Back of the House

It’s Hard Out There for a Street Vendor

USA Today just published an article detailing how vendors are routinely harassed by cops for minor violations like being too far from the curb, too close to a doorway, or on the wrong corner. Making matters worse, in February, the city raised the maximum fine for non-health-related violations from $250 to $1,000. Now there’s talk of capping the number of licenses given out. The Street Vendor Project, an advocacy group best known by civilians for the Vendy Awards, might be the only resource the workers have. So support them by dropping in on the Vendys, happening Sunday night at St. Mark’s Church in the East Village. After the jump, find the list of nominees — and info on a special contest!

“Calexico,” from the Vendley brothers
Wooster St. at Prince St.

Piedad “the Arepa Lady” Cano
Roosevelt Ave., nr. 78th St., Jackson Heights

Samiul Haque Noor from “Sammy’s Halal”
73rd St. at Broadway, Jackson Heights

Thiru “Dosa Man” Kumar
Washington Sq. S. at Sullivan St.

Write in with your favorite cart and why you love it, and we’ll publish the best answer as a kind of unofficial Vendys “jury prize.”

(Though we’re fans of all four nominated carts, especially the Arepa Lady, we began lobbying furiously for our own favorites here.)

Fines Cut Profits for NYC Street Vendors [USA Today]

The 2nd Annual Vendy Awards [NYM]

It’s Hard Out There for a Street Vendor