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LA city council committee votes to move forward with decriminalizing illegal street vending
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Dec 13, 2016
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LA city council committee votes to move forward with decriminalizing illegal street vending
A vote to legalize street vending has moved to L.A.’s city council. What will this mean for the city moving forward? How will it impact vendors?
Street vending is illegal in LA. Vendors can get county health permits, but they’re not allowed to sell on the street.
Street vending is illegal in LA. Vendors can get county health permits, but they’re not allowed to sell on the street.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)

A vote to legalize street vending has moved to L.A.’s city council. What will this mean for the city moving forward? How will it impact vendors?

Shiny, colorful toys. Fresh fruits sprinkled with chili pepper. Bacon-wrapped hot dogs.

Street vendors in Los Angeles sell all sorts of amazing things. For a lot of us, these mobile business people are a big part of the city's DNA. But, at least until now, this has been an industry that's existed without regulation - and often outside the law.

That may soon be changing, Monday an L.A. city council committee voted to move forward with a plan that aims to decriminalize illegal street vending. 

For more on this, Alex Cohen spoke with Rudy Espinoza, an organizer who's been at the forefront.
He's president of a group called LURN or Leadership for Urban Renewal Network.

To hear the full segment, click the blue play button above.