Deliveristas face new enforcement in the East Village

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

For the second time this summer, the NYPD and the Department of Sanitation conducted an e-bike sweep targeting delivery workers, also known as deliveristas. However, unlike the operation on July 30, which focused on the NE corridor at 11th Street, the Aug. 28 enforcement expanded to First Avenue, where officers seized two dozen bikes. 

Ahead of the sweep, an NYPD officer on the scene told me: "Whatever is not in the [bike] corral will be taken, whatever is on the fence will be taken."

According to police sources, the operation was initiated following a recent New York Post article, which described 11th Street as "an eyesore with 125 e-bikes clogging the street" and "a hideous dumping ground for e-bikes," prompting the attention of City Hall. From there, City Hall pressured 1 Police Plaza to take immediate action. 

While enforcement was initially requested the week of Aug. 18, officials needed Sanitation crews and trucks available, so the sweep was pushed to Aug. 28 instead. 

 

Although warning signs were posted along 11th Street, east of First Avenue, near the under-renovation Madina Masjid Islamic Council of America on the northeast corner, the seizures ultimately occurred on First Avenue, including areas north of the posted signs. That included a stretch across from Veniero's, which deliveristas had previously been told was "safe" from enforcement. 

Many workers appeared confused and frustrated as bikes locked in those areas were nevertheless removed.

I also witnessed a handful of deliveristas receiving summonses after arriving too late to retrieve their bikes. 

As officers explained, once a bike is in NYPD custody, it cannot be released without a summons being issued.

Unlike the earlier sweep this summer, personal possessions such as bags, backpacks, tables, and chairs were spared.

"This time it's about cigarette butts, trash and debris, broken bike locks, chains… no personal belongings," a Sanitation worker told me. "We don't want to trash someone's means of earning money."

Community members also played a protective role. Neighbors and activists moved deliveristas' bags out of reach before the operation began, first stashing them in the Lower East Side Playground next to East Side Community School on 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, then in the adjacent community garden, to prevent them from being taken by police or Sanitation.

Deliverista support and response 

Tyler Hefferon, executive director of the East Village-based food insecurity nonprofit EV Loves NYC (below center), who has been working in coordination with Los Deliveristas Unidos and the Workers Justice Project, said they tried to reduce the losses this time by spreading word of the sweep in advance.

"[The week of Aug. 18] we were notified there would be another bike sweep outside the 11th Street mosque, and we did our best, in coordination with Los Deliveristas Unidos, to spread the word. We were able to reduce the number of bikes taken," Hefferon said. "Still, there were three or four dozen that were locked up illegally and confiscated by the NYPD." 

He continued:

"We saw people receiving summonses. We're trying to keep in touch with everyone affected — those who had bikes seized or got summonses — to help them through the recovery process. That means accompanying them to the precinct or to administrative court hearings so they can get their bikes back. We're also working with local elected officials and the NYPD Community Affairs to make sure photos of bikes, or even just having the key, can serve as proof of ownership. Last time, people lost valuable belongings — IDs, work authorization papers, even documents for immigration hearings. So we also made an effort to make sure personal property was protected this time." 

Community voices 

Officials previously stated that the enforcement was a response to a surge in community complaints about noise, congestion, and food waste resulting from 11th Street's unofficial use as a waiting and staging area for e-bike delivery workers. Quality-of-life issues have been mentioned at 9th Precinct Community Council meetings. 

However, some local residents are now serving as advocates for the deliveristas.

Community Board 3 District Manager Susan Stetzer said the support from neighbors has been crucial.

"The community has been involved and very helpful. The garden opened during the cleanup and let us store bags and chairs there," said Stetzer (pictured on the left below). "Residents did an amazing job getting the word out to move bikes. Workers Justice is planning a meeting with deliveristas, plus ways for people to join efforts and stay on top of information."

She added: "I think it's a real shame that the city is going after these very vulnerable men who are just trying to work and earn a living, instead of using resources to create a place for these men to be able to comply and be able to work." 

What's next

In a shift from July, some bikes have been returned to their owners when they could show a key as proof of ownership. Several administrative tickets have also been dismissed — in one case, because the ticket was illegible. 

Still, the overall process remains confusing, with workers required to navigate court hearings and precinct bureaucracy just to get back their means of earning a living. 

From the NYPD side, the paperwork process remains murky. "This is not a criminal court summons, although it is written on a criminal ticket," one officer said. "The city didn't anticipate this problem, so no special paperwork exists for it." 

For now, the sweeps appear likely to continue. Privately, a few NYPD officers admitted to frustration with the policy being "driven by media articles." 

With pressure from City Hall and ongoing coverage, the operations could remain a fixture under Mayor Adams. 

