NYC Street Vendors Get Overdue Relief With New Permits Bill
- Bill calls for hundreds of vending licenses issued in batches
- Advocates say it's a first step, but industry needs more aid
New York City street vendors pummeled by the pandemic scored a rare victory with the passage of legislation lifting decades-old restrictions that have forced thousands of them to operate without a proper license.
The New York City Council this week voted by 34 to 13 in favor of Intro 1116-B. It’s the first major reform for the sector since a 1983 law that limited the number of citywide mobile food licenses to about 3,000, creating lengthy backlogs of applications.