In September 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 946 – the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act – which legalized street vending in California. The passing of this bill followed 10 years of advocacy by street vendors, community organizations, and business owners. In Los Angeles, these advocates, including CAMEO member LURN, coalesced to form the LA Street Vendor Campaign.
SB 946 went into effect on January 1, 2019. Under this bill:
- Cities and Counties cannot charge sidewalk vendors with a misdemeanor or an infraction for vending
- Cities and counties must dismiss any pending charges and past convictions for vending
- Cities and Counties may regulate sidewalk vending. These regulations can include:
- Hours of operation
- Distance requirements on sidewalks
- Limit stationary vending in residential areas and certain parks
In the city of LA, street vending was legalized on November 28, 2018. Despite this amazing milestone, there is still much work to be done around advocacy and building awareness. The City is expected to roll out a full street vending permit system by January 2020. Until then, there is a bare-bones regulations system in place that includes several distance limits for vendors and seven explicit No Vending Zones. The LA Street Vendor Campaign is proposing a permit system that:
- Provides flexibility for roaming vendors and stability for stationary vendors
- Takes an education-first approach to rule compliance
- Establishes health food incentives
- Favors special vending districts over No Vending Zones
The Coalition is working with the LA Bureau of Street Services to ensure adequate outreach and education happens. You can support the movement by promoting the work of vendors and the legalization of street vending, using the hashtag #LAStreetVendors on all your social media.
A special thanks to Rudy Espinosa of LURN and Carla De Paz of ELACC for sharing this information with us!