Despite Favorable Court Ruling, Atlanta Street Vendors Remain Shut Out
flickr via tigger89
Despite a favorable court ruling, it appears Atlanta street vendors will remain shut out from selling their wares on public property.
Larry Miller of the Atlanta Vendors Association says since the city cleared out street vendors in March, it’s been a struggle.
“We’ve been out of work for over 90 days and vendors live day-to-day and a lot of them are under stress right now trying to feed their children and [pay] house notes, car notes, and whatever else…we need to work and make money to live,” said Miller.
Under a prior ordinance, all street vending permits were revoked at the end of last year. The city’s plan was to create a new system of kiosks managed by a private company.
Street vendors sued and in December a judge ruled the ordinance unconstitutional.
Vendors celebrated the decision, believing it meant returning to the old permit system. But city officials say no new permits will be issued until a new ordinance is passed. A spokeswoman for the mayor said that should happen by the end of the year, but Miller is calling for reinstated permits now.
“The problem that we have is we’re not allowed to work while they make the changes necessary to improve vending,” said Miller.
He plans to take the fight to a city council committee meeting Tuesday.
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