Mayor Mamdani, SBS Commissioner Kenny Minaya Name Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez as First-Ever Executive Director of the Office of Street Vendor Services

NEW YORK - Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kenny Minaya announced the appointment of Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez as the first Executive Director of the new Office of Street Vendor Services (SVS) at SBS. The Mamdani Administration is launching the SVS more than four months ahead of schedule, following the New York City Council's passage of Intro 408-A.

SVS will advance economic justice by serving as a central hub for citywide street vendor education and assistance within SBS. 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.

The office will also work closely with interagency partners, community-based organizations, and local stakeholders to support a more vibrant and equitable street vending ecosystem across all five boroughs.

"Our street vendors are not a problem to solve - they are a community to support. They feed us, they employ us, and they give our streets life at every hour. Many New Yorkers' fondest memories are of grabbing late-night food at their local taco truck or halal cart. But City Hall has too often made their work harder instead of helping it thrive. That changes now," said Mayor Mamdani. "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."

"Street vendors may be some of our smallest businesses, but they have an outsized impact on our local economies and the cultural fabric of our city. As we build a more just economy, street vendors play a vital role by creating jobs and offering affordable goods for New Yorkers. This new office marks a new era in how City government supports them," said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.

"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. "With the launch of the Office of Street Vendor Services within SBS, we will deliver long-overdue support, resources, and guidance street vendors deserve. Many vendors are immigrants and entrepreneurs working tirelessly to support their families, and they deserve a city government that works for them. I'm proud to partner with Executive Director Kaufman-Gutierrez as we build this office and ensure street vendors across all five boroughs have the tools they need to succeed."

"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. Today, more than ever, our city's smallest businesses, 96% of whom are immigrants, need resources, advocacy, and protection," said Carina 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 at Office of Street Vendor Services. Together with street vendors, interagency partners, community-based organizations, and local stakeholders at the table, we can build a more vibrant, and equitable street vending ecosystem across the five boroughs."

"We're thrilled that SBS created the first ever Office of Street Vendor Services and hired an exceptional Executive Director, Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez. For nearly 7 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. We're so thankful for the agency and their selection of such a phenomenal leader to run the office and looking forward to the great work this office will accomplish under Carina's leadership," said Mohamed Attia, Co-Director at the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center.

Kaufman-Gutierrez will lead New York City's first dedicated team to support street vendors and will build the office from the ground-up within SBS. The office will provide education, outreach and programming and coordinate across agencies to better serve both food and general vendors citywide. The executive director will also work closely with the partner agencies to recommend policy, legislative and rule changes to reduce unnecessary penalties and advance fair enforcement.

"Street vendors are the heartbeat of neighborhoods like Parkchester and communities across New York City-working-class entrepreneurs who contribute to our economy and culture every day. The creation of the Office of Street Vendor Services, and the appointment of Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez as its first Executive Director, is a major step toward bringing structure, dignity, and opportunity to this workforce," said Council Member Amanda Farías. "The Council passed Int. 408-A to advance transparency and equity, and launching this office ahead of schedule shows real commitment to that goal. Under Carina's leadership and deep experience working alongside vendor communities, the office is well positioned to connect vendors with the resources and support they need to succeed. I applaud Mayor Mamdani in this important step toward ensuring every New Yorker has a fair shot to build something of their own."

"Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez is one of the biggest champions for street vendors. While we worked to pass my law to ensure street vendors don't face jail time for putting food on the dinner table, Carina's leadership and expertise at the Street Vendor Project was invaluable. Her persistent advocacy had landed historic wins for the vendor community. I'm excited to work with Carina in her new role and to continue protecting our city's smallest businesses with her," said Council Member Shekar Krishnan.

"I worked closely with the Street Vendor Project to pass my bill establishing this office, and to have one of its leaders now head the office we created together is an exciting indicator of what's to come for New York City's smallest businesses," said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. "In speaking with vendors about the barriers they face, I hear stories of long hours and longer weeks, livelihoods being threatened, merchandise being seized, of pain and penalties - and at the same time, I saw the spirit, drive, and hope of people looking to carve out their space on the sidewalk to serve New Yorkers and support their families. We can help. Street vendors provide some of the most affordable options for New Yorkers facing an increasingly unaffordable city, and in establishing this office we hope to provide them the support they need to survive and thrive."

"Every New Yorker deserves the opportunity to work with dignity-and after decades of a broken system, we finally delivered real street vending reform in New York City," said NYC Council Member Pierina Sanchez. "I was proud to lead this effort in the Council, and with Mayor Mamdani's support, I am hopeful we can now deliver on strong implementation. Appointing Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez as the first-ever Executive Director of the Office of Street Vendor Services is an excellent choice. Carina has been at the heart of this movement-bringing sharp policy insight, deep relationships with vendors, and a strong understanding of how to navigate government systems. I look forward to working with her and the administration to fully implement the Street Vending Reform Package, including Local Laws 53, 54, and 59 of 2026, and Local Law 122 of 2025."

"As Chair of the Committee on Small Business, I've seen firsthand how street vendors power our local economies and bring life to our corridors, despite a system that has too often worked against them. They are small business owners, job creators, and culture bearers," said Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry. "With Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez's leadership, we are turning years of advocacy into action and building a more just, coordinated, and community-centered approach to street vending, one that brings vendors, brick-and-mortar businesses, and residents into better alignment, and recognizes vendors as essential to New York City's economic future."

The establishment of SVS follows the first challenge-based procurement in SBS history, "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. Selected partners will be announced soon.

About Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez

Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez is the first Executive Director of the Office of Street Vendor Services. Prior to joining the Mamdani Administration, Carina served as the Co-Director of the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, a member-led organization that builds power among vendors through legal representation, small business training and leadership development.

Kaufman-Gutierrez has spent more than a decade supporting small businesses and the public realm in New York City, including work with Grow NYC Greenmarkets, the Community Service Society of New York, and SBS. Her leadership has been recognized by City & State NY's Labor 40 under 40, the Neighborhood Leadership Award from the New York Women's Foundation and the Hispanic Leadership Award from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. She holds a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University, with a focus on urban social policy and conflict resolution.

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