Raman Calls For Moratorium On Street Vendor Permit Enforcement

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA — Councilwoman Nithya Raman introduced a motion aiming to aid Los Angeles' street vendors, many of whom have been particularly battered by the pandemic. The councilwoman is calling for a return of a moratorium on citations for vending without a valid license or permit, which would last until six months after the coronavirus state of emergency has ended.

"Given that the COVID-19 virus is less transmissible outdoors and during brief interactions, street vending is by nature a safer form of food service than indoor or seated outdoor dining," Raman wrote in the motion. "Many families in Los Angeles rely on income brought in by street vending to stay housed and fed, and because a significant number of street vendors are undocumented, they are not eligible for many relief funds offered by the federal government — meaning that a citation can have devastating financial consequences."

In 2018, City Council moved to legalize street vending, and set up a permit system while placing a moratorium on enforcement to give sellers time to get on board. However, burdensome fees made it difficult for many vendors to complete the process, while a stringent set of health and safety guidelines meant the vast majority of carts would not be allowed.

When the pandemic started in March, the moratorium was suspended, even though less than 1% of vendors had actually obtained their permits according to Raman.

"As the emergency period has continued, many other forms of retail and dining have been allowed to reopen," Raman said. "Restaurants are now permitted to offer outdoor dining, and have even been allowed to apply for funding to create space where people can eat safely outdoors. Street vending of food, however, remains illegal without a County health permit — which only approximately 90 vendors out of more than 10,000 in Los Angeles County have obtained."

The full motion can be viewed here.