The District will award its first new street vendor licenses in more than eight years under a revamped system debuting this week, and at the same time open dozens of downtown sites to aspiring merchants via a lottery drawing.

New vending license applications will be accepted today for the first time since the D.C. Council enacted a moratorium in 1998. Approved licensees will initially vie for 21 new vending locations in the 120-block Downtown Business Improvement District.