TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eric Nava Perez from the Street Vendor Project: Advocating for Decriminalization and System Reforms
2:28:43
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155 sec
Eric Nava Perez, senior organizer at the Street Vendor Project, advocates for the decriminalization of street vending, improved siting rules, and bridge vending.
Highlighting grievances from vendors across New York City's five boroughs, Perez emphasizes the need for a system that treats street vending as a civil matter, facilitates access to business licensing, and protects vendors from displacement. He calls for the passing of proposed bills and reintroduction of the access to business licensing and services for vendors bill, highlighting its urgency to protect vendors' livelihoods.
Speaker 48
2:28:43
Good afternoon.
2:28:49
Good afternoon.
2:28:50
Chair, Julie Menin, members of the committee.
2:28:58
My name is Eric Nava Perez, and I'm a senior organizer at the shoe vendor project.
2:29:02
Are organized with Spanish speaking vendors across the city.
2:29:05
I'm here today to express my unequivocal support for the proposed bills.
2:29:09
That would decriminalize tree bending, the siding rules bill, and the bill that would allow bending on bridges.
2:29:16
I am also here to express my support for the reintroduction of the access to business licensing, and the services for vendors bill as soon as possible.
2:29:26
As an organizer, I meet with and listen to street vendor grievances and all five bureaus.
2:29:31
Everywhere I hear vendors express that they feel criminalized, that their work and their businesses are discriminated against and that their immigration status is one reason why they fear interactions with various agencies including the New York Police Department And Sanitation Police because they think that they will obtain a criminal record and they will affect their immigration status.
2:29:52
In Manhattan, many street vendors have permits, but too often building managers, property owners, and their bid allies use public infrastructure to displace vendors from their workplaces.
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1 of the most recent and prominent cases took place in Hudson Yards against related companies in the local bid, the Hudson Yards House Kitchen Alliance.
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This public private partnership has led to the displacement of over a dozen workers from their jobs and the constant harassment of the remaining street vendors.
2:30:20
All the vendors I have spoken to express the need for a functioning regulatory system that allow access to business licensing, a function regulatory system that treats street bending as a civil issue, not a criminal issue, and a functioning system that protects street vendor entrepreneurs and their employees from displacement.
2:30:41
This is why the city council should pass the 3 bills you are hearing today, the siding rules bill, the bill to do criminalize true vending, and the bill to allow vending on bridges.
2:30:50
Your committee has an opportunity to provide give me 5 seconds.
2:30:53
Your committee has an opportunity to provide invaluable protections to thousands of new Yorkers, whether it is from traffic or criminal liability to unemployment and much, much more.
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More urgently, I strongly encourage you to speak with your colleagues so that They reintroduced access to business license and
Speaker 1
2:31:09
ask you to wrap up plan.
Speaker 48
2:31:10
And the services for vendors will, and, like, hearing on those bills is scheduled as soon as possible.
2:31:14
Thank you all for your time.
Speaker 1
2:31:15
Thank you.
2:31:17
Okay.