Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kenny Minaya announced the appointment of Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez as the first Executive Director of the new Office of Street Vendor Services at SBS, launching the office more than four months ahead of schedule.
The office aims to transform the relationship between street vendors and the city by serving as a central hub for citywide street vendor education and assistance. As the Mamdani Administration plans implementation of the “Street Vendor Reform Package” and issues the first new street vending licenses since the cap set in 1979 was lifted, the office will launch a citywide outreach campaign to ensure vendors are aware of opportunities to transition into the formal economy.
“Our street vendors are not a problem to solve — they are a community to support,” Mayor Mamdani said. “With this office and with Carina’s leadership, we will fundamentally transform the relationship that street vendors have with the City. By streamlining bureaucracy and working closely with street vendors themselves, we can lower costs for vendors and their customers alike.”
The initiative directly impacts street vendors across all five boroughs, including those in North Brooklyn neighborhoods like Bushwick, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint. According to Kaufman-Gutierrez, 96% of street vendors are immigrants.
“From the tamaleras of Corona to the portrait artists of Times Square, street vendors fold our city’s unrivaled diversity into our streets and sidewalks,” said Kaufman-Gutierrez, Executive Director of the Office of Street Vendor Services. “Street vendors have long fought for both recognition and support from city government, and I’m honored to join SBS and the Administration in centering the needs of our city’s smallest businesses.”
Kaufman-Gutierrez brings more than a decade of experience supporting small businesses and street vendors, previously serving as co-director of the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center. The office follows the New York City Council’s passage of Intro 408-A.
“Street vendors are essential to the fabric of New York City, powering our local economy, shaping our culture, and bringing vibrancy to our commercial corridors,” said SBS Commissioner Kenny Minaya. “Many vendors are immigrants and entrepreneurs working tirelessly to support their families, and they deserve a city government that works for them.”
The office will work closely with interagency partners, community-based organizations, and local stakeholders to support a more vibrant and equitable street vending ecosystem. The executive director will also work with partner agencies to recommend policy, legislative and rule changes to reduce unnecessary penalties and advance fair enforcement.
Mohamed Attia, Co-Director at the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, praised the appointment: “For nearly seven years Carina has worked with the vendor community, created programs that provided essential services to thousands of vendors and led strategic initiatives that made substantial marks in the street vendor movement.”
The establishment of the office follows SBS’s first challenge-based procurement, “Venture Forward,” launched in late 2025. The initiative will promote economic opportunities for street vendors through innovative programming to address gaps in the street vending ecosystem.
Featured image: Bushwick Daily
