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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mohamed Attia, Managing Director of Street Vendor Project
2:25:18
ยท
3 min
Mohamed Attia, Managing Director of the Street Vendor Project, testified about the need for increased support and funding for street vendor education and services in New York City. He highlighted the disparity between enforcement funding and support for vendors, requesting the city council's assistance in expanding their community outreach and education programs.
- Attia pointed out that the Office of Street Vendor Enforcement has a budget of $3.7-4.9 million annually, while the Street Vendor Project receives only about $200,000 for essential services.
- He emphasized that for every dollar allocated to education and outreach, the city spends $25 on enforcement.
- The Street Vendor Project offers services in seven languages and conducts outreach to vendors across the city, fulfilling a critical role that no other city agency provides.
Mohamed Attia
2:25:18
Thank you, council member.
2:25:19
Since I'm the last to speak, do I get ten minutes?
2:25:22
That doesn't work.
2:25:23
It's fine.
2:25:23
Okay.
2:25:25
Alright.
Oswald Feliz
2:25:27
Actually, you're not loud.
2:25:29
Somebody else is.
Mohamed Attia
2:25:29
I do?
2:25:30
Okay.
2:25:30
Stand out somewhere.
2:25:31
Okay.
2:25:31
Good afternoon, chair police and committee members.
2:25:35
My name is Mohammed Ataya.
2:25:36
I'm the managing director of the She Vendor Project.
2:25:39
Thanks for the opportunity to testify.
2:25:41
The She Vendor Project is a membership based organization with over 3,000 street vendor members.
2:25:47
As the only organization here in New York City dedicated to serving the street vendor population across the five boroughs, SVP is the centralized hub for street vendors to access resources and receive essential services as the smallest businesses in our city.
2:26:02
We respectfully request support from the city council to expand our community outreach and education program and the small business consultations program for street vendors.
2:26:11
The demand for street vendor education and services continue to grow.
2:26:16
It is important to highlight how resources are being allocated in our city, looking at the office of street vendor enforcement housed under the sanitation police with an increasing budget that's ranging from $3,700,000 to $4,900,000 annually That is not including the NYPD, DOHMH, parks, and other agencies that enforce vending laws.
2:26:41
As was recently reported in city limits, the Office of Street General Enforcement started with nearly 40 officers back in 2023.
2:26:50
Now it is staffed with 87 sanitation police officers, 20 four lieutenants, and three inspectors, almost tripling the number of officers in this office.
2:27:01
In the meantime, no other city agency receives any dedicated funding to support street vendors with outreach, education, or resources.
2:27:09
On the other hand, SVP receives around $200,000 for the entire year from the speakers' initiatives and individual council members, discretionary funding combined to do the services that is so essential.
2:27:21
So when you look at the scale and the numbers, this is a scale of 25 to one.
2:27:25
For every dollar the city allocates for education and outreach, it spends $25 on enforcement.
2:27:32
Our small but mighty team is well trained and equipped with the resources to conduct the outreach and education program and the small business consultations to vendors across the city.
2:27:43
We offer our services in seven different languages, Arabic, Bangla, English, French, Mandarin, Spanish, and Wolof.
2:27:49
We meet vendors where they're at.
2:27:51
We do street outreach.
2:27:52
We meet them at the cars, tables, the commissaries, the garages, wherever they can be found.
2:27:57
We hold monthly meetings and workshops to support the vendor community, really understand the system and be in compliance.
2:28:03
We fulfill a critical role since there is no other city agency that does that in a meaningful way, and SVP is eager to increase services to the vendors and meet the demand, and we need the city council support to actually do that.
2:28:15
We hope that the council will consider our funding request this fiscal year.
2:28:19
Thank you.