The cart giveaway is part of a broader effort by the County to support low-income entrepreneurs and strengthen economic inclusion. 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 (CMFO), 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 (SVRC) and, for food vendors, a CMFO permit from the Department of Public Health. 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.

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 a 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.

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 LA 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. To receive a cart, applicants must be 18 years or older, live in LA County, be self-employed as a sidewalk vendor, earn less than $75,000 annually from vending, operate within either unincorporated LA County or the City of LA, 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.

Eligible applicants will be connected to partner community-based organizations Inclusive Action for the City and Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods (ICON) Community Development Corporation (CDC) that will provide permitting navigation, business support, and language assistance throughout the process. This support is offered in English, Spanish, and other commonly spoken languages in LA County to ensure equitable access and successful participation.

“Through the launch of the Sidewalk Vending Cart Program, the County is making sure working families have greater access to opportunity, while ensuring a permitted pathway towards micro entrepreneurship and formal economy,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Many vendors are navigating increasingly difficult and uncertain times due to cruel federal immigration actions, and we know vendors play an essential role in the economic and cultural vitality of Los Angeles County. This is more than a program — this is a chance to support small business growth, economic stability, and even generational wealth.”

“The sidewalk vending movement was built by working families, microentrepreneurs, and immigrants who never stopped showing up for their communities, even when the system was not built for them,” said Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “Today we are changing that story. By providing free, health code compliant carts and removing cost barriers, we are making sure our laws come with real pathways for vendors to thrive in the formal economy. This is what inclusive economic development looks like. We meet people where they are, honor their work, and invest in their success.”

“This program is about more than equipment, it is about economic equity,” said Kelly LoBianco, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity. “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.”

The $2.8 million investment covers the cost of cart manufacturing, community-based technical assistance, and operational support for permitting and compliance. The program is funded through a combination of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and local allocations from both the County and the City, made possible by motions led by Chair Solis and Supervisor Mitchell and approved by the Board of Supervisors in November 2021, October 2023, and September 2024.

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 currently have 50 hot-holding and 30 cold-holding carts manufactured for the first round of awards with 40 integrated grill carts underway. 

While time from application to cart will vary based on availability of carts and permitting approvals by the County and the City, applicants can anticipate up to 12-weeks and DEO will provide regular updates on awards and distribution. 

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