Op-ed | Street vending vs quality of life, public safety and fairness to NYC’s small businesses

There is no doubt that there is an affordability crisis impacting every aspect of New Yorkers' lives. Between the cost of groceries, insurances and basic necessities, it is a challenging economic environment for residents, but also for the small businesses serving our communities. It has never been harder to run a mom and pop, local business. From ensuring regulatory compliance, to affording raising rents and insurance costs, complying with minimum wage requirements and retaining staff, business owners are growing frustrated. On behalf of the 1,000+ businesses in the Bronx we represent, we Bronx Business Improvement Districts, find the greatest challenge of all to be the chaotic system of unregulated street and food vending and the patchwork of legislative proposals attempting to reign in