Q&A
Services and programs available for street vendors in NYC
1:35:46
·
153 sec
Council Member Feliz inquires about services and programs available for street vendors, and Commissioner Kim provides an overview of the support offered by the Department of Small Business Services (SBS). The discussion covers grants, partnerships, and various initiatives to support street vendors in New York City.
- SBS partnered with Queen's Economic Development Corporation and the Street Vendor Project, providing grants to support vending organization in specific areas
- Street vendors are included in the mayor's small business advisory commission
- SBS offers business services to street vendors through their business solution centers, without discrimination based on immigration status
- A study is being conducted to plan for time, place, and manner regulations for street vending
Oswald Feliz
1:35:46
Right.
1:35:46
Okay.
1:35:47
So moving on to questions about our smallest businesses, our vendors.
Kevin Kim
1:35:51
Yes.
Oswald Feliz
1:35:52
So what our services available to them how many what are programs available resources?
1:35:58
How many different regions and vendors have we served in the last year?
Kevin Kim
1:36:04
When you talk about our smallest vendors, I believe you're talking about our street vendors.
Oswald Feliz
1:36:08
Street vendors.
1:36:09
Yes.
1:36:09
Yes.
Kevin Kim
1:36:09
Because we we add SPS also considers 3 vendors to be the smallest of our small businesses.
1:36:15
We have from fiscal year 21 to 23, worked with QEDC, Queen's Economic Development Corporation.
1:36:23
They received a 634,000 neighborhood 360 grand to support vending, organizing, and Corona Plaza And Junction Boulevard.
1:36:32
In fiscal year 23, we the street vendor project that we've partnered with, received the 410,000 merchant organizing grant in Harlem Sunset Park in Fortum Road.
1:36:44
The senior SVP, Street vendor project managing director, Mohammed ATS, sits on our mayor's small business advisory commission.
1:36:52
That's a commission that came out of the blueprint where there are 49 members and many actual small business owners.
1:36:59
And we also have the chambers of commerce and other organizations.
1:37:02
But we have actual small business owners sitting there.
1:37:05
But Mohammed Altia is part of our small business advisory commission.
1:37:09
1 of the recommendations that came out of that last year was to do a study to be able to best plan for time, place, and manner.
1:37:18
And that's something that is getting done this year hopefully by the end of the fiscal year and we'll be able to see best how and what resources that might need to be get done.
1:37:30
We did a mailing in fiscal year 24 to 22,000 mobile food vendors on supervisory licenses.
1:37:38
We wanted to make sure that they understood the opportunities and the laws and being compliance.
1:37:43
We offer all of our business service.
1:37:45
Almost all of our business services to street vendors that come and ask at our business solution center.
1:37:50
We don't ask and say, well, you know, are you a street vendor?
1:37:54
It's more anybody.
1:37:55
And we don't ask for immigrant immigration status.
1:37:59
We just serve businesses that come through our 7 business solution centers, ask for whatever help they need, and we try to offer as best as we can, all the services.
Oswald Feliz
1:38:09
Yep.
1:38:10
And we really appreciate the the partnership that all of you have had, especially with the street band project.
1:38:15
So we'd appreciate all the and also member of how the deal now has a question.