California bill would override L.A. and other cities that don't license street vendors

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 2/2/2018 | EMILY ALPERT REYES

[Beave Meister]

Los Angeles lawmakers have wrestled for years with how to legalize and regulate the vendors who sell food and goods on the city's sidewalks.

Now a state legislator is championing a bill that could take some of those decisions out of the city's hands. Under a proposal from Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), California cities would not be able to regulate or ban vendors unless they have a licensing system that meets several requirements.

Cities could not bar vending in parks. They could not limit where vendors can do business or cap their numbers unless the rules were tied to "objective health, safety or welfare concerns."

And they could not require vendors to get permission from the brick-and-mortar shops next door — an idea that L.A. lawmakers have been weighing as they try to hammer out city regulations.

[Svartalfiar]

The councilwoman gave my complaint to the police department. The police department sent a sergeant to my front door and told me that they don’t have the manpower to clear out the “day laborers.”

And yet, they have the manpower available to send someone out to your door just to tell you they don't have available manpower. Go figure.