News release 

The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department, announced the launch of the Sidewalk Vending Cart Program, which invests $2.8 million in more than 280 free, health-code-compliant food vending carts for eligible sidewalk vendors across Los Angeles County and the city of L.A.  

The program is designed to help vendors meet new legal requirements, overcome financial barriers to formalization, and operate safely and legally in their communities, according to a news release from the county.  

The cart giveaway is part of a broader effort by the county to support low-income entrepreneurs and strengthen economic inclusion, the release said.  

Following the passage of Senate Bill 946, known as the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, and Senate Bill 972, which amended the California Retail Food Code to create a new permit category called Compact Mobile Food Operation, Los Angeles County adopted its own sidewalk vending ordinance, which went into effect in August 2024.  

The ordinance established a formal process for sidewalk vendors to operate legally in unincorporated areas of the county, including requirements to obtain a Sidewalk Vending Registration Certificate and, for food vendors, a CMFO permit from the Department of Public Health, the release said. 

These changes created a clear pathway to legal vending and the formal economy but also introduced new costs and permitting requirements that many vendors cannot afford on their own, according to the release. 

To address this, the Board of Supervisors approved a series of supportive measures, including waiving the $604 SVRC fee for the first two years, reducing it to $100 in the third year, offering 75% fee subsidy for CMFO permits, and launching Small Business Mobility Fund Formalization Grants to offset up to $5,000 in additional permitting costs. 

The sidewalk vending cart program is the next step in this strategy — offering fully compliant vending carts, free of charge, to vendors who meet all eligibility requirements and complete the permitting process, the release said. 

In September 2024, DEO issued a request for bids to procure a minimum of 281 vending carts, including 180 designated for unincorporated areas of the county and 101 for city of L.A. neighborhoods.  

The county has since executed agreements with three local manufacturers to produce and distribute approved cart types, including hot-holding, cold-holding, cut-fruit, and integrated grill models.  

These carts are designed to meet public health standards under the CMFO classification and help vendors move from informal to legal operation, the release.  

To receive a cart, applicants must be 18 years or older, live in L.A. County, be self-employed as a sidewalk vendor, earn less than $75,000 annually from vending, operate within either unincorporated L.A. County or the city of L.A., and commit to full compliance with public health and safety regulations.  

Vendors will only receive a cart once all necessary permits are secured, including a CMFO certificate, SVRC, and a local vending permit, depending on jurisdiction.  

“This program is about more than equipment, it is about economic equity,” Kelly LoBianco, director of the county Department of Economic Opportunity, said in the release. “Sidewalk vendors are vital to our communities, culture, and local economies. With this effort, we are making it possible for hundreds of hard-working vendors to operate safely, legally, and sustainably.”  

Carts will be available as they are manufactured. Applications are now open and will be reviewed on a monthly basis for eligibility and cart type, prioritized based on compliance readiness and location in high and highest-need areas according to the county’s Equity Explorer Map, and selected by lottery. The county and city of L.A. currently have 50 hot-holding and 30 cold-holding carts manufactured for the first round of awards with 40 integrated grill carts underway.   

More information on the Sidewalk Vending Cart Program and technical assistance in applying can be found at opportunity.lacounty.gov/sidewalkvendingcarts.