The homeless salesforce promoted Street News shortly after panhandling was declared illegal on the subways; however, vendors were permitted to sell the newspaper in areas surrounding metro train stations.
[5][6] Street News gained widespread media attention following the release of its first article, written by Sam Roberts for The New York Times.
[8] Co-founder Wendy Oxenhorn left Street News after its first year, citing "philosophical differences on how to run the organization," as reported in a New York Times article.
[10] In 1991, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority implemented a policy prohibiting the hawking of newspapers on the subways, leading to the arrest of vendors while working in their prime selling locations.
[7] Janet Wickenhaver became its editor and associate publisher, revamping the struggling business by shifting the focus from celebrity content to more coverage of social issues.
[citation needed] As of 2002[update], the editor was John Levi "Indio" Washington Jr. Street News prints 3,000 copies of six issues per year, sold by 15 vendors who receive 75 cents from the $1.25 sale price.