“Street tacos, bacon-wrapped hot dogs and elotes are already ubiquitous and beloved in Los Angeles; it’s time to make sure their purveyors can operate in peace and deliciousness,” writes the L.A. Times editorial board for @latimesopinion. latimes.com/opinion/story/…
Out of an estimated 10,000 sidewalk food vendors in the city of Los Angeles, fewer than 200 have received permits. Most vendors continue to operate outside the law.
“In order to legally sell food, a vendor has to get a permit from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which is responsible for interpreting and enforcing the state’s retail food code.”
“To get a permit, the vendor has to have an approved cart. Good luck getting a usable cart approved.”
“A code-compliant cart would weigh more than 700 pounds and cost many thousands of dollars, which is just not practical for vendors who earn $15,000 a year, on average.” 
“Street vending is technically legal but most can’t get the permits to operate legally and so they operate in the shadows, constantly afraid of getting shut down and having their carts confiscated.”
“And while state lawmakers decriminalized street vending, it’s still a criminal misdemeanor to sell food without a permit.”
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