These licenses are to be released over 10 years and only 200 of these have been approved so far. Thus, the saga of more street vendors wanting to operate legally continues.

The Street Vendor Project campaigns for all street vendors and works with city agencies and City council to push them to change outdated laws so these vendors can enter the formal economy with a legal permit. As per Attia, “It is 2023 now, a totally different city since the 1980s, yet the number of legal permits remain unchanged. Now we see more entrepreneurs and small business owners wanting to start vending on the street. These are people who cannot drum up $200,000 to start a store-front or are not comfortable to create an e-commerce shop or understand social media”. Attia notes that many street vendors are primary bread winners, single mothers, non-English speakers, and are mostly immigrants. Street vending gives them a platform to survive. Some even thrive with expanded operations across multiple vending carts.

Attia has humble and noble things on his wish list: every street vendor should become a legitimate business and more vendors should know about The Street Vendor Project so they can avail of free and factual guidance to deal with issues truly unique to street vending. Attia is glad that he is now able to have ongoing discussions with City Hall leaders and NYC Department of Small Business Services and can raise awareness of the needs of the street vendors in a timely and fluid manner. Attia adds that the City needs to dedicate resources to offer institutional help to street vendors since The Street Vendor Project has limited resources; they are funded from member fees, government grants, and private foundation support. Even with concerted involvement from City government, Attia concludes that the Street Vendor project would remain an independent advocacy group to navigate the politics of the landscape and truly advocate for its members.