By Council Member Mark Levine

It seems every day in New York City brings fresh news of a beloved neighborhood business shutting its doors — too often replaced by a generic chain.

Happily, the ultimate mom-and-pop businesses, street vendors, are still adding life and character to neighborhoods across the city. But the system for regulating this vital sector is decades out of date, and vendors and communities alike are paying the price.

It’s time to bring street vending into the 21st century.

Read the full piece here.