The recent urban renewal project on 8th Avenue in Brooklyn has sparked conflicts between businesses and the city’s sanitation department. As the issues with businesses and street vendors occupying sidewalks grew more serious, the sanitation department has ramped up enforcement, issuing frequent fines, leading to dissatisfaction among the business owners. They believe that the city should target unlicensed vendors instead of punishing legitimate businesses. Faced with high rents, business owners hope the government can adjust policies flexibly and handle the issue in a fair manner to prevent 8th Avenue from becoming a “ghost town.”
The majority of businesses on 8th Avenue are owned by people from Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Yesterday, several shop owners and licensed food truck vendors complained to State Assemblyman Zheng Yongjia about the dissatisfaction with receiving fines from the sanitation department several times a week.
One seafood supermarket owner, Mr. Guo, mentioned that while the health department used to enforce regulations monthly, the sanitation department is now conducting enforcement five times a week, resulting in each shop accumulating a significant amount of $50 fines. Reasons for fines include stalls exceeding specified boundaries, water on the ground, cardboard boxes stacked at doorways, and trash bags near trash cans, even if the rubbish was not disposed of by the shop owners. Fines for stalls exceeding size limits have become a major issue.
Mr. Guo pointed out that businesses between 50th and 60th Streets of 8th Avenue are unhappy with the frequent crackdown, as they support the cleanup efforts but believe that unlicensed vendors are the root cause of the problem. The abundance of unlicensed vendors not only affects street hygiene but also leads to unfair competition with legitimate businesses as they do not pay rent, do not hire specialized trash collection services, and evade enforcement more easily.
He mentioned that in the current economic environment, the regulations set 20 years ago are no longer suitable for today’s commercial needs and cost pressures. While shops are only allowed to set up stalls within 3 feet outside of their premises, extending to 4 feet with a license, anything beyond that is considered a violation. With rents now reaching up to $18,000 per month for shops, relying solely on a 4-foot extension is insufficient to sustain a livelihood. The sidewalks on 8th Avenue are 16 to 18 feet wide, with 10 feet of space being ample for pedestrian traffic.
After the outbreak of the pandemic, the government no longer allows police enforcement against street vendors, leading to a surge in unlicensed vendors, adding more pressure on legitimate businesses. The shop owners are forced to display their goods outside to attract customers. Mr. Guo stated, “For the Fujianese on 8th Avenue, convenience is key when making a purchase; they prefer shopping at the storefront. If you pull your merchandise back into the store, they won’t buy it. It’s like ‘govern as you are governed,’ just as different states have different laws in the U.S., New York does not allow guns, but everyone carries guns in Texas. So why can’t we change these rules on 8th Avenue?”
He emphasized that the prosperity of 8th Avenue is due to the presence of Fujianese establishing seafood markets, which in turn boosted the economic development of the entire street, attracting other related industries such as fruit and vegetable vendors, restaurants, pharmacies, and clinics to set up shop, creating a prosperous community. He stressed that the vitality of businesses, rather than just pursuing “cleanliness,” is essential for the prosperity of 8th Avenue. Continuing to enforce outdated laws would have a detrimental impact on the economy of 8th Avenue as bureaucrats “sit in their offices and use trivial matters as arrows.”
Another licensed vendor who sells fruits in front of a Vietnamese restaurant, Mr. Liu, stated that he has complied with regulations for the past 30 years, never exceeding the designated area for setting up his stall. However, the sanitation department has recently been rigorously checking if there is a 20-foot distance maintained from the storefronts, leading to multiple fines. He believes that this law is outdated and unreasonable, especially in an area like 8th Avenue where the sidewalk is only 18 feet wide.
“If we display goods outside the shop, it’s only natural that we are within 20 feet of the storefront. But if the restaurant has not placed any goods outside, what reason is there to ask me to move 20 feet away from the storefront?” Mr. Liu mentioned that he now receives about 10 fines per month, while unlicensed vendors can easily evade enforcement, which they find very unfair.
Ms. Chen, the owner of the licensed food truck “Lotus Sister Cuisine” at the intersection of 8th Avenue and 57th Street, also expressed that she has never received so many fines in the past, but now she receives three to four fines a week for not being at least 20 feet away from the stores. She believes that the government should prioritize resolving the issue of unlicensed vendors rather than pressuring legitimate vendors.
Mr. Guo further pointed out that while unlicensed vendors pose problems, they also rely on them for their livelihood. Nowadays, an increasing number of “floating vendors” flock to New York, with many conducting illegal vending activities like guerrilla warfare, setting up stalls from early morning until noon and appearing again after 3 PM. The street from 60th Street is bustling all day long, with even a nighttime market with various fried and stewed food stalls that make one feel like they are in mainland China.
He suggested that the government should consider how to properly allocate these vendors rather than simply cracking down on them. He called on the government to review and improve relevant regulations, return enforcement powers to the police, increase funding support, and ensure the sustainable development of 8th Avenue’s economy. “Only by finding a balance where both businesses and vendors can coexist can the economy of 8th Avenue continue to thrive.”
State Assemblyman Zheng Yongjia stated that he will investigate whether there is unfair treatment towards licensed vendors and strive to find more legal operating locations for them, such as designating 61st Street as an open street for licensed vendors to set up stalls legally. He mentioned that he will communicate with the sanitation department to ensure fair enforcement and protect the legitimate rights of all vendors.