Across New York City, from Roosevelt Avenue in Queens to Fordham Road in the Bronx, one thing is clear: street vending is a lifeline for working-class families. It is also one of the most visible expressions of immigrant entrepreneurship in our city. Yet, for decades, our laws have treated these vendors – overwhelmingly immigrants, women and people of color – not as small business owners, but as criminals.

That was supposed to end. The City Council passed Intro 47 , a long-overdue step to bring equity, order and dignity to street vending. The bill passed with a veto-proof majority, yet the night before the legislation was set to become law, Mayor Eric Adams vetoed it.

Intro 47 would finally stop the criminalization of hardworking New Yorkers who are just trying to earn a living and put

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