Long Beach recently started requiring street vendors to carry insurance and pay new fees, costs that can add up to more than $1,000 annually. To soften the blow, the city is offering fee waivers and financial support to qualifying vendors, and, sometime later this year, they’ll be giving away up to 40 carts to vendors who are operating legally under the new rules.
Because Long Beach is still developing the program, street vendors won’t be able to apply to receive one of the new carts until the summer, according to Jen Rice Epstein, a spokesperson for the city’s Health Department.
But, she said, right now, the city needs help figuring out what kind of carts to buy. To that end, the city is asking food cart manufacturers and sellers about the types of different carts, how much they cost and how quickly they can be purchased. (Businesses interested in working with the city can provide that information here by April 19.)
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“The info collected will help us determine the best method to secure sidewalk vending carts,” Rice Epstein said.
It’s not clear yet how applicants will be selected to receive the free carts, according to Rice Epstein, who said the overall goal is to support small businesses “while keeping diners safe.”
The program is part of the city’s push to get the word out about the new street vending requirements and to help vendors follow them. They technically went into effect in February, but city officials have said they don’t plan to enforce them until the summer to give vendors time to adjust.
Some vendors recently said that they knew about the new rules but not the financial assistance they could get to comply.
So far, Rice Epstein said, the city has received 21 applications from street vendors trying to abide by the new requirements, and two have been approved.
Dozens more people have called, emailed or attended town hall meetings to find out more about the process, according to Rice Epstein.
Street vendors who want to apply for the needed permits and licenses can learn how here. They can also attend a webinar on April 12 at 1 p.m. using this link. Or attend either of two town hall meetings on April 18 at Admiral Kidd Park at 1 p.m. or Chavez Park at 6:30 p.m.