FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
July 16, 2026

Media Contact
Angela Herrera Perez
press@opportunity.lacounty.gov

Solis Celebrates First Sidewalk Vending Cart Recipients and Announces Additional $250,000 Investment

County program provides no-cost, health code-compliant carts and resources to help vendors operate safely and succeed

Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, together with the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), today announced an additional $250,000 investment in the County’s Sidewalk Vending Cart Program and celebrated seven new vendors to receive no-cost, California State Health Code-compliant food carts after completing all program requirements.

The investment will fund 19 integrated grill carts for eligible sidewalk vendors who operate in unincorporated areas of the San Gabriel Valley, bringing the County’s total commitment to the Sidewalk Vending Program to $1.78 million and increasing the number of County-funded, California State Health Code-compliant food carts to 199. Through its partnership with the City of Los Angeles, DEO has procured 303 food carts overall, including 104 City-funded carts.

“Street vendors are an important part of Los Angeles County’s culture and local economy,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “For generations, they have brought entrepreneurship, tradition and connection to communities across our region while creating opportunities for their families. This program helps vendors transition into the formal economy with the tools and support needed to operate safely and grow their businesses. As these carts become part of our neighborhoods, they will serve as a visible reminder of the entrepreneurs behind them and the lasting contributions they make across Los Angeles County.”

The seven vendors recognized at the event completed the program’s application and eligibility review, required workshops, public health inspections and permitting requirements, and secured access to a permitted commissary, allowing them to begin operating with their new carts.

“Through this program and its no- and low-cost permits and carts and technical assistance, we are supporting microentrepreneurs in accessing economic opportunity as well as ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all of our vendors, brick-and-mortar businesses, and community members,” said Kelly LoBianco, Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity. “We are excited for these vendors and hope their new carts and stories encourage vendors across unincorporated Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles to apply.”

The Sidewalk Vending Cart Program was launched following the passage of Senate Bill 972 (SB 972) in 2022, which established California’s Compact Mobile Food Operation (CMFO) category and created a health code framework for non-motorized sidewalk food vending carts administered locally by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH). To reduce financial barriers associated with purchasing California State Health Code-compliant carts, DEO partnered with the City of Los Angeles to provide eligible sidewalk vendors in the City of Los Angeles and unincorporated Los Angeles County with free carts and comprehensive business support.

Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other local and federal sources, the Sidewalk Vending Cart Program provides vendors with more than equipment. Eligible participants receive one-on-one technical assistance, permitting support and full subsidies for Sidewalk Vending Registration Certificates and related local and state permits. Through DEO and its County partners, vendors can also access:

• The Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) Program, which allows eligible vendors to use their homes as commissaries.
• The CMFO Health Permit Subsidy Program, which covers up to 75% of eligible permit-related fees.
• The Small Business Mobility Fund Formalization Grant Program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 to help vendors meet permitting requirements.

Applications for the Sidewalk Vending Cart Program opened Jan. 12, 2026, and will remain open while carts are available. Eligible sidewalk food vendors who vend in unincorporated Los Angeles County or the City of Los Angeles are encouraged to apply. Applicants must complete an eligibility review, attend required workshops, obtain business and food safety documentation, arrange cart transportation and storage, complete public health inspections, and secure all required CMFO health permits and local sidewalk vending permits before receiving a cart. The process typically takes up to 12 weeks, depending on eligibility and cart availability.

Interested vendors can learn more about the program, review eligibility requirements and submit an application at opportunity.lacounty.gov/sidewalkvendingcarts. Vendors in unincorporated Los Angeles County may also receive application assistance from Inclusive Action for the City, which has supported street vendors through the application process, by contacting info@inclusiveaction.orgor (323) 604-9765.

The event was held at the East Los Angeles Entrepreneur Center at the Centro Maravilla Community Center and featured a resource fair connecting current and aspiring sidewalk vendors with County departments, City partners, and community organizations offering assistance with permitting, business technical assistance, workforce development, public health compliance, immigration resources and other small business services.

B-roll available here (Credit: Geoffrey Prather).

Photos available here (Credit: Diandra Jay).

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About DEO:  About DEO: The LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has a vision for a more equitable economy with thriving communities, inclusive and sustainable growth, and opportunity and mobility for all. The department, with its America’s Job Centers of California, Office of Small Business, and hundreds of programs and partners, creates quality jobs, helps small businesses and high-road employers start and grow, and builds vibrant communities and spaces. Stay connected with DEO! Follow @EconOppLA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, or visit opportunity.lacounty.gov to learn about DEO services.