Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Street Vendor Modernization Act

Street Vendor Modernization Act

  • How the City Hurts Small Businesses

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    Street vendors protest the city's cap on permits (photo: @VendorPower)


    Independent small businesses -- bodegas, pizza joints, shoe repair shops, fruit vendors -- are the heart and soul of New York City. But they are facing a crisis. Every day there is another story about some beloved neighborhood shop closing due to skyrocketing rents. Landlords then warehouse the vacant spaces in hopes of signing a lease with a bank or big chain. WNYC recently counted ...