TESTIMONY
Mohammad Biswas, Street Vendor and Street Vendor Project Member, on Excessive DSNY Enforcement Against Street Vendors in Jackson Heights
5:38:35
·
5 min
Mohammad Biswas, a street vendor selling religious items in Jackson Heights and a member of the Street Vendor Project, testifies about excessive enforcement by the Department of Sanitation New York (DSNY) against street vendors, especially during Ramadan.
- DSNY has increased enforcement against vendors who lack licenses, despite the city capping general vendor licenses at 853
- Enforcement disrupted business during the important Ramadan season when out-of-state customers visit to buy religious merchandise
- Biswas faced economic hardship from not being able to work and fears of arrest for setting up his table
- He calls for the city council to enact the Street Vendor Reform legislative package for a fair, regulated vending system
UNKNOWN
5:38:35
Hello.
5:38:35
My name is Mohammad Biswas.
5:38:37
I'm a general merchandise vendor in Jackson Heights.
5:38:40
I mostly sell religious items such as prayer mats, Quran, he job, hats, etcetera, on 37th Avenue, and I'm a member of the Street vendor project.
Mohammad Biswas
5:38:59
Caraon, d s n y, Jackson Heights.
5:39:05
Jackson Heights.
5:39:08
This will be license name.
Joaquin Eleno
5:39:18
853
Mohammad Biswas
5:39:22
licensing a current DSNY license another license name.
5:39:44
Life
UNKNOWN
5:39:49
license
UNKNOWN
5:39:57
Thank you, committee for the opportunity to testify.
5:40:00
I'm testifying today because DSNY has been doing excessive enforcement in all over city and especially in Jackson Heights area.
5:40:08
Some of the vendors in Jackson Heights are general merchandise vendors, and everyone knows that most of them don't have licenses.
5:40:16
And that's because the city has kept the general vendors licensing at 853.
5:40:23
Well, we still need to work because we need to make some money to feed our family and survive.
5:40:27
And that's why TSNY has been torquing us for not having licenses, but doesn't acknowledge that it's the city's fault that we don't have licenses.
5:40:38
We think DSNY should stick to the policy announced on April 1st of compliance first and not focus on business licensing.
Mohammad Biswas
5:41:17
Amla Judy, another table set color, chest decoder.
UNKNOWN
5:41:33
The NYPD did some excessive enforcement on 37th Avenue during the Ramadan this year, the Holy Special Month.
5:41:40
And that was right before our peak holiday eve.
5:41:44
We all look forward to working during Ramadan because that's when our customers from all over the states come visit us and buy our religious merchandise.
5:41:52
We couldn't work for a few weeks, and we were scared that if we tried to set up our tables, we'll be we'll get arrested.
5:41:58
My son was recently hospitalized, and I had to spend all my savings for his recovery.
5:42:16
What can we do just to be able to work and not risk our lives?
5:42:20
Please tell us.
Mohammad Biswas
5:42:38
Let's let's see.
5:42:40
Program program, program.
5:42:43
Our the city councilor, program.
5:42:46
In rows 4 31, 40847, 124,
UNKNOWN
5:42:59
DSNY is not cleaning up the streets.
5:43:02
They're waging a war on working families, a war that hurts vendors for having no choice but to work in an outdated system.
5:43:09
We need the city council to enact the suite vendor reform legislative package, including in shows 431, 408, 4724.
5:43:19
This package will create a fair and regulated system for suite vendors and our community.
Justin L. Brannan
5:43:25
Please conclude.
UNKNOWN
5:43:33
Thank you, Kamiri, for the opportunity to submit my testimony.
Justin L. Brannan
5:43:37
Thank you very much.