Street Vendor Pilot Program Taking Shape
Sellers of hot food may be moved to a central location, and required to pay fees and observe certain health regulations.
By Gloria Angelina Castillo, EGP Staff Writer
A pilot program aimed at Boyle Heights’ street vendors may change the way they do business—and how they cook their tacos and hot dogs out in the open.
A representative of Councilmember Jose Huizar (CD-14) on Nov. 19 asked the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council to take a position on a proposed pilot program that would look similar to a farmers’ market, and would include vendors selling food prepared “in the open.”
“It’s going to be operated as any other farmer’s market, where the vendor that’s going to be posted at the site will pay a fee and that fee will be used to fund enforcement, cleanliness and security for the site that’s going to regulate the vendors,” Field Deputy David Miranda told the neighborhood council which voted to support the program.
The East LA Community Corporation (ELACC) will manage the program, according to Miranda.
Isela Gracian, director of community organizing for ELACC, told EGP that they are interested in managing the pilot program but that nothing has been finalized yet. She said the pilot program is shaping up to look like nighttime farmers’ market.
Hot food vendors, selling everything from hot dogs to tamales to tacos, can be found on streets throughout Boyle Heights.
“The idea behind it is to provide an opportunity for evening sales of food—especially near Breed Street and Cesar Chavez,” Gracian said, noting that the program will also include aspects of traditional farmers’ markets like the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The program would likely be from Friday to Sunday, from 7 p.m. to midnight, and one potential location is a city-owned parking lot on Chicago, off Avenida Cesar Chavez, Gracian said. Vendors could be charged $20 to $40 per day, in addition to the costs of permits, she said.
The program is a response a city crackdown that began well over a year ago to enforce food safety laws and targets street vendors cooking over an open flame, according to Gracian.
ELACC has already collected 300 letters from residents in Boyle Heights and the surrounding area in support of the pilot program, said Gracian.
The Los Angeles Department of Public Works Committee is considering the program, but because Los Angeles County regulates farmer’s markets, it would have to be a joint effort between the city and county, Gracian said.
Gracian said the pilot program could be introduced in committee in December. If approved, it would move to the city council, which could approve it by late January. It could take the county up to two months to review and approve the joint program. The city will use that time to finalize management for the program.
“If all goes well, it could be up and running by March or April 2010,” Gracian said.
The pilot program would address issues related to food safety, taxes, and unfair competition to other established businesses, such as restaurants. Some of the challenges include a loss of clientele from past police disbursements of street vendors, and the possibility that the health requirements may change the sabor or flavor of street tacos, she said.
“Some of the foods will have to be prepared [off-site] in an approved kitchen,” said Gracian. “So that’s a potential for loss of what attracts people to purchase their food.”
Gracian said the pilot program is a proactive solution that could be expanded to a full district. She also said selling food is a “vehicle for entrepreneurship,” and could help vendors “earn money and feed their families.”
Those interesting in learning more or participating in the creation of the program, can contact ELACC organizer Janet Favela at (323) 269-4214 ext. 258, or Councilmember Huizar’s Boyle Heights Field Office at (323) 526-3059.
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November 30, 2009 Copyright © 2009 Eastern Group Publications, Inc.
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