BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — A new Kern County grand jury report is raising questions about whether food sold by the county’s rapidly growing number of street vendors is being inspected often enough to ensure it is safe.
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The report found that food vendors are expanding quickly while public health and environmental health departments face a shortage of inspectors. The grand jury said it believes the shortage is tied to a lack of county funding and pay inequities.
Among the grand jury’s recommendations are providing funding for additional inspectors and opening a pay inequity study. The report recommends that those changes be made by Nov. 30, 2026.
Bakersfield police and other agencies conducted an enforcement operation on Casa Loma targeting unauthorized street vendors who have been setting up weekly on private property. The operation ended in several citations. PHOTO: BPD
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The report follows recent food vendor crackdowns in Kern County, including on Casa Loma Drive.