However, this latest sweep also revealed stronger coordination among deliveristas, neighbors, and local organizations — a sign that, while enforcement may continue, so will resistance and resourcefulness.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Deliveristas confront new hurdles after 11th Street bike sweep 

• Mass e-bike seizure sparks tensions and debate on 11th Street

Deliveristas confront new hurdles after 11th Street bike sweep

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Since the NYPD and Sanitation's joint sweep on July 30, when dozens of e-bikes and mopeds were cut from scaffolding and poles along 11th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, delivery workers have faced a mounting series of obstacles trying to reclaim their property and maintain their livelihoods. 

Those who have come to the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street to retrieve their bikes have been met with administrative sanitation summonses under code 16-122(b). Penalties range from $50 to $250, and though NYPD emphasizes these are administrative, not criminal, they still appear on a criminal summons ticket, as one deliverista shared his summons with me.

As such, proof of ownership is required, and only the registered owner with a receipt can claim a bike — photos do not count. Bikes will be held at the Precinct for at least 30 days. 

Immigration concerns 

For many deliveristas, the real fear is not the fine but the court appearance. Hearings are held at 1 Centre St., and workers worry that showing up could expose them to ICE detention. 

Others fear that even pleading guilty to resolve the summons could leave a blemish on their record, complicating citizenship applications. 

Tyler Hefferon, executive director of the East Village-based food insecurity nonprofit EV Loves NYC, has been working closely with asylum seekers for the past few years. 

"We've seen members of our community detained after routine immigration hearings," he said. "Some have been locked up for years while their cases are processed. Now they're scared the same thing could happen if they show up in court just to get their bikes back."

Rumors have circulated that bikes were moved offsite — one worker even claimed a tracker pinged in New Jersey. 

The NYPD insists all bikes remain at the 9th Precinct, with battery-equipped models kept in the parking lot and non-battery bikes stored in the basement. 

With bikes tied up, so are livelihoods. Many workers had only recently secured federal work permits and had just begun deliveries. Some are still paying rental fees on seized bikes. 

"Every day the bikes are kept, wages are being lost," Hefferon said.

In response to the standoff on 11th Street, Community Board 3 worked with the Parks Department to identify alternative spaces. Community gardens weren't feasible, but the nearby Lower East Side Playground — part of a Jointly Operated Playground adjacent to East Side Community School — is open for neighborhood use after 3:30 p.m. and on weekends.

Parks has since added picnic tables and trash cans, and the space here between Avenue A and First Avenue on 11th Street is now open for deliveristas. 

However, when Community Board 3 District Manager Susan Stetzer and NYPD reps visited the other day, the 11th Street gate was locked.

After some back-and-forth with Parks staff (and the help of Google Translate with workers waiting outside), the gate was opened, and deliveristas quickly filed into the shaded space to rest.

At the site, Stetzer pressed the NYPD about why workers' bags had been confiscated and discarded during the sweep. 

The NYPD responded that there had been "plenty of Sanitation outreach" and stressed that "there has to be more accountability." 

Stetzer countered:

The City creates microhubs for large companies like FedEx, but why are these workers the only ones not being helped? They are lower-income, people of color, and immigrants. Why is the City not willing to accommodate them? When a restaurant operates on a sidewalk illegally, it gets a summons; when an immigrant hangs his bag there, they throw it out. Why the inequality?

She continued: 

There is one reason these people are here. The neighborhood orders delivery. If the community doesn't want them here, they can stop ordering everything delivered. These are businesspeople serving the needs of the community.

NYPD officials argued the issue is larger than enforcement:

They have to respect the block. They have to be good neighbors. They can't leave trash. They need to be more responsible. And there is an easy answer....the delivery companies need to do more. It doesn't take a lot of money. Give them a rest station, a place to store their belongings. These are their employees; they should provide for them. Without these guys, who is going to be delivering your food? These guys need a charging station ... Until that is provided, where will they eat? Sure, the two new benches are nice, but there are hundreds of people here. Who is going to sit, and who will stand?  We need to give hard-working people an opportunity, and this part is not a police matter.

What's next 

So far, NYPD sources say that no bikes have been released back to their owners. Meetings with local elected officials and delivery companies are being planned, with the hope of finding longer-term solutions.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Mass e-bike seizure sparks tensions and debate on 11th Street

Mass e-bike seizure sparks tensions and debate on 11th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

In a coordinated enforcement effort yesterday afternoon, NYPD officers and Sanitation workers impounded dozens of e-bikes, mopeds, and bicycles from 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The action, which began around noon and wrapped up by 3 p.m., took place on a day when the heat index hit 100 degrees and came amid mounting tensions over how public space is shared along this corridor.

