From garbage pickers to tamale sellers, workers in the informal economy can account for half the workforce in developing cities. They should be respected as an important constituency.

Street Vendors contribute a vital part of city life, whether they're selling tea from the back of their bikes or carrying a cooler of tamales, they should be treated as an important resource Tanvi Misra argues in a piece for CityLab. "And yet they face numerous barriers to economic, political, and social integration—many of which are set up by the city itself. This is a common state of affairs in the urban centers of developing countries, but it doesn’t have to be," Misra writes.
Cities could do a lot for these vendors, by giving out more permits, and having strict oversite and greater transparency to avoid the corruption that can be part of that process. "Informal workers—like street vendors, waste-pickers who earn money for recycling trash; people who make textiles, garments, shoes, electronics, and other products at home—make up 50 to 80 percent of employment of cities in developing countries," Misra reports.
A World Resource Institute paper suggests three strategies to aid this vital part of cities:
- Increased access to public resources
- Revised laws to include informal workers in decision making
- Greater integration of informal workers into the local government
FULL STORY: Why Cities Should Support, Not Exclude, Street Vendors

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont