Over 100 street vendors are celebrating the passage of a new ordinance that seeks to eliminate "no street vending" zones in Los Angeles.
The news comes after an early morning city council meeting today in which the ordinance was presented and voted on. In a unanimous 15-0 vote, the Los Angeles City Council approved an amendment to the City’s Sidewalk Vending Ordinance that removes the prohibition on vending in eight of the most popular tourist areas in the city.
These include the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Bowl, L.A. Live/Crypto.com Arena, Universal Studios/City Walk, El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument, Exposition Park, and Dodger Stadium.
“This is a tradition that goes back many generations in our city and is the tree point for many to enter commerce and entrepreneurship and to be able to raise their families with the income they derive from street vending,” said L.A.City Council President, Paul Krekorian before opening the item for a vote.
Krekorian recognized council member Hugo Soto Martinez, who originally introduced the motion to remove “no street vending zones” in 2023, along with other council members. The president said he understood how personal this topic was for the council member, whose parents were street vendors. Krekorian shared that his grandfather was also a street vendor who sold melons on Sunset Boulevard when he first migrated to this country.