Epstein urges direct funding for street vendor and worker organizations

Shouldn't there be resources from your agency to go directly to them?

Well, I would say, Chair, that that partnership exists and will.

And we plan to work closely with Street Vendor Projects and our new executive director for Street Vendor Services as well to go directly to street vendors, to go to the places where they're vending to ensure that they understand about what services and licenses are available by the agency.

So that's what our current PS allocation is.

And, again, we look forward to having these conversations if we're going to need more resources eventually.

Yeah, I mean, I appreciate you need more resources.

But, Carlos, you wouldn't disagree that they need resources too, right?

I think no thank you thank you chair I was sorry I distracted him no I wouldn't disagree that I've had conversations directly with WJP and other organizations I know that they have conversations directly the council themselves over discretionary funding

so I understand that those ask her in as well too I I'm just can only speak to our budget and our resources and what we've been allocated yeah and I would just add to that council member chair

Right.

We do not get money for those organizations.

What I will say, though, is that I really believe that it is symbiotic in a way.

We are working closely, for example, with Street Vendor Project to get the word out this summer about getting off the wait list and getting a license.

That is going to provide a real value proposition for the Street Vendor Project to all the vendors out on the street.

Similar with Worker Justice Project, NYCHA, they're going to work with their members to explain to them deactivation protections.

We're going to work with NYCHA and WJP.

I think the more that we partner closely with these organizations, the more that they're going to be able to offer value to their members.

And I hope that creates a virtuous cycle.

These organizations gain more.

visibility and reach and that we can do the same.

Yeah, Commissioner, I couldn't agree more with that statement.

And I, you know, and I just would say that I know we have a lot of colleagues have questions, but I'd love to see if there's a way we can get them direct funding to do that because

I've heard directly from all of them, whether it's the Worker Justice Project, like you mentioned, or the Street Vendor Project we just talked about, who, you know, there are more members coming to them than they have the resources to handle.

And while you'll be the agency empowered to protect their members, as well as all the consumers out there,

there's not as many resources that they can turn to to be able to do this work.

And we'd love to see the administration play a vital role in getting those resources to them.

I hear you on that.

And to be clear, and I think I speak for everyone here, we could not do our job.

We could not do the work of protection we've done without partners like WJP and NYCHA.

I totally agree on the vital role these organizations play.

And thank you.

I'll turn it back over to Chair Lee.

Great.

Just also want to recognize we've been joined by Councilmember Areola online, and Tiffany, come on.

Hello.

So we are going to start with Deputy Speaker, followed by Councilmember Banks.