The city of Los Angeles reduces by hundreds of dollars the cost of permits for street vendors.
With 12 votes in favor and none against, the Los Angeles City Council approved this Friday an ordinance that officially reduces the annual price of a permit for street vendors, from a cost of $541 dollars to $27.51 dollars.
The reduction in permits comes months after elected officials in February rescinded so-called “no-vending zones” and that they took measures to support street vendors.
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During the vote, members of the Municipal Council were absent. Monica Rodriguez, Traci Park and Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
“Today we have before you the last step in what has been a long road to incorporate street vendors into the formal economy“,” Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman said before the vote.
“We have taken important steps to achieve this goal in recent years by removing barriers to obtaining permits, particularly with the passage of SB 972“he added.
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Governor Gavin Newsom passed SB 972 in 2022, which allows street vending throughout the state of California.
“But the financial costs alone were sufficient to prevent suppliers from operating legallywhich changes today,” said the councilor.
Raman and Councilor Curren Price previously introduced a motion calling for a rate study for determine an appropriate and affordable annual permit cost.
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The city of Los Angeles decriminalized street vending in 2017 and began a process to establish a permit system.
The rate study noted that the city had previously set the cost of the permit at $291 between 2019 and 2022 and remained unchanged due to the COVID pandemic.
For fiscal year 2022-2023, Staff proposed that the fare be increased to $541.but elected officials refrained from imposing it on street vendors.
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“The city estimated that there were 50,000 street vendors in the city and planned to issue 16,000 permitsBut the reality on the ground was very different,” Raman said.
The fact is that Only 900 permits were issued per year and many street vendors chose to work without permits.
Since then, Raman worked with council members Price, Hugo Soto-Martínez and Imelda Padilla, among others, to ensure that street vendors can participate in the economy and that they can have permits within reach without facing as many obstacles as before.
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Padilla said that This tariff system will be more realistic and affordable for the city’s street vendors.
“Today we will further reduce barriers for sellers “In the pursuit of economic opportunity, we will create a path for entrepreneurs and small business owners who make an honest living to support themselves and their families,” Padilla said.
“This will also allow us to have conversations to improve public health in the process, safety and well-being for all Angelenos“, added Councilwoman Padilla.
On February 6, the City Council amended the city’s street vending laws and eliminated seven areas where street vendors were prohibited from operating: Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, LA Live/Crypto.com Arena, Universal Studios/City Paseo, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Landmark, and Exposition Park.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors gave final approval to a pair of ordinances regulating mobile food vendors, and also adopted a subsidy program to offset some costs related to your permitting process.
Keep reading:
· Long Beach street vendors affected by city measures
· Street vendors plan to take legal action against the city of Los Angeles
· Hispanic street vendors are robbed at knife point in South Los Angeles