The L.A. City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an ordinance to amend the city’s current street vending laws which previously prohibited street vendors from selling goods in seven areas — the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, L.A. Live/Crypto.com Arena, Universal Studios City Walk, El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument, and Exposition Park. Those areas will now be open to these portable small businesses.

Street vendors will still be required to follow certain safety and health regulations, and they can face a ticket or penalty if they are violated, though state law does not specifically define what would constitute health and safety concerns.

​​Today’s vote came on the same day that the city council reduced the permit fees required of street vendors. The cost was $291 per year and was initially set to increase to $541, but the council unanimously voted to establish a $27.51 per year permit fee for the Sidewalk and Park Vending Program.

The motion is in response to an ongoing lawsuit from December 2022 against the city for allegedly violating the rights of street vendors and not complying with state law.  Public Counsel, a nonprofit law firm, is representing Community Power Collective, Inclusive Action, and East L.A. Community Corporation in their lawsuit against the city.

In 2018, former Governor Jerry Brown signed the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act that decriminalized street vending, but the bill required street vendors to have equipment, such as food trucks, rather than a stand or pushcart.

Then in 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that legalized street vending. Senate Bill 972 makes it easier for vendors to sell food on streets throughout the state.

“This legislation is about eliminating the seven areas currently designated as no vending zones in the city of Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who represents a part of the Westside in Hollywood. “By eliminating those no vending zones, we will also be getting rid of a lot of the harassment and ticketing that street vendors are subjected to because of those no vending zones. “

The councilman also said the move was personal to him, as he was once a street vendor, as well as both of his parents and remembered going to city council meetings with them urging support from city leaders.

“We see you. We value your hard work and what you bring to the city,” Soto-Martinez said. “And hopefully, we will continue to work with the folks that are most affected by this as we continue to evolve the ordinance.”

The ordinance still requires a second vote by the full city council before it can be adopted. Mayor Karen Bass will also have to approve the ordinance for implementation.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors is expected to give final approval to a pair of ordinances regulating sidewalk food vendors at its meeting Tuesday, including a permit program and approval of a subsidy program to help vendors cover permitting fees.

Photo by Angel D Bilio in iStockphoto.com