From tacos to churros, there has been a recent boom in local street vendor stands. Beyond the sweet smells and hospitality of those who tend them, stories emerge about the danger and complexity of selling food on the sidewalk.
Recently, the number of stands and trucks has increased in several Southern California counties. For many vendors, this is a result of competition and the need to expand to different locations and to face the many fears of street vending, such as city penalties, and competition among themselves.
The popularity of street vendors grew exponentially in Los Angeles last summer, thanks to TikTok. A real food-selling paradise emerged in Lincoln Heights, which was shut down by city authorities in August. This is nothing new in California.
In Riverside, vendors show up almost every night fearing they will be out of work. Valente, who specializes in tacos, said he wants to avoid any conflict with city officials, as business has already been affected by the pandemic. He and his colleagues commute Tuesday through Sunday from South Central Los Angeles to Riverside, as the growth of taco stands in Los Angeles has forced them to branch out into neighboring counties to make ends meet.
“With the pandemic, the truth is that every day it has been more difficult,” said Valente. “There is more competition and less work for us, but we are still here trying to keep selling. It is the necessity of everyday life. If we don’t get out of there, there is nothing either. There is a lot of competition, and we try to stand out.”
For many, street vending is their main source of income, but the fear of being fined looms over them every day.
Valente says that in Anaheim he was approached by police officers for not having a permit. They threw away all the food that was going to be sold that day.
“(The city) will take your stuff,” Valente said. “That’s the fear more than anything. In Anaheim, it happened. We lose everything. We lose our profit day.”
These issues for vendors are a recurring theme. Fontana, just a few cities away from Riverside, has been faced with a new ordinance: last month's update to Municipal Code Amendment No. 22-001, in a 4-1 City Council vote, which will give all city employees the authority to enforce Environmental Health Department regulations on street vendors in Fontana.
Many said that obtaining a permit is nearly impossible because most do not qualify to apply for assistance or permits.
Some have criticized the ordinance as a way to further target them, without looking for a way for them to obtain permits to set up shop legally. At a city council meeting on January 25, several street vendors, community members and organizations such as the ACLU and CCAEJ spoke out against the ordinance.
“I am surprised that the most important stakeholders are not included when initiatives like this are brought forward,” Ana Gonzalez said at the city council meeting. “I urge the city council to table this issue or just get rid of it altogether because as our colleagues have said, the ACLU and other attorneys agree with us that this is a very discriminatory ordinance.”
As of 2022, California allows street food vending with a permit. On February 10, California Senator Lena Gonzalez introduced Senate Bill 972 which supports California's mobile food vendors and removes barriers, making permits more accessible to the community.
“These workers, however, have not had access to the documents they need to be able to work and support their families,” Gonzalez said. “This is due to California Retail Food Code policies that make it difficult for them to access local permit systems.”
Senate Bill 972 will likely make these licenses more available to street vendors and ensure more hygienic and safe food preparation.
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