Bikes locked to poles and scaffolding were cut free with power tools and loaded into NYPD vehicles. Personal items — including food delivery bags, folding chairs, and other belongings — were discarded.

 

The block was closed to vehicle traffic for the duration of the operation.

Nearby, the longtime food truck stationed at the southeast corner of 11th Street and First Avenue was asked to relocate. It moved across the avenue, and the corner space will now be used as a designated corral for legal bike parking.

A surge in complaints

The sweep followed a stretch of recent signage posted along the block announcing the scheduled "cleanup," part of a joint initiative by the 9th Precinct and the Department of Sanitation. 

Officials said the enforcement is a response to a surge in community complaints about noise, congestion, and food waste stemming from the block's unofficial use as a waiting and staging area for e-bike delivery workers (aka, deliveristas). Quality-of-life issues have been regularly mentioned at 9th Precinct Community Council meetings.

The area, particularly the sidewalk in front of the under-renovation Madina Masjid Islamic Council of America on the northeast corner, one of the city's oldest mosques, has become a gathering spot for the workers due to its central location and availability of curb space. 

Hector, a building super on the block, said the bikes often block access to trash bins and attract rats due to leftover food containers. 

"We can't get through some days," he said.

A mixed reaction

The enforcement action drew sharply mixed reactions. Some neighbors expressed gratitude to the police for "cleaning up the block." Others shouted at officers and tried to stop the bikes from being taken. 

A few residents translated information into French for West African delivery workers, many of whom were caught off guard. (The NYPD posted multiple flyers along here on Friday.)

"We don't sell drugs — we deliver food," said one delivery worker, declining to give his name. "We work hard. We buy a $2,000 bike, and they take it from us. How do we work now?" 

Said one officer: "We spoke to the community, we spoke to Joco [which provides e-bikes to delivery workers], we spoke directly to the delivery workers. We put up signs in multiple languages. This is community policing. This is not just us being the big, bad police." 

Tensions boiled over at times, with some skirmishes occurring among residents, law enforcement, sanitation, and the bike owners. 

One woman walking by screamed at the police, "Why?! Why are you harming them? Why are you taking their means for work?"

One sanitation worker looked at me ruefully and said, "This is the worst part of the job."

Police confirmed that no criminal summonses were issued, though some sanitation code violations may be forthcoming. 

All bikes were tagged and vouchered and are being held at the 9th Precinct for 30 days. A receipt or other proof of ownership is required to reclaim a bike. Officers stressed that no immigration documents are needed and that immigration status is not being checked.

Delivery workers insist they've taken steps to keep the area clean and orderly, but say they need somewhere to rest between jobs. Police maintain the broader goal is to balance the needs of workers, residents, and businesses in an increasingly crowded corridor. 

"This is not a one-time sweep," said one law enforcement source. "We'll continue to assess and enforce as needed. We're looking for a lasting solution."

All sides seemed to agree on one thing: This is a problem without a clear-cut solution.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Cleanup planned for E-bike hub on 11th Street following spike in complaints

Cleanup planned for E-bike hub on 11th Street following spike in complaints

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Signage recently went along 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, announcing a scheduled cleanup of the heavily trafficked e-bike, moped and bicycle area. 

The effort — slated to begin today — is a joint initiative by the 9th Precinct and the Department of Sanitation, prompted by a surge in community complaints. 

The block is a popular spot for e-bike delivery workers to gather as they wait to fulfill deliveries, in part given the proximity of the under-renovation Madina Masjid Islamic Council of America, one of the city's most prominent mosques, founded in 1976. 

The signs, posted in English, Spanish, Arabic, French, and Wolof, notify residents and delivery workers that any bikes not moved by the cleanup date (the deadline was yesterday) will be removed and impounded.

According to residents and local officials, complaints about congestion, noise, and sanitation issues tied to the unofficial parking and staging area have intensified in recent months. The issue has become a recurring topic at neighborhood council meetings at the 9th Precinct. 

Police say this is part of a broader effort to address quality-of-life issues while balancing the needs of workers and residents. 

While some in the community have voiced frustration, many delivery workers — aka deliveristas — say they've taken steps to keep the area clean. 

Several riders on the block pointed out trash bags and brooms they've been using to manage the space themselves.

They also spoke to me, stating they need security here because they say their methods of transportation for making a living are often stolen. Despite using GPS and tracking devices, they claim police are not willing to help them track down their bikes.

In past years, the Madina Masjid mosque has drawn criticism from local residents and business owners due to "cabbies filling metered spaces and parking in front of fire hydrants, in truck loading zones and in bus lanes" to attend prayer services, according to published reports. 

