Will Los Angeles Legalize Street Vendors?

Los Angeles may be ripping a page from New York when it comes to street vending. This past week, a City Council committee met to discuss how a legal street vending system could be implemented in L.A.

The Economic Development Committee is considering three options: create a special vending district for opt-ins, legalize vending across the city, or mixture of the two, making it legal city-wide and giving cities choice to opt-out.

Small businesses lean towards the “opt in” system, as they believe vendors have an unfair advantage due to their lower operating costs.

New York’s model has a cap on the quantity of legal vendors at 3,000, and many in L.A. are pitching that idea. That model would also require permission from business owners in the surrounding area.