Both the city and county of Los Angeles are creating pathways to make it easier for street vendors to safely sell food and goods.
The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Feb. 6 to amend the city’s current street vending laws, which ban them from certain high-traffic areas.
The council removed seven zones from the list of banned locations meaning now street vendors can once again practice on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as outside the Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, LA Live/Crypto.com Arena, Universal Studios/City Walk, and the El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument and at Exposition Park.
The council also reduced permit fees required of street vendors from $291 per year to $27.51 per year.
Several councilors during the meeting called street vendors a central part of the community.
“Street vending often provides new immigrants an opportunity to become entrepreneurs,” Council President Paul Krekorian said. “I know this personally because by grandfather sold melons on Sunset Boulevard when he first came to this country.”
Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez addressed street vendors ahead of the vote.
“We see you. We value your hard work and what you bring to the city,” he said.
The changes will take effect in approximately one month, according to city officials.
In addition to city fees, vendors must pay county fees as well.
On the same day, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a pair of ordinances regulating sidewalk food vendors, while also adopting a subsidy program to offset much of their permit costs.
Supervisors also spoke during the meeting of their importance to the community.
“Sidewalk food vending is a critical part of the cultural and civic fabric of our county,” Supervisor Hilda Solis said after the vote. “However, fostering and celebrating this micro-entrepreneurial spirit will not happen if the financial barriers to entry remain too high.”
The ordinances will apply to all vendors in the county except those in Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon, which have their own respective health departments.
The first ordinance outlines health-permit requirements for vendors running smaller food operations like carts or other non-motorized equipment.
It requires vendors to purchase a health permit ranging from $508 for those selling pre-packaged food to $1,186 for those who prepare and sell hot food.
Vendors must also pay ongoing annual fees for various equipment permits ranging from $226 to $1,000, depending on the type of vending.
The second ordinance sets regulations for vendors in unincorporated areas, including restrictions on where and when they can operate and requirements for distance between them.
It also bans vendors from connecting to any public utilities such as water and power sources.
Under the second ordinance, vendors must register with the county and pay a registration fee of $604.
However, the county also approved a subsidy program that will cover most of the costs for the street vendors’ required county permits.
Those who meet several qualifications—including annual revenue of less than $50,000—can apply for a subsidy that would cover 75 percent of the health permit costs.
Vendors who receive the subsidy must participate in educational and technical-assistance workshops conducted by the county Department of Economic Opportunity.
The county will set aside $500,000 for the program, with $300,000 coming from federal American Rescue Plan coronavirus funds and the other $200,000 from local American Rescue Plan and Tribal Consistency Fund dollars, the latter of which provides assistance to tribal governments.
