Policy Brief: Options to Improve Access to Nutritious, Affordable Food

Published August, 2007

Given that increasing the availability of affordable, healthy food in all communities and promoting better food choices could help address childhood obesity, CCC issued a policy brief with proposals to make healthy and affordable food accessible and available in all New York City communities and to incentivize the consumption of nutritious food.

CCC’s proposals focused on increasing access to nutritious and affordable food, increasing consumer demand for nutritious food, maximizing the use of government food programs, and promoting locally-grown produce and facilitate its distribution in food deserts.

Some of the key proposals are:

• Lift the cap on street food vending cart permits, increase the number of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved areas, and create small business- entrepreneurship microlending opportunities.
• Post information online about supermarket inspections.
• Encourage supermarkets to provide free shuttle services to consumers residing in food deserts.
• Enhance the capacity of small independent grocers/bodegas to carry nutritious, affordable food.