Illegal vendors fl ood Fordham Road
City transferred food vendor enforcement from NYPD to Health Department
BY JASON COHEN
When Mayor Bill de Blasio
axed police enforcement
of street vendors in June,
many have been popping up
throughout the borough, specifi
cally on Fordham Road
and some on Crosby and
Westchester Avenues.
Executive Director of the
Bronx Chamber of Commerce
Lisa Sorin said the main issue
is there has not been a smooth
transition from the police to
the Department of Health in
overseeing the food vendors.
While it may be because of
COVID-19, it seems that vendors
have taken advantage of
this lapse, she said.
“At the end of the day, we
understand everybody has
to make a living,” Sorin said.
“It’s hurting our businesses
and it’s a safety issue.”
She said it’s not right that
restaurants are complying
with the governor’s rules
and some are even being shut
down, while these vendors
are operating with free rein.
Furthermore, many of them
Illegal food vendors on Fordham Road Courtesy of Wilma Alonso
are overcrowding the sidewalk
and making it a hazard
for pedestrians.
“We’ve got to fi gure out
some middle ground for enforcement,”
of the Fordham Road Business
Improvement District, said
vendors have fl ooded the area
BRONX TIMES R 28 EPORTER, AUGUST 7-13, 2020 BTR
she said.
Wilma Alonso the director
the past couple months. She
told the Bronx Times there
are illegal vendors from Creston
Avenue to Third Avenue,
on the south side of Fordham
Road and at Fordham Plaza
as well. One food vendor even
has a smoker.
She noted there are often
30 to 35 vendors on any
given day.
“The main issue is that
city inspectors from Department
of Health are not conducting
fi eld inspections yet
due to COVID-19,” she said.
“The city has not designated
these responsibilities to any
city agency either. Therefore,
this has become an issue
out of control.”
Geri Sciortino, owner of
Bronx Design Group at 2914
Westchester Ave., has also noticed
vendors near the Buhre
Avenue stop on the 6 train.
She has seen a man selling
fruit there for the past few
weeks and noted at fi rst it was
just one table, but has since
grown to three.
“As a business owner,
I follow all the rules,” she
explained. “It just infuriates
me that nothing is being
done. This neighborhood has
been neglected.”
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