Parking for prayer services has been an issue since the religious institution opened, per DNAinfo in 2013. What was once a battle over car congestion has shifted gears — now, it's all about the bikes for some residents. 

Updated

Late yesterday afternoon, EVG reader Choresh Wald shared this photo, noting that the city added a sidewalk extension on the SE corner of First Avenue and 11th Street. The perpetual food truck here even relocated to the SW corner of First Avenue and 11th Street...

... but it had returned within an hour...

We haven't received any updates about an extension here... we'll see if we can get clarification on what's happening.

14th Street residents looking for solutions for the congregating e-bike delivery workers

While 14th Street has been in the news recently, some residents hope the city will also pay attention to a different block. 

According to residents on the south side of 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, for several months, there has been a steady increase in e-bike delivery workers congregating as they wait to fulfill deliveries. (Residents acknowledged that this situation isn't unique to this EV block or even neighborhood.) 

According to one resident who lives in a building here, "they are brazenly driving on the sidewalks, littering and congesting the walkways for residents, and blocking entrances to local businesses." 

The resident went on to say that "the problem has gotten substantially worse." Despite filing complaints with 311 and calling the 9th Precinct and District 2 City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office,  "we haven't had much success."

The resident shared this video clip...

   

The residents say they're not trying to demonize the delivery workers who rely on their e-bikes to make a living, instead to find a solution for the burgeoning population of the city's deliveristas.

One solution hasn't garnered the necessary support. Local community boards (downtown and on the Upper West Side) have previously nixed plans from the Adams administration to open a rest and recharging facility for app-based delivery workers in former newsstands, as Streetsblog reported in March.

Meanwhile, GrubHub and JOCO, a company that makes rentable e-bikes, teamed up last summer to open "a rest stop" to help improve working conditions for delivery workers. The spaces offer safe places to recharge batteries and access restrooms. 

There are now two — a small outpost on West 51st Street that can accommodate 15 people and one on 12th Street just west of Avenue A with a 75-person capacity.

In late February, the city unveiled its first public e-bike charging station on Cooper Square, part of a pilot program titled "Charge Safe Ride Safe Action Plan." However, this station is limited to providing an FDNY-reviewed way to recharge lithium-ion batteries. The stations do not offer restrooms or other amenities. 

An e-bike repair shop for 7th Street

MNE Ebike Repair is now open at 117 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. (Thanks to Rainer Turim for the photo.)

This marks the third e-bike shop to open in the East Village in 2024. (And with each arrival, we hear from some nervous neighbors who have concerns about possible fires and crowds of delivery workers.)

The storefront was previously Los Tacos NYC and a barista-training space for 787 Coffee.

The city's first public e-bike charging site for delivery workers unveiled on Cooper Square

City officials yesterday: 

... activated the first of five public e-battery charging locations as part of the city's new six-month pilot program to test safe, public charging of lithium-ion batteries by an initial group of 100 delivery workers. The first charging site is located in Cooper Square ... and is a key component of the administration's overall “Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City's Electric Micromobility Action Plan" to support safe e-bike use and prevent deadly lithium-ion battery fires. New York City is among the first major cities in the United States to launch a public e-bike charging pilot program.

The Essex Market will also receive an e-bike charging station in the coming weeks. 

Per the Times:

During the pilot program, up to 100 delivery workers can volunteer to use the charging hubs for free and provide feedback to the city. The program will cost about $950,000 in city funding. Its results will inform the city’s efforts "to expand safe and affordable e-battery charging to all New Yorkers," city transportation officials said.

The new charging sites come amid ongoing concerns over fires sparked by lithium-ion batteries.

According to ABC 7 and other media outlets, 18 people died, and 150 people were injured in 268 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in NYC last year. 

Last Friday, 27-year-old journalist Fazil Khan was killed and 22 others injured during a fire in a six-floor apartment building in Harlem. FDNY officials said the fire started in an apartment shared by six delivery workers charging lithium-ion batteries. 

Meanwhile, the Times pointed out that the city received "a $25 million federal grant last year to install 173 outdoor charging stations for e-bikes and other e-mobility devices at 53 of the city’s subsidized public housing complexes, but none have been built yet."

It will likely be months before you see any signs of these, The City reported.

And another angle brought up in Streetsblog's coverage:

When it comes to electric charging infrastructure for cars, DOT has been able to install 100 chargers at sidewalks in all five boroughs within 18 months, and the agency is eyeing tens of thousands more in the coming decade, Streetsblog reported. 

Nevertheless, the asked why it appeared to be easier for the agency to accommodate electric cars than e-bikes, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Commissioner contended it was not more challenging to set up the e-bike infrastructure.

Photos courtesy of the DOT