Designing Fair and Effective Street Vending Policy: It’s Time for a New Approach

Renia Ehrenfeucht
University of New Mexico

Cities have experienced an upswing in food trucks and other forms of street vending in the past decade. This upswing has led to new debates over how, where, and when street vending should be allowed. Using evidence from three research projects, this article examines three assumptions that underlie discussions about street vending regulations— that extensive regulations are necessary to (1) protect property interests, (2) prevent pedestrian congestion or other impacts, and (3) keep the street orderly. The findings suggest that fewer regulations are needed to meet legitimate public purposes, and cities would benefit from a new approach in which they reduced street vending regulations and actively planned to enhance compatibility with other urban activities.