On Tuesday, May 6, VOLS Microenterprise Project Staff Attorney Nick Aquino testified before the New York City Council’s Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection in reference to Introduction 408 and Introduction 431. He stated that expanding access to permits and ending arbitrary caps that keep thousands of vendors in legal limbo, as addressed in Introduction 431, would bring order to the system while allowing the City’s smallest businesses to thrive and ensure vendors are subject to siting and health regulations while removing barriers to entry. He noted that Introduction 408 is equally critical and the creation of an Office of Street Vendor Services within SBS to provide vital education, outreach and compliance support would help vendors succeed and create a fair, supportive and inclusive system for street vendors across New York City. A full copy of the testimony is available below.
