Councilmember Sandra Ung thanked the Department of Sanitation and New York Police Department for their enforcement actions aimed against unlicensed and unlawful street vending in Flushing. The enforcement comes just days after Councilmember Ung hosted representatives from both DSNY and NYPD on a tour of downtown to discuss the need for ongoing enforcement of unlicensed vendors and brick-and-mortar businesses that violate stoop stand line regulations.
“I want to thank the representatives from DSNY and NYPD for joining me on a tour of downtown Flushing last week, and for their recent enforcement actions aimed at the bad actors that claim our public space for their own personal gain,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “The unregulated vendors and other bad actors create significant challenges for our community, and I have heard from many constituents who feel unsafe or find it difficult to navigate the sidewalks because of the congestion. I want to acknowledge the efforts made by the NYPD and DSNY in addressing this issue in the past, and I urge both agencies to maintain a consistent and visible presence in Flushing to enforce the laws regarding unlicensed vending. This is not just about keeping our streets orderly—it’s about ensuring public safety and protecting the well-being of our community.”
On Saturday, September 21, DSNY enforcement agents conducted one mobile food vendor and 20 general vendor inspections on Main Street from Maple to Roosevelt avenues and on Roosevelt Avenue from Main to Prince streets. It resulted in two summonses and 13 confiscations of abandoned items, such as chairs and tables chained to public property. In addition, 75 pounds of food was composted.
On Monday, September 23, in the same area, enforcement agents conducted four mobile food and three general vendor inspections that resulted in two violations. There were five confiscations of abandoned property and the confiscation of 450 pounds of food, which was composted.
Most recently, on Tuesday, September 24, there were five food and five general vendor inspections that resulted in five confiscations of abandoned materials and two summonses issued to a store at 40-34 Main Street.
In an unrelated enforcement action, Field Training Officers from the 109th Precinct last week seized 200 counterfeit items from a store near 37th Avenue and Main Street.
Councilmember Ung has made addressing the rampant unlicensed vending in downtown Flushing a priority since taking office in 2022. In part through her advocacy, the Adams administration reversed a de Blasio-era transfer of vendor enforcement to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, a civilian-staffed agency with approximately ten enforcement agents for the entire city.
Today, that task is the responsibility of the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), a much larger agency with a staff of uniformed enforcement officers who have the authority to issue fines and confiscate goods. DSNY, which has a long history of keeping New York’s streets and sidewalks clean.
There is now a dedicated street vendor enforcement team for each borough within DSNY that works collaboratively with the NYPD.
In 2018, the City Council passed legislation designating a large area of downtown Flushing as a no-vending zone. General vending, even with a valid license, is prohibited in an area bounded by Northern Boulevard, Union Street, Sanford Avenue and College Point Boulevard.
Flushing is one of the busiest neighborhoods in New York City and the primary bus-to-train transfer station in the mass transit system, with tens of thousands of commuters passing through daily. The intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue is the third busiest intersection in the city.
“This is a vital transportation hub and a key retail corridor, but it is also an area where unlicensed street vending has become a serious problem,” added Councilmember Ung. “Together, with continued enforcement and cooperation, we can ensure that Flushing remains a safe and vibrant neighborhood.”