City’s Action comes as a direct result of a lawsuit filed by sidewalk vendors in Dec. 2022.
The amendment to the City’s Ordinance still needs full City Council approval, which could happen as early as Tuesday.
Despite this victory, vendors will move forward with their trial date on Feb. 15, citing the need for a legal resolution and to address hundreds of citations issued to vendors in no-vending zones.
Los Angeles, February 2, 2024 – The Los Angeles City Civil Rights Committee today approved an amendment to the City’s Sidewalk Vending Ordinance that would remove the prohibition on vending in eight of the most popular pedestrian areas of the City, including the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The amendment to the Ordinance still needs to be approved by the full City Council, which could take place as early as Tuesday, February 6.
This action to strike all No-Vending Zones from the ordinance follows a City Council initiative approved in December 2023 to begin piloting a “Special Vending Zone” that will allow vendors to work on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
These Council actions are the direct result of a lawsuit filed in December 2022 by sidewalk vendors and sidewalk vendor advocates. In its most recent legal filing, the City acknowledged to the court that it is amending the ordinance to “address the core issues that prompted the [lawsuit.].”
In response to these recent actions taken by the City of L.A., the plaintiff organizations who brought the lawsuit and their public interest attorneys issued the following joint statement:
“Despite every obstacle, L.A. sidewalk vendors have organized a movement that consistently demands and achieves justice. The message is clear: arbitrary no-vending zones must go.
“While these recent actions by the City Council would never have occurred without the lawsuit, these actions do not replace the need for legal resolution. The trial is set for February 15, 2024.
“Throughout the lawsuit and in the five years since the adoption of the City’s sidewalk vending ordinance, the City has ignored or outright rejected invitations to discuss thoughtful proposals from street vendors that balance economic inclusion and public safety in Hollywood and elsewhere.
“Suddenly, just weeks before trial, the City has finally acknowledged that it has been enforcing illegal regulations over the past five years. These recent initiatives to rescind the No-Vending Zones and establish a special vending district in Hollywood are a necessary start. However, the City has still not addressed the fact that enforcement of these unlawful regulations has resulted in hundreds of citations and thousands of dollars of fines issued to low income workers. Shockingly, even as the City acknowledges the unlawful nature of the regulations, the citations continue.
“Vendors will continue to seek accountability for the previous harm caused, which must include rescinding all citations issued for vending in prohibited zones and refunding any fines paid for these violations, as well as the full repeal of all exclusionary and arbitrary regulations. As Los Angeles begins to bring its local vending ordinance into compliance with state law, other cities across the state should reconsider whether their local ordinances include arbitrary and exclusionary regulations that are inconsistent with state law.”
Link to the proposed Amendment to Street Vending Ordinance Council file is here.
Link to the motion introducing the special vending vending zone for Hollywood Blvd is here.
###
For media inquiries, email Joshua Busch here.
Public Counsel:
Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.
Western Center on Law & Poverty:
Fights in courts, cities, counties, and in the Capitol to secure housing, health care, and a strong safety net for Californians with low incomes, through the lens of economic and racial justice. For more information, visit www.wclp.org.
Community Power Collective:
Community Power Collective builds power with low-income workers and tenants through transformative organizing to win economic justice, community control of land and housing, and to propagate systems of cooperation in Boyle Heights and the greater LA region.
East LA Community Corporation:
ELACC is a Boyle Heights-based community development corporation that uses an equitable development model to engage residents traditionally left out of decision-making processes. In addition to affordable housing, they provide financial capability services through their Community Wealth department, which supports sidewalk vendors with free tax preparation, financial coaching, Technical Assistance, and social loans. ELACC is co-founder of the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign (LASVC) and has worked with micro-entrepreneurs for over a decade.
Inclusive Action for the City:
Inclusive Action for the City (IAC) is a Community Development Financial Institution and nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles whose mission is to bring people together to build strong local economies that uplift low-income urban communities through advocacy and transformative economic development initiatives. IAC serves the community through policy advocacy,
