Adams Blocks Street Vendor Decriminalization: Public Safety First?

Mayor Eric Adams has vetoed a City Council bill designed to eliminate criminal charges for unlicensed street vendors, citing public safety and quality-of-life concerns.
Mayor Sees Unlicensed Vending as Public Safety Problem
The proposal, dubbed Intro 47-B, sought to remove misdemeanor charges for street vending violations, maintaining civil penalties, including fines. Supporters believed the measure would help protect immigrant vendors from deportation risks linked to criminal convictions.
“Since day one, our administration has been committed not just to making New Yorkers safe, but to making them feel safe, too — and that includes addressing persistent quality-of-life issues like illegal street vending,” Adams told the New York Post. “Our law enforcement officers play a vital role in keeping our streets clear of unlicensed vendors and protecting small business owners who follow the rules from being undercut by those who don’t.”
The bill passed the City Council with 40 yes votes, eight opposed, and three abstentions. This wide margin is sufficient to override the mayor’s veto, should lawmakers choose to do so.
Advocates Argue Criminal Charges Are Disproportionate
As the law currently stands, illegal vending can result in misdemeanor prosecution. Advocates and some council members say these penalties hit immigrants and low-income residents hardest, affecting opportunities in housing, education, and employment.
“While leaving in place the enforcement tools of violations, fines, and civil offenses, the bill simply removed the excessive criminal misdemeanor penalties,” said Julia Agos, council spokesperson. “The council negotiated this bill in good faith with the Administration, only to have the mayor disregard the work of the advisory board and his own staff with this veto.”
Vendors and Council Eye Next Steps
The decision drew criticism from street vendor organizations, who characterized the move as harmful to at-risk groups.
“Choosing to veto a bill that simply removes the excessive criminal misdemeanor penalties that can block New Yorkers’ access to educational, housing, and immigration opportunities is nothing less than an attack on our city’s most vulnerable, hardworking families and entrepreneurs,” stated the NYC Street Vendor Justice Coalition.
The City Council is now considering whether to override the mayor’s veto in a subsequent meeting.