Economy
How to Stop the Over-Regulation of Street Vendors
New York would be better off treating these vendors like small businesses.
There probably isn't a more ideal place to be a street vendor than New York City. The density, huge population, high pedestrian concentration – all of these factors combine to make the city an almost perfect place to sell hot dogs or watches or handbags. But unless you're already a street vendor, the chances of becoming one are extremely low.
"With a legislative cap of only 853 licenses [for general merchandise], and a waiting list of thousands, the chance of obtaining a license at this time is unlikely," according to this informational sheet [PDF] from the city. Food vending permits are capped at about 5,100, and there are similarly long waiting lists to obtain these highly valuable permits.