Councilmembers Call For Legalization, Regulation Of Street Vending Operations
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Two Los Angeles city councilmembers Wednesday submitted a proposal calling for the regulation of street vending operations.
Councilmembers Jose Huizar and Curren Price were joined by the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign, a coalition of street vending advocates, for a 9:30 a.m. meeting at City Hall.
LASVC members rallied in August, asking the City Council to pass legislation that would establish formal regulations — and legal protection — for sidewalk vending operations, KNX1070's Ed Mertz reports.
Councilmembers Call For Legalization, Regulation Of Street Vending Operations
Sidewalk food vendors operate in an unregulated environment, exposing consumers to potential health risks, officials said.
"Consumers are risk because they can't be certain that their food is safe," Huizar said. "The overall goal here is to enhance economic growth and the viability of communities."
Sidewalk food vending is permitted in cities such as New York, San Fransisco and Chicago.
The motion also calls for the examination of non-food and merchandise vending, citations and enforcement related to vending, and a review of policies outside of Los Angeles to identify the best practices in other cities regulating vendors.
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