Last acts: Outgoing Mayor Adams vetoes 19 bills protecting street vendors, delivery workers, and affordable housing amNewYork

"Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams turned the lights out on his four-year run at City Hall Wednesday afternoon by vetoing 19 bills passed earlier this month to protect workers, street vendors and immigrants, increase affordable housing in the city and reform the NYPD."

"A majority of those bills were pieces of significant, hard-fought legislation, including the Street Vendor Reform Package that was set to make over 21,000 additional vending licenses available and create a Division of Street Vendor Assistance to provide vendors with support and resources within the city's Small Business Services Department."

"In a statement, Adams said he was vetoing the bills because they ran directly counter to [his] North Star of lifting up working-class New Yorkers, as he believed they would worsen the affordable housing crisis, undermine small businesses with an untested new licensing regime for street vendors and violate state laws governing our labor and law enforcement systems."

"It seems likely that the incoming City Council will override most of the outgoing mayor's vetoes. All of the vetoed bills passed with a veto-proof majority, except Brooklyn Council Member Sandy Nurse's Community Opportunity for Purchasing Act, or COPA, which squeaked by 30-10 after heated debate on the council floor. Arguably the most controversial of the set, COPA would give local nonprofits first dibs on purchasing disenfranchised and low-income residential properties that have over five units. To override Adams' veto, it will need 34 votes."

Eric Adams vetoed 19 bills hours before leaving office. The measures targeted protections for workers, street vendors, and immigrants, sought to increase affordable housing, and proposed NYPD reforms. The Street Vendor Reform Package would have issued over 21,000 additional vending licenses and created a Division of Street Vendor Assistance within the Small Business Services Department. The stated reasons for the vetoes included concerns about worsening the affordable housing crisis, undermining small businesses with an untested licensing regime, and potential conflicts with state labor and law enforcement laws. Most bills passed with veto-proof majorities; COPA passed 30-10 and requires 34 votes to override the veto.

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