The city’s first-ever community vending area at Corona Plaza has been in operation for two years, but many vendors are struggling to make ends meet under the new permit system. The market, which was initially designed to replace an unregulated market that drew neighborhood complaints, now has only 23 vendors remaining out of 80 who originally applied.
Many vendors, including those who were once part of the plaza’s unregulated market, have had to disperse across the city to find work. The new system limits vendors to just five days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., which has made it difficult for them to attract their blue-collar customers.
“It’s been very difficult,” said Rosario Troncoso, president of the Street Vendor Association at Corona Plaza. “The change in sales has been drastic. We’re struggling to make a living under this new setup.”
Troncoso and other vendors are hoping that the incoming mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will listen to their concerns and work towards improving the market’s conditions. Mamdani has advocated for vendors, unlike Mayor Eric Adams, who vetoed a bill to decriminalize some vending violations.
The current funding for the market will lapse after this fiscal year, and vendors are worried that they won’t have a stable place to operate. Many have been forced to find work elsewhere due to the lack of hours and stalls available.
However, some vendors remain optimistic about the new administration’s commitment to supporting the vending community. “We have elected officials coming into office who’ve been elected by the people not just for their perspectives, but for their policy proposals that respect street vendors,” said Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, deputy director of the Street Vendor Project.
The market’s current executive director, Ben Guttmann, hopes that the new administration will provide added funding to help stabilize businesses. “There’s really the potential for this to be something we see replicated everywhere,” he said.
As negotiations stall over the past two years, vendors are pushing for legislation to expand the number of vendor permits and improve working conditions. “I want more than anything for people to be able to stabilize their businesses with permits and licenses,” said Troncoso.
For many vendors, including Camilo Vivar, who operates without a license along the perimeters of the plaza in the evenings, finding work has become increasingly difficult. Vivar is still working to pay off a $1,000 ticket from the Sanitation Department for vending without a permit.
As the market’s future hangs in the balance, vendors remain hopeful that the new administration will bring about change and support their community.
Source: https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/01/corona-plaza-vendors-queens-hours