🍎 citymeetings.nyc #36
Green Infrastructure, Street Vending, Accessibility Compliance
Hi!
The newsletter will be back to a 1-week cadence (vs. 2-week) for the Executive Budget hearings.
(I thought they started last week, but I was wrong!)
In case you missed it, I introduced NYC Charter Revision Commission meetings on the site in an official partnership and covered them all in the last issue.
There are two Charter Revision Commission hearings this month. Like all other meetings, they'll be published the same day the video's available.
Cheers,
Vikram
This issue covers the three hearings that happened last week:
- On green infrastructure and nature-based solutions for climate resiliency.
- On street vending enforcement and licensing.
- On helping small businesses comply with accessibility requirements.
For a complete listing of published meetings, visit https://citymeetings.nyc.
Hearing on Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resiliency and Disaster Preparedness
The Department of Environment Protection (DEP) gives testimony.
The Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency, and Waterfronts held a hearing focusing on New York City's use of nature-based solutions to address climate change impacts.
They also discussed related legislation and funding for these infrastructure projects.
- In 2020, NOAA reclassified NYC as a humid subtropical climate zone due to more severe rainstorms. The new climate challenges the city's stormwater management. Link
- NYC's 7,500 miles of sewers, designed for a temperate climate, are often overwhelmed by extreme storms. City-wide upsizing is financially unfeasible per DEP. Link
- NYC's green infrastructure program, the nation's largest with over 16,000 assets and $1.4B committed, added 2,500 new assets in 2024 (e.g. rain gardens and infiltration basins). Link
- The Tibbetts Brook Daylighting Project, NYC's largest green infrastructure endeavor, aims to cut Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) to the Harlem River by 220M gallons annually and create a public greenway. Link
- FEMA's cancellation of the BRIC program impacts over $240M secured by DEP for Cloudburst projects and pauses the Tottenville Shoreline Restoration. Link 1 Link 2
- DEP opposed Intro 1254's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) "greened acre" mandate, citing the metric's unsuitability and feasibility concerns due to factors like high groundwater. Link
- Riverkeeper opposed Intro 1254, stating the "greened acre" target is ill-suited for MS4 areas and could undermine CSO control without mitigating floods. Link
- CM Holden's concerns about utilities paving over green strips led Chair Gennaro to direct staff to draft a law protecting them. Link 1 Link 2
- CM Restler queried DEP on its $30B, 30-year flood plan for 86 sites; DEP noted current funding via water bills is insufficient to accelerate its work. Link 1 Link 2
- DEP is starting design on many of the 86 critical flood projects, with progress to be reported biennially per Intro 1150. Link
- Chair Gennaro criticized the "rental payment" system for diverting DEP funds from water infrastructure and is working with state legislators to end it. Link
- NYC has built 20,000 linear feet of porous pavement in Brooklyn, with 142,000 more to be bid this year for suitable green infrastructure areas (often where bedrock is shallower). Link
- Chair Gennaro proposed a bill for better education on tree removal regulations within the city's right-of-way to protect tree canopy. Link
Hearing on Street Vending Enforcement and Licensing
Eliana, street vendor and founding member of Street Vendor Project, gives testimony.
The Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection heard testimony over ~5 hours on NYC's street vending system, focusing on rules, enforcement, and licensing.
- CM Menin highlighted ongoing street vending challenges: sidewalk congestion, sanitation problems, and confusing regulations affecting all parties. Link
- 10.5K people are on the waitlist for general vending licenses, which are capped at 853 for non-veterans. Link 1 Link 2
- The Street Vendor Project estimates 75% of food vendors and 37% of merchandise vendors operate without proper permits due to these restrictive license caps. Link
- Public Advocate Jumaane Williams stated vending-related tickets issued by NYPD and DSNY nearly doubled in 2024 from 2023, and were five times higher than in 2019. Link
- DSNY, the lead enforcement agency since April 2023, reported over 8K inspections and about 5K summonses in FY25 so far. Link
- The Independent Budget Office (IBO) projects lifting vending permit caps could generate $5.9M to $59M in annual net city revenue, primarily from sales tax. Link
- Local Law 18 of 2021 authorized 445 new mobile food vending permits annually for ten years, the first such increase since 1983. Link
- DOHMH has issued 823 new "supervisory licenses" for mobile food vendors under Local Law 18, but only 382 of these have obtained actual operating permits. Link 1 Link 2
- Intro 431, sponsored by CM Sanchez, proposes increasing mobile food and general vending licenses annually and eventually lifting the caps entirely. Link
- DCWP supports expanding the number of street vending licenses but opposes lifting the cap entirely due to quality-of-life concerns. Link
- The Garment District Alliance's Barbara Blair argued for enforceable time, place, and manner rules, and suggested locating vendors in the curb lane in congested areas like Midtown. Link
- Nelson Eusebio of the National Supermarket Association stated about 20% of its 600+ member stores face issues with unregulated vendors directly in front. Link
- Street vendor Eliana, a vendor for 39 years, testified she has never obtained a permit and still receives summonses despite contributing to the economy and supporting herself. Link
- Mahmoud Zayed, a vendor since 2008 renting a black market permit, reported paying nearly $5K in fines last month and about $12K in violations last year, advocating for Intro 431. Link
- The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) stated it does not track services provided to street vendors, fearing it might deter engagement from immigrant entrepreneurs. Link
Hearing on Supporting Small Businesses' Accessibility Compliance
The NYC Commission on Civil and Human Rights gives testimony.
The Civil and Human Rights & Small Business committees held a joint hearing to discuss challenges and support mechanisms for small businesses in complying with accessibility laws.
- Between October 2021 and September 2023, New York City saw the opening of over 62,000 new small businesses. Link
- Nearly one million New Yorkers, approximately 8% of the city's population, live with a disability. Link
- The NYC Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) protects New Yorkers against discrimination based on over 25 protected categories, including disability, in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Link
- In fiscal year 2024, CCHR conducted 375 trainings covering disability protections, reaching over 10,000 New Yorkers. Link
- Common accessibility issues reported to CCHR by clients include denial of access for service animals, physical barriers like single steps, and difficulty navigating inside stores. Link
- Concerns were raised about an individual who has filed 113 federal ADA lawsuits against small businesses since 2018, often leading to settlements due to businesses' lack of resources to litigate. Link
- Intro 282, sponsored by CM Menin, proposes a fund providing loans or grants up to $250,000 per storefront to help small businesses and landlords make storefronts accessible. Link
- Intro 639, sponsored by Public Advocate Williams, would require the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to provide training and information to small businesses on making workplaces more accessible and inclusive for workers with disabilities. Link
- Intro 1260, sponsored by Council Member Narcisse, aims to expand SBS legal services to include free assistance for small businesses on compliance with accessibility laws. Link
- While SBS provides free legal consultations on matters like commercial leases and entity formation, it cannot assist businesses once they are in active litigation. Link
- Jessica Walker of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce shared an anecdote of a small business owner who paid a $5,000 retainer to respond to a lawsuit for an ADA non-compliant entrance, despite not owning the building. Link
- Jonathan Hanon criticized the use of portable ramps by businesses, calling it a labor rights issue for employees with disabilities and noting ineffective follow-up from CCHR on past complaints. Link
- Kathleen Collins raised concerns about Intro 282's implementation, potential conflicts in Intro 1260, and the lack of outreach to disability advocacy groups regarding the proposed bills. Link
Thanks for reading!
Comments, questions, or feedback? Reply to this email or shoot me a note at vikram@citymeetings.nyc
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